Here Are the Animals You Can See in the Serengeti

HOME > JOURNAL > AFRICA > Here Are the Animals You Can See in the Serengeti

The Serengeti is arguably the most famous park in Tanzania, due to its huge wildlife population. The park hosts the Great Migration, when millions of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles cross the great open plains in search of water.

To give you an idea of the diversity of wildlife, here are some of the many animals you can see in the great Serengeti.

WILDEBEESTS

Wildebeests are peculiar animals that seem to have the head of an ox and the waist of an antelope. Each year, they cross the open plains of the Serengeti during the Great Migration. Visit in June or July to witness over 1.5 million wildebeests move in unison across the park in search of greener pastures.

ZEBRA

Zebras accompany wildebeests in the Great Migration across the Serengeti each year. Nearly 200,000 zebra run alongside each other following the rain in search of food and water. The mass of black and white stripes creates an optical illusion to confuse and distract potential predators that follow the migration.

GAZELLES

Gazelles join wildebeests and zebra to cross the Serengeti each June and July in the Great Migration. The two types of gazelles in the region are Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles. The most exciting time for travellers to find these graceful animals is when they cross the Grumeti River whilst dodging hungry crocodiles on the riverbanks.

ELEPHANTS

The largest species of elephant, the African elephant, can be found all over Serengeti National Park. The best time to spot these families of large mammals is in the early morning or the late afternoon when they go in search of food. Fortunately, there are now over 7,000 elephants in the Serengeti where they live without the threat of poaching.

GIRAFFES

The Serengeti hosts a thriving population of giraffes. Standing at nearly four metres tall, giraffes are the tallest mammals in the world. They munch on leaves high above the ground in herds of around 20. To spot these gentle giants, search for areas of the savannah with clusters of trees.

BUFFALO

The African buffalo, also called the Cape buffalo, are part of the famous Big Five animals to spot in Africa. Standing at over 1.5 metres tall, these impressive beasts can be found in large herds grazing in grassy fields all year round.

LION

Lions are the largest felines in Africa. These predators hunt buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, gazelles, and antelopes throughout the Serengeti. The females can be spotted hunting in groups, called prides, following the Great Migration, as the larger males lounge around in the shade.

LEOPARD

Leopards can be extremely difficult to find in the Serengeti. As shy, solo hunters, they often remain in remote areas and stay in the shadows when around other beings. For the best chance of sighting these spotted predators, head to the riverbanks to wait until they need to quench their thirst.

Find out everything you need to know about the park in our full guide to the Serengeti. To organise your trip to this infamous park, contact True Travel today.