Kruger National Park Wildlife - All about the Animals in the Reserve

Discover the incredible variety of Kruger National Park wildlife. There are over a hundred animal species! Watching Kruger National Park animals interact with their natural environment can be time consuming, but is definitely rewarding. Take an animal checklist with you on your safari to see all the mammals you could see in the park. Keep a tab on what other people have seen in the park by checking out the Kruger National Park sightings boards. You may also have a special interest in seeing baby animals. We've put together a guide as to when what babies are born, so you'll know what to expect at the time of year that you visit Kruger National Park. On any trip to Kruger National Park take a camera! You don't have to be a wildlife photographer to take great pictures. Any type of camera should do, but a lot of people have large zoom lenses to capture the detail in distant shots. Some people also film wildlife in action with their cameras. There is a famous amateur video called Battle At Kruger. It's about the remarkable turn of events when a group of lions attack a buffalo herd. If you own or can borrow a pair of binoculars, they'll help you scan the bush for game and to identify birds. Plus you'll find out if that distant rock is really a rock or an animal! On a visit to the park, people aim to see the big 5. The big 5 were traditionally the most sought after hunting trophies:

• Lions
• Elephants
• Buffalos
• Rhinos
• Leopards

Other common animals you're bound to run into are:

• Baboons
• Crocodiles
• Giraffes 
• Hippos
• Monkeys
• Warthogs
• Wildebeest
• Zebras

Less common animals:

• Cheetahs
• Hyenas
• Jackals
• Mongooses
• Porcupines
• Wild dogs

Nocturnal animals, all sightings of which are less common:

• Bushbabies
• Civets
• Genets
• Honey badgers
• Servals
• Spring hares

Did you know, there is also a little five?

• Antlions
• Eastern rock elephant shrews
• Leopard tortoises
• Red-billed buffalo weavers
• Rhino beetles

On top of the little five, there are other little creatures to see in the park including:

• Dung beetles
• Mopani worms

There are over 500 types of Kruger National Park birds! The southern and central regions of the park have a higher concentration of animals. The northern region is dryer so fewer animals live there. We've only touched the tip of the Kruger National Park wildlife iceberg. You'll discover so much more when you're there!