Kenya's Amazing Wildlife
Kenya is home to some of the most amazing wildlife on the planet. See the biggest mammal on land, the king of the jungle and many more.
Kenya has an enormous variety of wildlife, which is why many people go on safari here. This is the country of the king of the jungle, the biggest mammal living on land, the fastest land animal and the biggest fish in the ocean. Here you encounter the Big Five and the Samburu Special Five. Birdlife is immensely diverse, and Kenya’s reptiles, insects and ocean life add even more variety.
The Big Five
The Cape buffalo, the African elephant, the black rhino, the lion and the leopard are the famous Big Five. The name once referred to the animals that were hardest to hunt. Today it describes five iconic safari species that are still among the most rewarding to find on a game drive.
Other large animals that roam freely in Kenya include giraffes, cheetahs, hippos, crocodiles, zebras, white rhinos, hyenas and many more.
There are several places in Kenya where you can find all of the Big Five in one trip: Masai Mara National Reserve, Tsavo West National Park, Samburu National Reserve and Ol’ Pejeta Conservancy.
The Samburu Special Five
Kenya has a reputation for conserving wildlife, with national parks, game reserves, marine parks and private conservancies protecting rare species. The almost extinct black rhino now has stronger numbers in Kenya thanks to breeding programmes, and several rare northern species thrive in Samburu.
The Samburu Special Five are named after Samburu National Reserve, where you can spot all five together: the Beisa oryx, the gerenuk, the reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra and the Somali ostrich.
The smaller species
Kenya has an enormous variety of birds. Hundreds of species in one national park are no exception, from small colourful birds to huge vultures, birds of prey, waterbirds and endemic species that can only be found here.
There are also many reptiles and insects hiding around. Snakes like the black mamba, cobra and puff adder live alongside lizards, chameleons, turtles and tortoises. Spiders, scorpions and centipedes are part of the ecosystem too, although hotels have their ways of keeping rooms clear from these creepy crawlers.
Ocean life
Kenya’s beaches are tropical and beautiful, and so is the life underwater. With a coastline of more than 530 kilometres, Kenya has one of the largest coral reefs on the continent. You can find colourful tropical fish, nudibranchs, pufferfish, blue marlin, swordfish, barracudas and, in season, whale sharks passing along the coast.
Diani Beach and Bamburi Beach north of Mombasa are excellent places to discover this underwater world. Kenya’s lakes, rivers and springs also have their own special life under water.
Dying to see all this and more with your own eyes? Then check out our itineraries for Kenya, and we hope to see you soon!
