Zimbabwe Wildlife

With this breadth and variety in mind we’ve put together a selection of the most iconic animals in Zimbabwe to spot:

14 Iconic Animals of Zimbabwe:

Lion

Leaping in at first place is the lion, also known as the king of the jungle. Lions are the largest and most sociable of Africa’s cats. At up to 225 kg, the lion  (Panthera leo) really is the king of all savanna animals (not jungle!).

These big cats live in prides of up to 40 lions, and it’s the lionesses who do all the hunting, usually sharing their catches with the males of a pride. Lions are very territorial, and the females generally spend most of their lives within their home ranges.

When you hear them roaring during the night, or the day, you’ll be amazed at how loud and powerful they actually are – don’t worry about not hearing the lions snarls or roars, as they can be heard from up to 8 kilometers away. It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see lions hunting, or lion cubs playing with each other (but watch out for those man-eating lions!).

African Elephant

The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest land mammal and heaviest land animal in the world, weighing up to 6 tonnes. You will be stunned by the sheer size and presence of these creatures, not only on the first time you see one, but each and every time. The good news is, they’re fairly easy to spot!

Elephants play a vital role in the survival of other species by digging waterholes in dry riverbeds, spreading seeds through theirs faecal matter, and creating natural fire breaks in the landscape with their trails, and they do all this on only 2 hours sleep in a 24 hour period!

Rhinocerous

Rhinos are something you just need to see in real life to understand how impressive they really are.

Once widespread through sub-Saharan Africa, the rhino has been hunted to the brink of extinction, and is probably the hardest of the big five animals to spot in the wild. There are two species of rhinoceros in Africa – the black rhino (Diceros bicornis) and the white rhino (Ceratotherium simum).

Whilst white rhinos have made a comeback through conservation efforts across the continent, black rhinos are still very much one of Africa’s most endangered animals, and hardest safari animals to spot. The fundamental differences between the white and black rhino are not color, but rather size, temperament, food preference, and mouth shape.

Cape Buffalo

Weighing in at not too far short of a ton, the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) has a reputation for being bad-tempered and dangerous. Whilst solitary buffaloes can be unpredictable (and dangerous, hence their inclusion in the big five animals), they are usually a docile beast when in a herd… aside from their tendency to stampede en masse when alarmed.

Not sure about the differences between a bison and buffalo?

Leopard

The elusive leopard is one of the shyest and least sociable animals in Africa (though not one of the ‘shy five’), but are still opportunistic hunters and are highly adaptable. Watching a leopard carry its prey up a tree is a fantastic sight and one of the best African safari sightings you could hope for.

Slightly smaller than their lion cousins, leopards (Panthera pardus) are less rare than you might think, but rely on camouflage and being active at night to stay hidden.

Leopards are solitary, independent creatures, and rarely seen together except during mating, or a mother with cubs. As such they are totally self-reliant, and expert hunters – sometimes killing prey up to twice their size. During the daytime they often lounge around in trees and come to the ground after dark to hunt, taking their prey up into a tree to eat at their leisure.

Hyena

There are four species in the hyena family, varying in size and shape.

Hyenas are unique and vital components of most African ecosystems, both taking advantage of other animals’ kills for easy meals and hunting themselves. The size of a hyena kill or scavenge is generally determined by the size of the hyena’s clan, which can run to dozens. They often hide extra food in watering holes, since nothing is wasted. Hyenas eat every part of an animal, including bones and hooves.

Hippo

Spending most of their days keeping cool in the water or mud, hippos are semi-aquatic safari animals. They resemble large pigs but are in fact related to the whale species, and despite their large, cumbersome appearance can easily outrun a human, and are known as one of Africa’s most dangerous animals.

Nile Crocodile

Found in almost every major river throughout Africa, and in many lakes, Nile crocodiles are the continent’s largest freshwater predators.  The Nile crocodile is known for its aggressive nature and is the crocodile species involved in most fatal attacks on humans, killing an estimated 300 people every year. (Know the key differences between a crocodile and alligator?)

Known for their ambush hunting technique, the crocodiles are indiscriminate hunters and attack any animal that comes within reach – including humans. Their attack usually takes the form of launching from the water and clamping its victim in its powerful jaws, dragging them back into the water to drown them before stashing them under submerged branches or rocks to eat later.

Zebra

Zebra are perhaps the most stylish of African animals, with their characteristically stunning coats of black and white stripes. These distant relatives of the horse are a frequent sight on any African safari and consist of three different species.

There are many theories about why zebras have stripes, and it seems that perhaps the most likely answer is that the stripes function as a way to deter biting insects like tsetse flies and mosquitos.

Plains zebras play a particularly interesting role in the ecosystem, as they are pioneer gazers, nibbling and feeding on the top-most layer of grass, thereby opening up the grassland for more specialized grazers looking for the short grasses tucked below.

Giraffe

Perhaps the ultimate icon of the African savanna, the giraffe is an unmistakable land mammal known for their long necks and spotted coat (and super-weird giraffe tongue!). They were known by Arab prophets as the ‘queen of the beasts’ because of their delicate features and graceful poise.

With nine subspecies sharing its distinctive characteristics, this African safari animal is the tallest in the world by some way, and amongst the heaviest and largest animals anywhere. The giraffe’s coat is characterized by dark blotches on lighter hair. With age, male giraffes may become darker, and while calves inherit spot patterns from their mothers, each giraffe has a unique coat pattern that sets it apart.

Giraffes have a sharp sense of hearing and smell, another defense against predators, while it can close its nostrils during sandstorms and against ants.

African Wild Dog

The African wild dog is one of the most successful hunters on the African plains, and are highly social and intelligent animals. These characteristics have made the painted wolf be arguably the most successful hunter on Africa’s dangerous plains.

African Wildcat

The African wildcat is native to Africa, the Middle East and parts of Southern Asia and China, and thought to be the ancestor of our domestic cats, first domesticated in Egypt around 10,00 years ago. Weighing up to 4.5 kg, they stand around 0.25 meters tall at the shoulder with a body length of around 0.55 meters plus a 0.3 meter tail. African wildcats (Felis lybica) are not to be confused with their cousins the European wildcat (Felis silvestris).

The African wildcat’s fur is light sandy grey, with white fur on the belly and on the throat, and slightly tufted ears. They are nocturnal animals, with excellent hearing, allowing them to locate prey to including small mammals, birds, and lizards.

Kudu

The kudu is one of the most spectacular African antelopes to be seen on safari. It has been described as one of the most handsome of the antelope family, due to the male’s unique large, corkscrew horns.

The name found its way into the English language courtesy of the Afrikaans of South Africa. The Afrikaans term ‘koedoe’ is a combination of both of zebra and deer.

Warthog

Warthogs are normally found in family groups, where they spend most of their time either looking for food or wallowing in the mud at waterholes. At night they shelter in burrows, entering tail first.

Warthogs have a wide distribution across sub-Saharan Africa, with a preference for open woodland and savannahs, and are not endangered.