There is a good variety of wildlife in Chizarira National Park, but animals tend to be skittish and densities are low. You might see elephant and buffalo, but black rhino has become locally extinct. Zebra, greater kudu, waterbuck, bushbuck and impala are all quite common. Leopards are common but characteristically secretive, while lion and spotted hyenas are more often heard than seen.
Wildlife Highlights
The rocky terrain is excellent for animals that thrive in that kind of environment, such as klipspringer, which are often found standing like statues on balancing rocks. Rock hyrax are very common and usually spotted scurrying away as a Verreaux’s eagle passes overhead. Leopard also love this habitat but sightings are relatively infrequent.
Best Time for Wildlife Viewing
The best time for wildlife viewing in the park is from July to October, during the middle and end of the Dry season. Wildlife is easier to spot then because vegetation is thinner and animals gather around predictable water sources. Roads might become impassable in the Wet Season (November to March).