Nyerere National Park Animals
The Nyerere National Park formerly known as Selous Game Reserve is located in the southern part of Tanzania and is one of the Southern circuit National Parks. There are thousands of animals that the Park hosts and from the time that it was opened, there has been an increase in the wildlife.
Below is a tentative list of the animals that you should definitely look out for while on a safari in Nyerere National Park.
- The Puku antelope
- Spotted hyenas
- Hartebeest
- Sable antelopes
- Topi antelopes
- Water bucks
- Crocodiles
- Great kudu
- Colobus monkey
- Wildebeest (there are about 1000 wildebeests in Selous)
- Impalas (2,500)
- Giraffes
- Zebras (35,000)
- African wild dogs
- Hippos
- The black rhino, this is an endangered species that is found in Selous although it will be hard to see one and you will need to have enough patience.
- Lions, the Nyerere National Park is believed to have about 1000 lions and these can be seen during the dry season stalking their prey along the banks of the Rufiji River.
- Buffalos, the National Park has quite a large number of buffaloes that are best seen during the dry season.
- Elephants
- Leopards.
Best time for wildlife viewing in Nyerere
The dry season is the best time for tourists to take on game drives. The dry season is experienced from June to October and the animals are easily seen relaxing along the banks of River Rufiji and the tributary Lakes. This is also known as the peak season so you need to book in advance so that you get the best lodgings while in Selous.
Besides the animals that are found in the National Park, you will also be able to view some of the bird species that live within and these include the African skimmer, Egrets, pink backed pelican, Mangrove kingfisher, purple-crested Turaco, yellow billed stork, brown breasted barbet, white fronted bee-eater and the Pel’s fishing owl among others.
There are lots of other animals that you can see all throughout the year and the best thing for you to do is pack your bags and head down to Nyerere National Park for a safari of a lifetime.
The park however still faces a problem from the industrialization of the surrounding areas and this has greatly affected the animals and the birds. There is also a continuation of poaching from both the locals and some of the tourists who visit the park. This is extremely illegal and heavy fines and imprisonment faces all those that engage in the poaching business and this is one of the ways in which the government is trying to protect the animals. The Nyerere National Park is protected by armed rangers who help in the protection of the animals.
The park is filled with many animals that you can see and these live in the different parts of the Park. Many of the animals in Nyerere can be seen during guided walks, a boat safari and game drives and these are done with the help of a tour guide. We have been able to get a list of some of the animals that live within the National Park although you should note that these are not the only animals that you will find while on your safari to Nyerere.
