Ruaha National Park

🇹🇿 Tanzania

🦁 Roaring Lions Roam Ruaha's Wilderness
🌍 #9 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #6 in Africa #7 in Savanna & Grassland
East Africa, Tanzania 1166 spp. recorded

Ruaha National Park is a vast tropical savanna reserve situated in the heart of Tanzania. Its wild terrain features wide river valleys, rocky outcrops, and open grasslands that distinguish it from crowded northern reserves.

-7.380° S   34.832° E

Wildlife

SIGHTING PROBABILITY Share of citizen-science records from the park that report this species
<5%
Rare5–20%
With luck20–40%
Possible40–70%
Likely>70%
Very likely
ACTIVITY PATTERN
☀️ Diurnal 🌙 Nocturnal 🌅 Crepuscular ☀️🌙 Day & Night

⭐ Iconic Species

Lion ★
VU

Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera leo

70–80% · Very likely
African Bush Elephant ★
EN

African Bush Elephant

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Loxodonta africana

60–70% · Likely
East African Giraffe ★

East African Giraffe

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Giraffa tippelskirchi

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Cape Turtle Dove
LC

Cape Turtle Dove

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Streptopelia capicola

60–70% · Likely
Ashy Starling
LC

Ashy Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis unicolor

60–70% · Likely
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
LC

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turtur chalcospilos

60–70% · Likely
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

60–70% · Likely
Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill

Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tockus ruahae

60–70% · Likely
Red-necked Francolin
LC

Red-necked Francolin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pternistis afer

60–70% · Likely
Slate-colored Boubou
LC

Slate-colored Boubou

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius funebris

60–70% · Likely
Flap-necked Chameleon
LC

Flap-necked Chameleon

🌅 Crepuscular Reptile

Chamaeleo dilepis

50–60% · Likely
Helmeted Guineafowl
LC

Helmeted Guineafowl

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numida meleagris

50–60% · Likely
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
LC

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uraeginthus bengalus

50–60% · Likely
Meyer's Parrot
LC

Meyer's Parrot

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Poicephalus meyeri

50–60% · Likely
Lilac-breasted Roller
LC

Lilac-breasted Roller

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coracias caudatus

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Lion ★
VU

Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera leo

70–80% · Very likely
African Bush Elephant ★
EN

African Bush Elephant

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Loxodonta africana

60–70% · Likely
East African Giraffe ★

East African Giraffe

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Giraffa tippelskirchi

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax
LC

Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Heterohyrax brucei

40–50% · Likely
Greater Kudu
LC

Greater Kudu

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

40–50% · Likely
Plains Zebra
NT Endemic

Plains Zebra

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Equus quagga

40–50% · Likely
Yellow Baboon
LC

Yellow Baboon

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Papio cynocephalus

40–50% · Possible
Leopard
VU Endemic

Leopard

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera pardus

40–50% · Possible
Common Hippopotamus
VU

Common Hippopotamus

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Hippopotamus amphibius

40–50% · Possible
Impala
LC

Impala

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Aepyceros melampus

30–40% · Possible
African Buffalo
NT

African Buffalo

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Syncerus caffer

30–40% · Possible
Banded Mongoose
LC

Banded Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Mungos mungo

30–40% · Possible
Ochre Bush Squirrel
LC

Ochre Bush Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Paraxerus ochraceus

30–40% · Possible
Painted Hunting Dog
EN

Painted Hunting Dog

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lycaon pictus

30–40% · Possible
Waterbuck
LC

Waterbuck

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Cape Turtle Dove
LC

Cape Turtle Dove

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Streptopelia capicola

60–70% · Likely
Ashy Starling
LC

Ashy Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis unicolor

60–70% · Likely
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
LC

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turtur chalcospilos

60–70% · Likely
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

60–70% · Likely
Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill

Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tockus ruahae

60–70% · Likely
Red-necked Francolin
LC

Red-necked Francolin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pternistis afer

60–70% · Likely
Slate-colored Boubou
LC

Slate-colored Boubou

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius funebris

60–70% · Likely
Helmeted Guineafowl
LC

Helmeted Guineafowl

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numida meleagris

50–60% · Likely
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
LC

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uraeginthus bengalus

50–60% · Likely
Meyer's Parrot
LC

Meyer's Parrot

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Poicephalus meyeri

50–60% · Likely
Lilac-breasted Roller
LC

Lilac-breasted Roller

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coracias caudatus

50–60% · Likely
Green-winged Pytilia
LC

Green-winged Pytilia

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pytilia melba

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Flap-necked Chameleon
LC

Flap-necked Chameleon

🌅 Crepuscular Reptile

Chamaeleo dilepis

50–60% · Likely
Leopard Tortoise
LC

Leopard Tortoise

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Stigmochelys pardalis

40–50% · Likely
Dodoma Rock Agama

Dodoma Rock Agama

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Agama dodomae

30–40% · Possible
Nile Crocodile
LC

Nile Crocodile

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Crocodylus niloticus

30–40% · Possible
Puff Adder
LC

Puff Adder

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Bitis arietans

30–40% · Possible
Spotted Bush Snake
LC

Spotted Bush Snake

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Philothamnus semivariegatus

30–40% · Possible
Black-necked Spitting Cobra
LC

Black-necked Spitting Cobra

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Naja nigricollis

20–30% · Possible
Sundevall's Writhing Skink
LC

Sundevall's Writhing Skink

🌅 Crepuscular Reptile

Mochlus sundevallii

20–30% · Possible
Nile Monitor
LC

Nile Monitor

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Varanus niloticus

20–30% · Possible
Speke's Hinge-back Tortoise

Speke's Hinge-back Tortoise

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Kinixys spekii

Insufficient data
Rock Monitor
LC

Rock Monitor

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Varanus albigularis

20–30% · Possible
Tanganyika Sand Snake
LC

Tanganyika Sand Snake

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Psammophis tanganicus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

African Common Toad
LC

African Common Toad

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Sclerophrys gutturalis

Insufficient data
Senegal Kassina
LC

Senegal Kassina

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Kassina senegalensis

Insufficient data
Grey Foam-nest Treefrog
LC

Grey Foam-nest Treefrog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Chiromantis xerampelina

Insufficient data
Giant bullfrog
LC

Giant bullfrog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Pyxicephalus adspersus

Insufficient data
Edible bullfrog
LC

Edible bullfrog

🌅 Crepuscular Amphibian

Pyxicephalus edulis

Insufficient data
Bocage's Tree Frog
LC

Bocage's Tree Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Leptopelis bocagii

Insufficient data
Anchieta's Ridged Frog
LC

Anchieta's Ridged Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Ptychadena anchietae

Insufficient data
Peters' Foam-nest Tree Frog
LC

Peters' Foam-nest Tree Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Chiromantis petersii

Insufficient data
Müller's Platanna
LC

Müller's Platanna

🌅 Crepuscular Amphibian

Xenopus muelleri

Insufficient data
African Split-skin Toad
LC

African Split-skin Toad

🌅 Crepuscular Amphibian

Schismaderma carens

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦌

Lion Prides Hunting Along Great Ruaha River

JunJulAugSepOct

During the dry season, lions congregate near the Great Ruaha River to hunt prey drawn to dwindling water sources, offering unparalleled sightings.

Plains Zebra
NT Endemic

Plains Zebra

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Equus quagga

40–50% · Likely
Lion
VU

Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera leo

70–80% · Very likely
African Buffalo
NT

African Buffalo

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Syncerus caffer

30–40% · Possible
🦌

Elephant Herds at Great Ruaha River

JunJulSepDec

Hundreds of elephants gather at the Great Ruaha River during dry months, creating dramatic scenes of social interaction and mud bathing.

Common Hippopotamus
VU

Common Hippopotamus

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Hippopotamus amphibius

40–50% · Possible
African Bush Elephant
EN

African Bush Elephant

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Loxodonta africana

60–70% · Likely
Greater Kudu
LC

Greater Kudu

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

40–50% · Likely
🐦

Lilac-breasted Roller Breeding Display

JunSepDec

The park's skies burst with vibrant Lilac-breasted Rollers during breeding season, showcasing aerial courtship flights and territorial displays.

Little Bee-eater
LC

Little Bee-eater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Merops pusillus

50–60% · Likely
Lilac-breasted Roller
LC

Lilac-breasted Roller

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coracias caudatus

50–60% · Likely
Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill

Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tockus ruahae

60–70% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Species Total
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
60–70
60–70
40–50
60–70
50–60
60–70
60–70
Lion
40–50
50–60
30–40
40–50
40–50
70–80
80–90
70–80
80–90
80–90
60–70
70–80
African Bush Elephant
40–50
40–50
50–60
30–40
50–60
60–70
80–90
20–30
80–90
20–30
60–70
70–80
East African Giraffe
40–50
40–50
20–30
20–30
10–20
60–70
70–80
20–30
60–70
40–50
10–20
60–70
Cape Turtle Dove
60–70
70–80
60–70
70–80
60–70
60–70
70–80
60–70
70–80
60–70
60–70
70–80
Ashy Starling
50–60
70–80
50–60
50–60
60–70
70–80
60–70
40–50
80–90
60–70
70–80
70–80
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
50–60
50–60
70–80
70–80
60–70
50–60
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
60–70
60–70
Fork-tailed Drongo
50–60
40–50
40–50
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
50–60
60–70
80–90
80–90
50–60
Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill
60–70
70–80
50–60
50–60
60–70
60–70
60–70
40–50
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
Red-necked Francolin
60–70
60–70
50–60
50–60
50–60
60–70
70–80
40–50
70–80
50–60
60–70
70–80
Slate-colored Boubou
40–50
30–40
70–80
70–80
70–80
40–50
50–60
50–60
60–70
60–70
80–90
60–70
Flap-necked Chameleon
50–60
70–80
70–80
80–90
50–60
50–60
40–50
20–30
40–50
20–30
40–50
40–50
Helmeted Guineafowl
60–70
60–70
50–60
40–50
40–50
50–60
60–70
30–40
60–70
50–60
50–60
60–70
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
40–50
50–60
70–80
50–60
70–80
40–50
60–70
60–70
40–50
50–60
60–70
50–60
Meyer's Parrot
40–50
30–40
30–40
60–70
50–60
60–70
60–70
30–40
70–80
60–70
50–60
60–70
Lilac-breasted Roller
40–50
50–60
40–50
40–50
50–60
60–70
50–60
40–50
70–80
40–50
60–70
60–70
Animal Events
🦌 Lion Prides Hunting Along Great Ruaha River
🦌 Elephant Herds at Great Ruaha River
🐦 Lilac-breasted Roller Breeding Display

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ World-class
🦁 Roaring Lions Roam Ruaha's Wilderness

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
4.5 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
768
🐒 Mammals
224
🦎 Reptiles
120
🐸 Amphibians
54
1166 Total Species
850 Global average across 296 parks
45 Threatened 4 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
63%
📊
Coverage (308 species at ≥5% of 1166 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
26%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (9 bird, 2 mammal, 1 reptile)
46% Global avg
54%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
134 Global avg
215
🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
15 Global avg
40
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
27 Global avg
34

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Ruaha National Park?

The most likely sightings are Lion (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), Cape Turtle Dove (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Ashy Starling (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Fork-tailed Drongo (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers) — among 1166 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Ruaha National Park for wildlife?

September has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see Lion in Ruaha National Park?

Yes — about 71% of wildlife watchers report a Lion sighting in Ruaha National Park, based on 40 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see African Bush Elephant in Ruaha National Park?

Yes — about 62% of wildlife watchers report a African Bush Elephant sighting in Ruaha National Park, based on 28 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see East African Giraffe in Ruaha National Park?

Yes — about 49% of wildlife watchers report a East African Giraffe sighting in Ruaha National Park, based on 17 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

⚖️

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