ANIMALS OF THE SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

Mother and calf hippo relaxing in one of the Serengeti’s many lakes. Hippo’s are one of the most loved animals of the Serengeti. A must see if you are visiting! / Image: @huchenme

We've all heard tales of the fabled animals of the Serengeti National Park, but what species actually live there? With hundreds of groups of birds, mammals, and reptiles calling the park home, you can expect to see quite a variety of wild animals on your Serengeti adventures.

Although countless creatures inhabit the vast savannahs and grasslands, it's important to note that life in the Serengeti is unpredictable! As such, there's no telling which residents you will and won't see; seasons, climate, and mating behaviors all play a role.

Throughout this guide, we'll take a look at the wildlife in the Serengeti you might be fortunate enough to spot during your luxury safari expedition!

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A serval cat in the Serengeti grass. The Serengeti is home to many more intruiging and interesting species other than the Big Five / Image: @huchenme

What Animals Live In the Serengeti?

If you've seen any images of the Serengeti, you'll likely be familiar with some of its larger dwellers, like lions, giraffes, and wildebeests. In reality, these are just some of the animals in the park.

To give you a broader view of the diverse wildlife that lies inside, we've split these fascinating animals into lists of categories.

The Big Five

Lions

The king of the jungle (or the savannah, in this case!), the lion is perhaps the most famous animal found in the Serengeti and Tanzania in general. Around 3,000 lions live in the park, and seeing them sleep, hunt, and socialize in their pride can be done on our African Lion Safari. Fortunately, they're among the easiest animals to spot.

Elephants

Few creatures are as majestic as the African elephant, and these giants are the largest land animals on the planet. They tend to move between the plains and woodlands, with the females sticking together for decades and the males often leading a more solitary lifestyle.

Buffalos

Not only are buffalos some of the most dangerous, unpredictable creatures of the Serengeti, but they're among the most feared in Africa with their signature stare and enormous horns. They mostly travel in east-to-spot herds close to watering holes, but it's not uncommon to see an occasional solo male.

Rhinos

One of the park's rarer animals, the rhino, is an elusive creature. The Serengeti is home to black rhinos, while white species are found in other parts of Tanzania. As a result of years of poaching, the population has dramatically decreased, exacerbated by the animal's low reproduction rate.

Leopards

Leopards are shy, mysterious cats that are notoriously difficult to spot and stay under the radar by lounging on branches and hunting alone after dark. Although their ability to camouflage can make sightings tricky, you have a better chance of seeing them in the Serengeti than in other Tanzanian parks.

The elusive leopard perched in a tree, one of its favorite hiding places. If you are lucky you may get to encounter a leopard on your next trip to the Serengeti / Image: @chriscthomas

Wildlife Beyond the Big Five in the Serengeti

Birds in the Serengeti to Watch Out For

The Serengeti is also a hub for birdwatching, with over 500 species to admire. If you're keen on spotting a few feathered friends, be sure to dedicate some of your time to the central regions of the park.

Some of the birds here aren't found anywhere else in the world outside of East Africa and are worth looking for. These include:

Fischer's lovebird - These pint-sized parrots are green with golden feathers on their heads and bright red beaks. Though native to Tanzania, they often migrate west in search of more moist conditions.

Rufous-tailed weaver - Covered in scaly plumage and bearing distinctive pale eyes, these songbirds are among the more neutral-colored weavers.

Grey-breasted spurfowl - With their grey, brown, and red feathers, the grey-breasted spurfowls are large, rare species that can't be found outside of Tanzania.

Even if you don't stumble upon these endemic species, you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the likes of other winged creatures, such as:

African fish eagles
Superb starlings
Yellow-billed hornbills
African darter
African harrier hawk
Marabou stork
African openbill stork
Lilac-breasted roller
Helmeted guineafowl
White-backed vulture
Southern ground hornbill
Jackson's golden-backed weaver
Grey crowned crane
Black-headed heron
Grey-headed kingfisher

A Marabou Stork casually resting beside a body of water in the Serengeti National Park. Birdwatching is becoming one of the most popular things to do in the Serengeti / Image: @kendra_young

Reptiles You Can See

When we think about what animals live in the Serengeti, reptiles rarely spring to mind. While they might not be at the top of your priority list, these cold-blooded beings are important to the park's ecosystem and can be incredibly interesting to see in action.

During your visit, watch out for:

Nile crocodile - Easily the Serengeti's best-known reptile, these scaly beasts frequent the Mara and Grumeti rivers. If you visit during the Great Migration, there's a chance you'll see a crocodile or two feasting on a wildebeest, gazelle, or zebra.

Leopard tortoise - Like many other tortoise species, the leopard tortoise are slow, solidarity creatures and stand out due to their gold and black shells.

Dodoma rock agama - They might be tough to spot thanks to their small size, but these brightly-colored lizards are a sight to behold. Their rainbow-like scales can vary from purple and blue to red and orange.

Some other reptiles you might come across include:

Rock pythons
Red-lipped snake
East African shovel snout
Serengeti tree snake
Flap necked chameleon
Nile monitor
Gregory's blue-headed agama
Mwanza fat-headed rock agama
Tropical spiny agama
Common long-tailed lizard
African striped skink
Grass top skink
Helmeted turtle
Bell's hinge-back tortoise

Reptiles are one of the most captivating animals of the Serengeti. Here is a Rock Phython intertwined beneath the bushes / Image: @davidclode

Mammals You Might Come Across

The Big Five might be the Serengeti's most revered animals, but there are a whole host of other mammals in this expansive national park. These mammals come in all shapes and sizes and range from instantly recognizable creatures to lesser-known species.

Many expand on the Big Five to include the following beings:

Cheetah - Cheetahs are sometimes confused for leopards, but these ultra-fast predators are taller and more slender than their counterparts. They have the potential to travel up to 110 km per hour, and watching them hunting is an unforgettable experience.

Hippopotamus - Hippos are often spotted lounging in the refreshing waters of the Mara River. This, along with their substantial size, makes them relatively easy to find!

Giraffe - Tanzania has a huge giraffe population, yet seeing these towering animals elegantly wander across the Serengeti's plains is always a magical encounter.

Zebra - Plains zebras are found all over the park, and their signature black and white stripes have become a symbol of the Serengeti. They're not hard to find and typically join the wildebeests and gazelles on their epic annual migration.

During your Serengeti trip, be sure to stay alert for other mammals like:

Antelope
Impala
Wildebeest
Aardvark
Pangolin
Spotted hyena
Honey badger
Vervet monkey
Olive baboon
Spring hare
Waterbuck
Bushbuck
Bushbaby

Olive Baboons are a regular sighting in the Serengeti and are vastly interesting animals to observe. Make sure to see them on your next visit here / Image @leilaboujnane

Mating Season in the Serengeti

The mating seasons in the park look a little different for each species, and as such, there are no specific months when all the animals typically mate.

Lions, giraffes, leopards, and an array of other creatures don't have a particular breeding period each year. On the other hand, May and June are prime times for wildebeest mating, and males often go head-to-head to win over the females in a process called the 'rut.'

While some explorers plan their trips to align with the mating phase, it's also worth considering arriving during the calving season. This usually falls between January and March, and at this time, the plains begin to fill up with baby wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles. It's a truly eye-opening event as the newborns learn to navigate their unfamiliar surroundings and their new-found parents stay vigilant for hungry predators lurking nearby.

Can You See the Great Migration in the Serengeti?

Countless visitors flock to the northern pockets of the Serengeti between June and October in the hopes of witnessing the Great Migration. At this time, herds of wildebeests, gazelles, and zebras head north in search of greener pastures, and this entire process is a jaw-dropping spectacle.

There's no guarantee you'll catch sight of this natural phenomenon, but you'll be in with a shot if you arrive in the dry season. If you're lucky, you might even experience the astounding Mara River crossing. This treacherous passage is considered by many to be the highlight of each migration cycle.

Mating Lions in the Serengeti National Park. There is no specific season for mating, however favorably for lions its between March and July. Even though lions can mate all year round / Image: @cdm3302

Will the Seasons Have an Impact on What Animals You Can See in the Serengeti?

The time of year will determine which animals you'll see roaming around the park.

In general, the dry season, running from May until October, is thought to be the best time for animal viewing as the weather in the Serengeti is at its best. Temperatures are more moderate, and the rain and mist associated with the Serengeti's wet season are long gone. Because of this, the animals are significantly simpler to notice.

Due to the sheer volume of animals, there's still an abundance of wildlife-spotting opportunities during the rainy months, but identifying them can be rather challenging.

There's a break in the rains around January and February, meaning these months also offer reliable weather and visibility.

The Last Word on the Animals of the Serengeti National Park

Unless you have unlimited time, seeing all the animals of the Serengeti National Park would be impossible! Nonetheless, encountering even a fraction of these magnificent creatures makes any visit worthwhile, opening you up to the beauty and wonder of this one-of-a-kind location in Tanzania.

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Animals of the Serengeti National Park