Tsavo West National Park

Wildlife & Animals

Expert

By Anthony Ham

Anthony is the author of the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya.

Wildlife densities in Tsavo West aren’t that great, but everything is there. There are many elephants, and they are often covered in red dust, giving them an eerie appearance. The park is also known for its maneless lions and big herds of buffalo. Despite poaching in recent years, black rhinos have been on the comeback in Tsavo since the late ’80s when they were close to being locally extinct. The drive-through rhino sanctuary increases your chances of spotting one.

ElephantCommon

GiraffeCommon

HippoCommon

BuffaloOccasional

ZebraCommon

WildebeestCommon

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoRare

LionOccasional

LeopardRare

CheetahRare

HyenaOccasional

Wild DogRare to none

Wildlife Highlights

The park is one of the best places to see the skittish lesser kudu. The rocky terrain is also a good habitat to look for klipspringers, often found in pairs. Antelope that thrive in arid conditions can also be found here, including the very localized fringe-eared oryx and gerenuk.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

The best wildlife viewing in Tsavo West NP is in the Dry season (June to October), although the park is worth a visit any time of the year. During the Dry season, the vegetation is minimal, and animals tend to hang around the few available water sources.