Wildlife Kenya Animal Safari : 12 Mos t Intriguing Kenya Anima l(s)

Kenya animal safari is of epic proportions. This guide to animals of Kenya explains 12 of the most common and interesting on your Kenya photographic safari. Animal hunting in Kenya is by camera only; in elaborate and captivating photographic safaris and tours. Kenya national parks plays host to elephants, hippos, rhinos, gazelles, giraffes and many other Kenyan animals.

Ungulates:

1. African Elephant

Elephants usually live in groups of 10 to 20 females and their young, congregating in larger herds at common water and food resources. A cow may mate with many bulls. Vocalizations include a deep rumble felt as a low vibration, and a high-pitched trumpeting given in threat or when frightened.

Consuming 250kg of vegetation daily, elephants can decimate woodlands, but this may be part of the savanna’s natural cycle. They live for up to 100 years.
Distribution: Widely distributed in Kenya apart from the north.

2. Warthog

Warthogs grow two sets of tusks; their upper tusks grow as long as 60cm and their lower tusks are usually less than 15cm long. Sociality varies, but groups usually consist of one to three sows and their young. Males form bachelor herds or are solitary, only associating with females during oestrus.

Warthogs feed mainly from grass, but also on fruit and bark. In hard times, they grub for roots and bulbs. They den in abandoned burrows or excavate their own burrows.
Distribution:
Through out Kenya except in dense rainforest and mountains above 3000m.

3. Hippopotamus

Hippos are found close to fresh water, sending most of the day submerged and emerging at night to graze on land. The animals can consume about 40kg of vegetation each evening. They live in large herds tolerating close contact in the water but foraging alone when on land.

The scars found on bulls resulting from conflicts are often a convenient indicator of the sex of hippos. Cows with calves are aggressive towards other individuals. Hippos are extremely dangerous when on land and kill many people each year, usually when someone inadvertently blocks the animal’s retreat to the water.
Distribution:
Usually found near large areas of fresh water through out Kenya.

4. African Cape Buffalo

Both animal sexes of the African Buffaloes have distinctive curving horns that broaden at the base to meet over the forehead in a massive ‘boss’-the females are usually smaller. Local populations of buffaloes in habit large home ranges and at times herds of thousands form, but the population’s social organization is fluid; groups of related females and their young coalesce and separate into larger or smaller herds.

Although generally docile, buffaloes can be dangerous-especially lone bulls, and females protecting their young.
Distribution
Widespread, but large populations only occur in parks of Kenya.

5. Common (grey) Duiker

One of the most common types of small antelopes, common duikers are usually solitary, but they are sometimes in pairs. They are grayish light brown animals in color, with a white belly and a dark –brown stripe down the face. Only males have horns, which are straight and pointed and rarely grow longer than 15cm.

Their habit of feeding on agricultural crops leads to them being persecuted outside of protected areas, although they are resilient to hunting. Common duikers are capable of going without water for long periods, but they will drink whenever water is available.
Distribution
Throughout Kenya.

6. Water buck

Waterbucks have a shaggy brown coat and white rump, face and coat markings; only males have horns. Females have overlapping ranges, coming and going to form loose associations of normally up to a dozen animals. Young, non-territorial males behave similarly.

Mature males hold territories, onto which the females wander (non-territorial males are also often allowed access) these essentially independent movements sometimes produce herds of 50 to 70. They always stay near water and are good swimmers, readily entering water to escape predators.
Distribution;
Wet areas through out Kenya.

7. Reedbuck

Brown common reedbucks are found n the woodland areas; yellowish bohor reedbucks are prevalent on flood plains; grey mountain reedbucks inhabit grassy hill country. All have white under parts; males have forward curving horns.

Common reedbucks form pairs, though mates associate only loosely; female mountain reedbucks form small animal groups that range over the territories of several males.
Distribution
Throughout Kenya wherever suitable, well-watered grasslands occur.

8. Roan antelope

Roan antelopes’ coats vary from reddish-fawn to dark reddish-brown with white under parts and a mane of stiff, black-tipped hair. Their faces are black and white, their long, pointed ears tipped with a brown tassel. Both sexes have long backwards-curving horns. They prefer sites with tall grasses, shade and water.

Herds of normally less than 20 females and young range over the territories of several adult males; other males form bachelor groups. Female animal herds of up to 50 are common during the dry season when food and water are more localized.
Distribution
Mostly at Ruma National Park near Lake Victoria.

9. Sable Antelope

Widely considered to be the most magnificent of Africa’s antelopes, sable antelopes are slightly smaller than roan antelopes, but are more thick set. They have longer horns often reaching more than 100cm. Sables have a white belly and face markings; females are reddish brown, while mature males are a deep glossy black.

They favor habitats slightly more wooded than that of roan antelopes. Social organization of the two species is also very similar, but sable female-and-young herds are slightly larger-usually 10 to 30, but up to 70 or so.
Distribution
Mostly at Simba Hills National Reserve on the Kenyan coast.

10. Oryx

Well adapted to aridity, Oryxes can survive without drinking. Oryxes are solid and powerful; both sexes carry long, straight horns. Principally grazers, they also browse on thorny shrubs. In areas with abundant water and food, populations are sometimes resident and spot a social system like that of roan antelopes.

More usually, nomadic herds number around a dozen, but can total up to 60. Herds normally contain males and females, but there are strict hierarchies within the sexes. Herds, especially if small, may also be single sex.
Distribution
Beisa Oryx in Northern Kenya; fringe–eared oryx in southern Kenya.

11. Impala

Male impalas have long, lyre shaped horns averaging 75cm in length. They are gregarious animals, forming resident herds of up to 100 or so. Males defend female herds during the oestrus, but outside the breeding season they congregate in bachelor herds. Impala are known for their speed and ability to leap-they can spring as far as 10m in one bound, or 3m into the air.

They are the common prey of lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs and spotted hyenas.
Distribution
Savanna regions from central Kenya extending south. Status: Very common animal and easy to see.

12. Gazelle

One of the most common medium sized antelopes. Thompson’s gazelles are smaller and form large aggregations (often of many thousands) on the open plains. They often occur with impala –sized Grants gazelles, which lack the distinctive black side stripe of the ‘Tommy’.

The social structure is flexible; herds often consist of females and young, with males defending territories around the feeding grounds of females.
Distribution
Thompson’s and Grant’s gazelle common in savannah and woodland. Status: Very common in Kenya.

Robert is a travel expert with Landmarksafaris.com. Degreed in tourism management, he has authored more than 1000 articles on Kenya East Africa travel. To find out what happens to most animals of Kenya, take this bait: http://sojournsafaris.com/4-days-masai-mara-wildlife-safari

Kenya Holiday wildlife animal : 10 Great travel wildlife in Kenya

Kenya animal holiday is one in a life time experience. Read about the sounds, animal eating habits and life of Kenyan animals and you live with it forever. Kenya animal parks holiday makes you sample the best three including Maasai Mara national park, Amboseli National Park, Lake Nakuru National Vacation Park among many others.

1. Hyrax

Hyraxes (or dassies) occur nearly everywhere there are mountains or rocky outcrops. They are sociable, living in colonies of up to 60. Yellow spotted hyraxes are distinguished by the presence of a prominent white spot above the eye. Hyraxes spend much of the day basking on rocks or chasing other hyraxes.

If accustomed to humans they are often approachable, but will dash off if alarmed, uttering shrill screams. Rocks streaked white by hyraxes’ urine are often an indicator of a colony’s presence.

Distribution:
Both species are widely distributed through out Kenya.

2. Burchell’s Zebra

Thousands of Burchell’s zebras (one of the three species in Africa) join blue wildebeests on their famous mass migration. Larger herds are usually temporary aggregations of smaller groups. Stallions may hold a harem for 15 years, but they often lose single mares to younger males, which gradually build up their own harems.

When pursued by predators, zebras close ranks as they run off, making it hard for any individual to be singled out for attack. And yes, it’s true-a zebra’s stripes are as individual as a humans finger prints.

3. Black (Hook-lipped) Rhinoceros

In many countries rhinos have been exterminated and the white rhino is now very rare in East Africa (it remains numerous in southern Africa). The smaller of the two species, black rhinos are more unpredictable and prone to charging when alarmed or uncertain about a possible threat.

They use their pointed, prehensile upper lip to feed selectively on branches and foliage. Black rhinos are solitary and aggressively territorial, usually only socializing during the mating season; however, they may form temporary associations.
Distribution:
Restricted to relict populations in few reserves; black best seen in Nairobi National Park; white best seen in Lake Nakuru National Park.

4. Giraffe

There are several distinctly patterned subspecies of giraffe, including reticulated giraffes and the more common masai giraffe. The ‘horns’ (skin covered bone) of males have bald tips; females’ are covered in hair. Giraffes form ever-changing groups of up to 50; females are rarely seen alone, while males are more solitary.

Giraffes exploit foliage out of reach of most herbivores-males usually feed from a higher level than females. Juveniles are prone to predation and lions even take adults; giraffes are most vulnerable when drinking.
Distribution
Reticulated giraffe occurs in northern Kenya; masai giraffe widespread southwest of Nairobi extending into Tanzania; Rothschild’s giraffe is restricted to western Kenya near lake Baringo.

5. Bush Bucks

Shy and solitary animals, bush bucks inhabit thick bush close to permanent water, where they browse on leaves at night. Bush bucks are chest-nut to dark brown in colour and have a variable number of white vertical stripes on the body between the neck and rump, as well as a number of white spots on the upper thigh and a white splash on the neck.

Normally only males grow horns, which are straight with gentle spirals and average about 30cm in length. When startled, bush buck bolt and crash loudly through the undergrowth.
Distribution:
Through out the region, favoring denser habitats.

6. Kudu

Greater kudus are Africa’s second tallest antelope; males carry massive spiraling horns (the largest of any antelope). They are light grey in colour, with six to 12 white stripes down the sides. Males are blue-grey and females are a bright rust colour. One to three females and their young form groups, and are joined by males during the breeding season. Kudus find their diet in woodland –savannah with fairly dense bush cover.
Distribution
Greater kudus can be found through out Kenya, except in the driest areas; lesser kudus prefer the arid regions of northern Kenya.

7. Eland
Africa’s largest antelope, elands are massive. The horns of both sexes average 65cm, spiraling at the base then sweeping straight back. The male has a distinctive hairy tuft on the head, and stouter horns. Herds consist of adults, or adults and young or sometimes just young-group membership and composition change often.

The most common large groups consist of 10 to 60 females and young. Males are less gregarious, coming together more sporadically and in smaller numbers, but one or more often join female and young herds.
Distribution
Patchy distribution in arid zones; best seen in Nairobi and Tsavo National Parks.

8. Hartebeest

Hartebeests are red to tan in colour medium-sized and easily recognized by their long, narrow face and short horns. In both sexes, the distinctively angular and heavily ridged horns form a heart shape, hence their name, which comes from Afrikaans.

Dominant males defend territories, which herds of females and their young pass through; other males move in bachelor groups. Herds aggregations of hundreds an (in the past) thousands also occur.
Distribution
Wide ranging; coke’s hartebeest, also known as ‘Kongoni’ is common in Kenya; Jackson’s hartebeest is confined to areas near Lake Victoria.

9. Topi

Topis are reddish brown, with glossy violet patches on the legs and face. Their social system is highly variable. In grassy woodlands, males hold territories with harems of up to 10 females. On floodplains with dense populations, nomadic herds of thousands may form, males establishing temporary territories whenever the herd halts.

Elsewhere, males gather on breeding-season display grounds; females visit these ’leks’ to select their mates. Both sexes often stand on high vantage points (commonly termite mounds) to view their surroundings and as territorial advertisement.
Distribution
Widespread throughout medium-length grasslands, common in the Masai Mara national reserve.


10. Blue Wildebeest

Blue wildebeest often form herds in association with zebras and other herbivores. Wildebeest are grazers, and move constantly in search of good pasture and water, preferring to drink daily-this gives rise to the famous mass migration in the Serengeti –MASAI Mara ecosystem.

Elsewhere, especially where food and water are more permanent, groups of up to 30 are more usual, with larger congregations being less frequent and more temporary. In both situations, males are territorial and attempt to herd groups of females into their territory.
Distribution
Through out parks in Southern Kenya.

11. Klipspringer

Small sturdy antelopes, klipspringer are easily recognized by their tip-toe stance-their hooves are adapted for balance and grip on rocky surfaces, enabling them to bound up in impossibly rough and steep rock surfaces. Klipspringers normally inhabit rocky outcrops; they also sometimes venture into adjacent grasslands, but always retreat to the rocks when alarmed.

Klipspringers form long-lasting pair bonds and the pair occupies a territory, nearly always remaining within a couple of metres of each other.
Distribution
Rocky outcrops and mountainous areas throughout the region.

12. Steenboks

Steenboks are pretty and slender antelopes; their back and hind quarters range from light reddish-brown to dark brown with pale under part markings. The nose bears a black, wedge-shaped stripe. Males have small, straight and widely separated horns.

Although usually seen alone, its likely that steenboks share a small territory with a mate, but only occasionally does the pair come together. Steenboks are active in the morning and afternoon and by night; they may become more nocturnal where frequently disturbed.
Distribution
Restricted to central and northern Kenya.

13. Kirks Dik-dik

Dik-diks are identified by their miniature size, the pointed flexible snout and a tuft on the forehead; only the males have horns. Dik-diks are monogamous and pairs are territorial. If one is seen, its mate is usually nearby, ass well as that years young.

Both members of the pair, and their young, use dung piles to mark their territory, placing their deposits as part of an elaborate ceremony. Dik-diks feed by browsing on foliage and, being well adapted to their dry environments, don’t drink. Through out Kenya. Status: Common but wary and easy to miss; active by day and night.

Robert is a travel expert with Landmarksafaris.com. Degreed in tourism management, he has authored more than 1000 articles on Kenya East Africa travel. Find out what happens to you in your animal safari encounter:
http://sojournsafaris.com/8-days-kenya-wildlife-safari