10 Most common animals found in Tsavo
Tsavo Conservation Area, which encompasses Tsavo East & West, Chyulu Hills, and some privately operated community conservancies, forms Kenya’s largest single wilderness and one of the largest in Africa. The park is home to diverse wildlife species, including the big five. In this guide, we look at some common wildlife you can easily encounter in the first few days of your safari in Tsavo.
1. Elephants
These are the most common animals in the Tsavo conservation area. There is an estimated population of over 15,000 elephants in the vast region, making it one of the biggest in the world. The park is also one of the few places where you can find the big tusker elephants. These are unique kinds of elephants that are on the verge of extinction and who have a very large tusk, sometimes weighing to over 50 kg each. According to recent records, over 25 such giants can be found in Tsavo today. But what makes the Tsavo elephants unique is their red painting, which is one of its kind in the world. This painting is surprisingly not the natural skin colour. Normally, these creatures acquire this unique attribute when they roll anthills and smear their body with the park’s characteristic red loam soil. In most cases, the elephants in the park will live in herds that can go to over 10 individuals of different sizes and ages. It is, however, not uncommon to find a lone elephant.
2. Lions
Tsavo have also been well known for their lion population. The vast wilderness has an estimated 675 individual lions today, the second biggest population in Kenya and one of the biggest in Africa. The most famous of the Tsavo lions are the two man-eaters lions that ambushed and killed railway workers during the construction of the Kenyan Ugandan Railways in the early 20th century. Over the years, the two lions have been depicted in books and movies as one of the most horrifying cases of human-wildlife conflict. Tsavo lions mostly live in prides, though not as large as those in Masai Mara and other places. Each pride has one dominant male. Tsavo lions are unique in that many of their male lions are maneless. Researcher have attributed this unique characteristic to their adaptation to thick woodland where mane could get entangled in thickets and derail hunting. Since lions are nocturnal, you are more likely to find them hunting early in the morning and late in the evening hours.
3. Hippos
Though it is hard to keep the actual record of the hippo population in Tsavo due to their semi-aquatic behavior, there is no doubt that Tsavo has one of the biggest hippo populations in Africa. These unique creatures are mostly found in the numerous water bodies in the vast conservation area. These include the Galana River, Voi River, Tsavo River, Aruba Dam, Mudanda Rock (watering hole), Mzima Springs, and Lake Jipe. Some camps and lodges, like Galdessa camp in Tsavo East, are uniquely positioned near a hippo pool. Hippos are territorial and normally live in pods that can have up to 10 individuals. They also graze at night, and you can easily see them roaming in your camp compound area if you are staying in a riverside camp.
4. Crocodiles
Tsavo has one of the biggest crocodile habitats in Africa owing to its numerous waterbodies. Unlike hippos, it’s quite common to see a croc basking in the sun during the daytime. You, therefore, have a great chance of sighting them outside your riverside camp, especially where there is a sandy or rocky riverbank. The most common type of crocodile found in this park is the Nile crocodile, which is large and powerful, averaging 4 m to 4.5 m in length. The best spot for sighting these creatures is the Crocodile Point along the Galana River in Tsavo East. You can also find them during your walking safari along the Mzima Springs trails in Tsavo West. Galana Crocodile Camp has the best camp sightings.
5. Rhinos
Tsavo is home to the Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary, one of Kenya’s few rhino protection areas. The enclosure is situated in the Ngulia Valley inside the Tsavo West National Park. Here, there are 120 black and white rhinos under protection. The best viewpoint for sighting the greatly endangered species is the roaring rocks viewpoint, which is situated at the edge of the enclosure. Here, you can see these animals roaming in the valley below. Guests who seek to have a more immersive encounter with the animals can also choose to spend a night in the rhino viewing platforms inside the sanctuary. The platforms are set at the edge of a popular watering hole that is frequented by rhinos even at night.
6. Giraffes
Tsavo landscape is home to over 4300 Maasai giraffes, about 31% of the entire population in Kenya. It is actually hard to go for a single safari drive without encountering the towering creatures. Maasai Giraffes, also referred to as Kilimanjaro Giraffes, are the tallest of the giraffes subspecies. They mostly live in small groups and spend most time of the day browsing (16- 20 hrs). The Tsavo ecosystem is one of their best habitats because of its abundant acacia woodlands that form the largest part of their diet. These giraffes are unique in that they can run at a speed as high as 50 – 60 km per hour. The speed and their powerful kick are their defense from enemies like lions, cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas. Importantly, in search of food, Maasai giraffes in the Tsavo ecosystem migrate between the Tsavo and Mkomazi wilderness in Tanzania across.
7. Buffalos
Other animals you will most likely encounter while in Tsavo are buffalos. According to the most recent census, there are about 9,000 buffalos in the vast ecosystem that encompasses Tsavo, Mkomazi, and Amboseli. The most common buffalo subspecies is the cape buffalo. These buffalos are large cow-like beings with large, heavy, and ringed horns. They mostly live in groups and are very aggressive. These unique creatures have a dominant male leading every herd. A herd may also have other subordinate males, especially the younger ones, amongst the females. During your safari, you will most likely encounter the herds grazing in the savannah-rich Yatta plateau in Tsavo East. Buffalos are some of the most sought-after large kills by lions, and sighting a pride stalking a herd is quite common.
8. Zebras
Zebras are also common sightings in the Tsavo Conservation Area. It is hard to complete a game drive in Tsavo East and West before coming across herds of the colourful animals, especially near watering holes and river basins. In Tsavo, the most common subspecies are the plain zebras. The vast region is also one of the few places in Africa with a considerable population of the endangered Grevy Zebras. Grevy Zebras are larger in size than other subspecies. By looking at their complexions, you can also distinguish Grevy from plain zebras. Grevy zebras have narrower strips, mohawk manes that stand tall, and white belly attributes that are distinct from those of plain zebras. The best place to see Grevy zebras is at the Galana Ranch, which borders Tsavo East. Unlike the plain zebras, which can be sighted in the thick woodland vegetation in Tsavo West, Grevy Zebras prefer a semi-arid habitat with scanty trees.
9. Antelope
Antelopes are also common sightings in the Tsavo Conservation Area. The vast ecosystem is one of Kenya’s most dependable habitats for the rock antelopes, klipspringer, which are commonly found grazing in open savannah plains, especially close to the numerous volcanic rocks in the park. You also have a great chance of encountering fringe-eared oryx, which prefer the semi-arid habitat found in Tsavo East and surrounding conservancies. The rangeland also extends to Tsavo West, where a considerable population can also be sighted. There is also a significant population of the elusive lesser Kudu, which is often found in the Tsavo West woodlands. Antelopes are some of the major targets of predators, and it is common to sight a pride of lions or even a lone leopard stalking a herd of antelope.
10. Hyenas
These are the cleaners of the wilderness as they feed on what has been left by the predators. Spotted hyenas are the most abundant carnivores in the vast Tsavo ecosystem, with a population density of around 19 individuals in every 100 square kilometers. These hyenas combine both hunting and scavenging to earn a meal. These animals are adapted to savannah plains, semi-arid and woodland habitats and therefore can be sighted throughout the vast Tsavo national parks. They live in large parks that can go to over 80 individuals, an attribute that gives them high success in hunting. These animals also have a sophisticated method of communication that uses a range of sounds. Surprisingly, mature female hyenas dominate the pack and are mostly larger in size.