​Wildlife & Animals – Mana Pools NP

Philip Briggs
Expert
By Philip Briggs

Philip has traveled through Zimbabwe several times and is the author of more than 20 guidebooks to various African destinations.

Philip is the Zimbabwe expert for SafariBookings and author of more than 20 guidebooks to Africa.

Philip is our Zimbabwe expert and author of more than 20 guidebooks to Africa.

The park is home to most of the common safari animals, including four of the Big Five. Buffalo are abundant and there is a large concentration of lion and leopard in the south of the park. The park is most known for its elephants; big bulls steal the show when they raise themselves up on their hind legs to reach the top of the trees.

Abundant
Common
Occasional
Rare
None
ElephantAbundant
GiraffeNone
HippoCommon
BuffaloCommon
ZebraCommon
WildebeestNone
White RhinoNone
Black RhinoNone
LionOccasional
LeopardOccasional
CheetahRare
HyenaCommon
Wild DogOccasional

Wildlife Highlights

Mana pools has a high density of wild dog. There are currently six packs with 100 adult dogs in the park. Seeing these social animals interact while on a hunt or while denning is a real treat. Fearless honey badger, usually extremely secretive, may sometimes be spotted at night around some of the camps where they have become habituated to people.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

The Dry season (from July to October) is the best time for wildlife viewing in the park. Wildlife is easier to spot because vegetation is thinner and animals gather around the pools on the floodplains of the Zambezi River. Many roads become impassable in the Wet season (from November to April).

Wildlife Rating

Wildlife Photos
+18 Photos

Want To Visit Mana Pools NP?

Wildlife Rating

Wildlife Photos

View Photos (20)