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A header image, featuring a cheetah positioned to the right, standing in a forested area, gazing over its right shoulder.


Animals You'll Meet on Safari

 

Whether you’re a first-time traveler or a seasoned adventurer, embarking on a safari is one of the most thrilling ways to experience the natural world. The animals you might encounter during your safari in northern Tanzania, number in the thousands. We summed up a few of the most common species you can look for.

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The Big 5

 

​The "Big Five" refers to five of the most iconic and sought-after animals in Africa, originally named by big-game hunters for being the most challenging and dangerous animals to hunt on foot. Today, these animals are celebrated more for their conservation value and are a major attraction for wildlife enthusiasts on safari.​​

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A close-up image of an African male lion positioned to the right, standing on an open grass field, gazing into the distance towards a setting sun.

African Lion: 

Simba

  • Habitat: Lions are found in a variety of habitats, including savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands. In Tanzania, the Serengeti is well-known for their lion populations and Lake Manyara is famous for its tree-climbing lion.

  • Characteristics: Known as the "King of the Jungle," they are social, living in prides consisting of related females, their cubs, and a few adult males, who defend the pride's territory. Males are recognizable by their manes, which serve as a sign of strength and virility.

  • Diet: Lions are apex predators, meaning they sit at the top of the food chain. They primarily hunt large herbivores like zebras, wildebeests, and buffaloes.

  • Hunting: Their hunting strategy relies heavily on stealth and teamwork. Lionesses often work together to surround and ambush their prey, using the cover of darkness or tall grass. Male lions may also participate in hunting, especially when taking down larger prey such as buffalo or giraffes. The pride shares the meal, with the males eating first, followed by females and cubs.​

A close-up, rear view of an African leopard standing on a red-sand road, gazing over its left shoulder.

African Leopard: 

Chui

  • Habitat: Leopards are extremely adaptable and can be found in savannas, forests, mountainous regions and even semi-urban areas. In Tanzania, leopards are frequently spotted in the Serengeti, as well as in forested areas near rivers and rocky outcrops.

  • Characteristics: Leopards have a distinctive coat, covered in rosettes (rose-like spots), provides excellent camouflage in their natural habitat. They are strong and agile climbers, often dragging their prey into trees to protect it.

  • Diet: Leopards are opportunistic feeders, with a wide range of prey from small birds to large antelopes.

  • Hunting: Leopards are solitary hunters, relying on their exceptional camouflage and stealth to get close to their prey before pouncing. They typically hunt at night or during the early morning hours.​​

A close-up image of a large adult African elephant with two broken tusks, positioned to the right, standing in a grass field against a backdrop of low bushes stretching to the horizon.

African Elephant: 

Tembo

  • Habitat: Elephants are found in savannas, forests, deserts, and marshes. In Tanzania, they are commonly seen in Tarangire and the Serengeti.

  • Characteristics: The African Elephant is the largest land animal on Earth. Their most distinctive features are their large ears, which help regulate body temperature, and their long trunks, which are used for a variety of purposes including feeding, drinking, breathing, and communication. Elephants are highly intelligent animals with complex social structures. They live in matriarchal family groups led by the oldest female, who guides the herd based on her knowledge of the environment and available resources.

  • Diet: Elephants are herbivores, consuming large amounts of vegetation daily, including grasses, leaves, fruit, and bark. Their feeding habits significantly shape their environment. They can eat up to 150 kg (330 lbs) of vegetation daily.

A close-up image of a black rhinoceros walking to the left through tall grass, with a dense forest in the background.

Black Rhinoceros: 

Kifaru

  • Habitat: The Black Rhinoceros prefers bushlands, savannas, and woodlands. They are an endangered species, but are found commonly in protected areas such as the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park, where conservation efforts are focused on preserving their declining populations.

  • Characteristics: The Black Rhinoceros is smaller and more solitary than its counterpart, the white rhinoceros. It has a prehensile upper lip, which is pointed and adapted for grasping leaves and branches from shrubs and trees, allowing it to feed on a variety of vegetation. Black rhinos are known for their aggressive and sometimes unpredictable behavior, particularly when they feel threatened.

  • Diet: Black Rhinos are browsers, meaning they primarily feed on leafy plants, branches, shoots, thorny wood bushes, and fruit. They are known to consume over 200 different plant species.

A close-up image of an African buffalo positioned to the left, standing in tall, dry grass, gazing to its left towards a setting sun, with a few trees and bushes in the background.

African Buffalo: 

Mbogo

  • Habitat: Buffaloes van be found in a variety of habitats, including savannas, swamps, floodplains, and forests. In Tanzania, large herds are commonly seen in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

  • Characteristics: African Buffaloes are large, robust animals with thick, curved horns that can be used for defense against predators. They are known for their unpredictable nature and strong herd instincts, often forming large groups for protection. The size of these herds can vary from a few individuals to several hundred, and within these herds, buffaloes exhibit a strong social structure, often with a dominant bull leading the group.

  • Diet: Buffaloes are grazers, primarily feeding on grasses. They need to drink regularly and are therefore often found near water sources.​​​​


Predators

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While the Big Five are often the focus of safari adventures, the northern parks of Tanzania also host a fascinating array of other carnivores. These lesser-known predators play crucial roles in maintaining the balance of their ecosystems and offer incredible opportunities for wildlife enthusiasts to observe diverse hunting behaviors and survival strategies.

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A close-up, frontal view of a cheetah approaching on a dirt road, with two other cheetahs blurred in the background.

Cheetah: 

Duma

  • Habitat: Cheetahs are found in various habitats, including grasslands, savannas and open plains. In northern Tanzania, they are often found in the Serengeti and Tarangire National Parks.

  • Characteristics: Cheetahs are the fastest land animals, capable of reaching speeds up to 70 mph (113 km/h) in short bursts. They have a slender body, long legs, and distinctive black "tear marks" that run from the eyes down the sides of their nose.

  • Diet: They mainly feed on medium-sized ungulates like gazelles, impalas and young wildebeests, which they chase down during short, rapid sprints.

  • Hunting: Cheetahs rely on their speed and agility to chase down and capture their prey during daylight hours.​

A close-up image of a serval lying in tall grass, gazing over its left shoulder, with only its torso visible.

​Serval: 

Mondo

  • Habitat: Servals inhabit a variety of environments, including open woodlands, savannas and grasslands, where tall grasses and reeds provide cover for stalking prey. They are widespread across Tanzania, commonly seen in the Serengeti and Lake Manyara.

  • Characteristics: Servals are medium-sized wild cats with long legs, a short tail and large, rounded ears which help them detect prey. They have a distinctive appearance with a golden-yellow coat marked with black spots and stripes.  They are known for their the ability to leap high into the air to catch birds.

  • Diet: Servals primarily feed on small mammals, such as rodents, but they also eat birds, reptiles and insects.

  • Hunting: Servals are solitary hunters with exceptional sight and hearing, which helps them locate prey hidden in the tall grass. They are well-adapted to hunting in tall grasslands where their prey can be difficult to spot.​

A close-up image of a caracal positioned to the left, standing in tall, dry grass, gazing at the setting sun.

Caracal: 

Simba Manga

  • Habitat: Caracals prefer dry savannas, semi-deserts, and scrub forests. They are elusive and not often seen, but they inhabit areas across northern Tanzania, such as the Serengeti and parts of Ngorongoro.

  • Characteristics: Caracals are known for their tawny or reddish-brown coat and distinctive long, black tufts of hair on the tips of their ears. They have a slender body and strong legs.

  • Diet: Caracals are skilled hunters with a diet consisting of small to medium-sized mammals, birds and rodents. They are known for their powerful hind legs, which they use to leap and capture prey.

  • Hunting: Caracals primarily hunt small to medium-sized mammals, birds, and rodents. Their hunting skills include high jumps to snatch prey from the air.

A close-up, frontal view of a spotted hyena gazing to its left, approaching through a lush landscape, flanked by tall grass, with other vegetation blurred in the background.

Spotted Hyena: 

Fisi Madoa

  • Habitat: Spotted Hyenas are found in a wide range of habitats, including savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands. They are notably present in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, where they are seen in large numbers.

  • Characteristics: They have a distinctive coat with irregular black spots on a tawny background. They have a sloping back, large rounded ears, and a powerful build. They are social animals, living in large clans dominated by their females.

  • Diet: Their diet includes large ungulates, smaller mammals, and carrion.

  • Hunting and Scavenging: Spotted Hyenas are skilled scavengers but also hunt their own prey. They are known for their ability to crush bones with their strong jaws and consume nearly every part of their prey. Besides that, they are known for their endurance and ability to track and follow other predators.

A close-up image of a striped hyena walking to the left across a barren, dirt landscape, with a few blurred green spots in the background, gazing to its left.

Striped Hyena: 

Fisi Mistari

  • Habitat: The Striped Hyena is less common in northern Tanzania, It prefers arid and semi-arid regions, including scrublands and savannas.

  • Characteristics: They have a distinctive appearance with vertical stripes on their legs, back, and sides. Their coat is a mix of gray and brown, and they have a mane of long, bristly hair along their back.

  • Diet: Their diet includes insects, small mammals, and carrion. They are also known to feed on fruit and plant material when animal prey is scarce.

  • Hunting and Scavenging: Striped Hyenas rely on scavenging but will hunt small animals if the opportunity arises. They are mostly nocturnal, foraging for food at night. They are skilled at locating food sources and are known for their ability to adapt to changing food availability.​

    • A close-up image of a black-backed jackal positioned to the right, standing on a sandy surface, gazing slightly to its right.

    Black-Backed Jackal: 

    Bweha Mgongo Mweusi

    • Habitat: Black-Backed Jackals inhabit bushlands, savannas, and woodlands, often found in protected areas like the Ngorongoro Crater or the Serengeti.

    • Characteristics: They are medium-sized canines with a reddish-brown coat and a distinctive black "saddle" on their back. They are known for their adaptability and resourcefulness.

    • Diet: Black-Backed Jackals are omnivorous, feeding on small mammals, birds, insects, and fruits. They are opportunistic feeders, often scavenging on carcasses left by larger predators.

    • Hunting: Black-Backed Jackals are versatile and opportunistic hunters. They often hunt alone or in pairs, using both their keen sense of smell and sight.​

    A close-up image of a side-striped jackal positioned to the left, standing in an open grass field, gazing slightly to its left.

    Side-Striped Jackal: 

    Bweha Miraba

    • Habitat: Side-Striped Jackals habitats include woodlands, savannas, and forest edges. They are present in Tarangire and Lake Manyara, but they are more common in the western and southern parts of Tanzania.

    • Characteristics: They have a more subdued coat color compared to Black-Backed Jackals, with grayish-brown fur and white side stripes. Their tail is bushy, and they have a more robust build compared to the Black-Backed Jackal. They are more solitary and less aggressive.

    • Diet: Side-Striped Jackals have an omnivorous diet, consuming small mammals, fruits, small vertebrates, insects and carrion.​​​

    • Hunting: Side-Striped Jackals are more likely to forage and hunt in pairs or small family groups. They are also opportunistic and may scavenge when hunting opportunities are scarce.

    A close-up image of an African wild dog positioned to the right, standing on a sandy, inclined surface, with a blurred forest in the background, gazing to its right.

    African Wild Dog:

    Mbwa Mwitu

    • Habitat: African Wild Dogs are typically found in savannas, open woodlands, and sometimes in semi-arid areas. In Tanzania, they are most present in protected areas like the Serengeti, but they are endangered.

    • Characteristics: They have a distinctive, mottled coat with a patchwork of black, brown, yellow, and white fur. Each dog’s coat pattern is unique, similar to human fingerprints. They have large, rounded ears that help with hearing and cooling, and long, slender legs adapted for speed. They are highly social and live in large packs.

    • Diet: Their diet mainly consists of medium-sized ungulates, such as gazelles, impalas, and wildebeests.

    • Hunting: Unlike many other predators, African Wild Dogs rely on teamwork and endurance rather than stealth and ambush. They use coordinated group efforts to chase down and exhaust prey, and their hunting style involves a lot of vocal communication and strategic planning.​​​​

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