Marakele National Park

Wildlife & Animals

Expert

Philip is author of the Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa.

Marakele has many safari animals, including the Big Five, though densities are low. Buffalo have been re-introduced and there is a fair chance of finding white rhino. There are plenty of elephant in the park as well, but they tend to stick to the inaccessible northern area. Overall, sightings are scarce and Marakele’s appeal lies mostly in the rugged scenery and unspoiled wilderness.

ElephantOccasional

GiraffeCommon

HippoOccasional

BuffaloVery Rare

ZebraCommon

WildebeestCommon

White RhinoCommon

Black RhinoRare

LionRare

LeopardRare

CheetahRare

HyenaRare

Wild DogOccasional

Wildlife Highlights

The park is home to as many as 16 antelope species due to its variety of habitats. Some of the specials include reedbuck, mountain reedbuck, eland, tsessebe and the stately sable antelope. This is a good place to see bat-eared fox, which is most easily observed when denning. A night drive offers a chance to see the elusive aardwolf and aardvark.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

A visit to view wildlife in Marakele is better scheduled during the Dry season. At this time, water in the bush dissipates leaving animals to search for available water. These sources of water are great for spotting wildlife, and the sparse plant-life make it all the easier to do so. The Dry season occurs from June to September.