Tsavo West National Park

🇰🇪 Kenya

🦏 Black Rhinoceros Roam Volcanic Landscapes
🌍 #4 Global · 5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #3 in Africa #3 in Savanna & Grassland
East Africa, Kenya 1407 spp. recorded

Tsavo West is a protected tropical savanna reserve in southern Kenya, featuring open grasslands, thorny bushland, and volcanic rocky ridges. This wild habitat differs from neighboring parks through its striking black lava flows and hidden underground water sources that sustain year-round vegetation.

-2.928° S   38.207° 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

African Bush Elephant ★
EN

African Bush Elephant

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Loxodonta africana

70–80% · Likely
Black Rhinoceros ★
CR

Black Rhinoceros

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Diceros bicornis

20–30% · Possible
Common Hippopotamus ★
VU

Common Hippopotamus

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Hippopotamus amphibius

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

East African Giraffe

East African Giraffe

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Giraffa tippelskirchi

60–70% · Likely
Plains Zebra
NT Endemic

Plains Zebra

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Equus quagga

60–70% · Likely
Superb Starling
LC

Superb Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis superbus

60–70% · Likely
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
LC

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Plocepasser mahali

50–60% · Likely
Common Bulbul
LC

Common Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus barbatus

50–60% · Likely
African Buffalo
NT

African Buffalo

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Syncerus caffer

50–60% · Likely
Von der Decken's Hornbill
LC

Von der Decken's Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tockus deckeni

50–60% · Likely
East African Oryx
EN

East African Oryx

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Oryx beisa

50–60% · Likely
Northern Red-billed Hornbill
LC

Northern Red-billed Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tockus erythrorhynchus

50–60% · Likely
White-Bellied Go-Away-Bird

White-Bellied Go-Away-Bird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corythaixoides leucogaster

50–60% · Likely
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
LC

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turtur chalcospilos

50–60% · Likely
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

African Bush Elephant ★
EN

African Bush Elephant

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Loxodonta africana

70–80% · Likely
Black Rhinoceros ★
CR

Black Rhinoceros

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Diceros bicornis

20–30% · Possible
Common Hippopotamus ★
VU

Common Hippopotamus

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Hippopotamus amphibius

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

East African Giraffe

East African Giraffe

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Giraffa tippelskirchi

60–70% · Likely
Plains Zebra
NT Endemic

Plains Zebra

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Equus quagga

60–70% · Likely
African Buffalo
NT

African Buffalo

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Syncerus caffer

50–60% · Likely
East African Oryx
EN

East African Oryx

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Oryx beisa

50–60% · Likely
Lion
VU

Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera leo

50–60% · Likely
Hartebeest
LC

Hartebeest

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Alcelaphus buselaphus

40–50% · Likely
Lesser Kudu
NT

Lesser Kudu

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tragelaphus imberbis

40–50% · Likely
Impala
LC

Impala

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Aepyceros melampus

40–50% · Likely
Yellow Baboon
LC

Yellow Baboon

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Papio cynocephalus

40–50% · Likely
Vervet Monkey
LC

Vervet Monkey

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Chlorocebus pygerythrus

40–50% · Likely
Common Eland

Common Eland

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Taurotragus oryx

40–50% · Likely
Waterbuck
LC

Waterbuck

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Superb Starling
LC

Superb Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis superbus

60–70% · Likely
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
LC

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Plocepasser mahali

50–60% · Likely
Common Bulbul
LC

Common Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus barbatus

50–60% · Likely
Von der Decken's Hornbill
LC

Von der Decken's Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tockus deckeni

50–60% · Likely
Northern Red-billed Hornbill
LC

Northern Red-billed Hornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tockus erythrorhynchus

50–60% · Likely
White-Bellied Go-Away-Bird

White-Bellied Go-Away-Bird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corythaixoides leucogaster

50–60% · Likely
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
LC

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turtur chalcospilos

50–60% · Likely
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

50–60% · Likely
Cape Turtle Dove
LC

Cape Turtle Dove

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Streptopelia capicola

50–60% · Likely
Northern White-crowned Shrike
LC

Northern White-crowned Shrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Eurocephalus ruppelli

40–50% · Likely
Yellow-necked Francolin
LC

Yellow-necked Francolin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pternistis leucoscepus

40–50% · Likely
D'Arnaud's Barbet
LC

D'Arnaud's Barbet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Trachyphonus darnaudii

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Leopard Tortoise
LC

Leopard Tortoise

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Stigmochelys pardalis

30–40% · Possible
Kenyan Rock Agama
LC

Kenyan Rock Agama

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Agama lionotus

30–40% · Possible
Nile Crocodile
LC

Nile Crocodile

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Crocodylus niloticus

30–40% · Possible
Böhme’s Two-horned Chamaeleon

Böhme’s Two-horned Chamaeleon

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Kinyongia boehmei

30–40% · Possible
Rock Monitor
LC

Rock Monitor

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Varanus albigularis

20–30% · Possible
Flap-necked Chameleon
LC

Flap-necked Chameleon

🌅 Crepuscular Reptile

Chamaeleo dilepis

20–30% · Possible
Rainbow Skink

Rainbow Skink

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Trachylepis margaritifera

10–20% · With luck
Nile Monitor
LC

Nile Monitor

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Varanus niloticus

10–20% · With luck
Tropical House Gecko
LC

Tropical House Gecko

🌙 Nocturnal Reptile

Hemidactylus mabouia

10–20% · With luck
Kenya leaf chameleon
LC

Kenya leaf chameleon

🌙 Nocturnal Reptile

Rieppeleon kerstenii

10–20% · With luck
Sudan Mabuya
LC

Sudan Mabuya

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Trachylepis brevicollis

10–20% · With luck
Puff Adder
LC

Puff Adder

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Bitis arietans

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Taita Hills Caecilian

Taita Hills Caecilian

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Boulengerula taitana

10–20% · With luck
Gong Rock Frog
LC Endemic

Gong Rock Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Hyperolius glandicolor

10–20% · With luck
Taita Warty Frog

Taita Warty Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Callulina dawida

10–20% · With luck
Anchieta's Ridged Frog
LC

Anchieta's Ridged Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Ptychadena anchietae

Insufficient data
Garman's Toad
LC

Garman's Toad

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Sclerophrys garmani

Insufficient data
Senegal Kassina
LC

Senegal Kassina

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Kassina senegalensis

Insufficient data
Ornate frog
LC

Ornate frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Hildebrandtia ornata

Insufficient data
Marbled sand frog
LC

Marbled sand frog

🌅 Crepuscular Amphibian

Tomopterna marmorata

Insufficient data
Dwarf Squeaker
LC

Dwarf Squeaker

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Arthroleptis xenodactyloides

Insufficient data
African Split-skin Toad
LC

African Split-skin Toad

🌅 Crepuscular Amphibian

Schismaderma carens

Insufficient data
African Common Toad
LC

African Common Toad

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Sclerophrys gutturalis

Insufficient data
Shovel-nosed Frog
LC

Shovel-nosed Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Hemisus marmoratus

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦌

Mzima Springs Dry Season Concentration

Aug

During the dry season, the crystal-clear oasis of Mzima Springs attracts high concentrations of thirsty African Bush Elephants and Common Hippopotamuses looking for permanent water and lush vegetation.

Common Hippopotamus
VU

Common Hippopotamus

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Hippopotamus amphibius

30–40% · Possible
African Bush Elephant
EN

African Bush Elephant

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Loxodonta africana

70–80% · Likely
🐸

Wet Season Amphibian Breeding Choruses

Nov

The onset of seasonal rains triggers massive breeding choruses across the park's temporary water pools, featuring specialized amphibians like the Gong Rock Frog and local toads.

Garman's Toad
LC

Garman's Toad

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Sclerophrys garmani

Insufficient data
Gong Rock Frog
LC Endemic

Gong Rock Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Hyperolius glandicolor

10–20% · With luck
🦌

Ngulia Hills Migratory Bird Wave

Mar

The rugged Ngulia Hills serve as a major migratory bottleneck where nocturnal passerines and raptors collide with resident species like Upupa africana during seasonal transit.

Klipspringer
LC

Klipspringer

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Oreotragus oreotragus

30–40% · Possible
African Hoopoe

African Hoopoe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Upupa africana

10–20% · With luck

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
40–50
50–60
60–70
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
40–50
40–50
50–60
40–50
African Bush Elephant
50–60
70–80
80–90
60–70
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
Black Rhinoceros
30–40
20–30
40–50
<5
5–10
30–40
20–30
30–40
30–40
5–10
10–20
10–20
Common Hippopotamus
30–40
30–40
40–50
30–40
40–50
40–50
30–40
40–50
30–40
20–30
30–40
30–40
East African Giraffe
60–70
70–80
70–80
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
70–80
50–60
50–60
50–60
60–70
Plains Zebra
50–60
70–80
70–80
60–70
50–60
60–70
60–70
70–80
40–50
40–50
60–70
50–60
Superb Starling
50–60
60–70
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
70–80
50–60
50–60
60–70
50–60
50–60
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
40–50
50–60
60–70
50–60
70–80
50–60
60–70
40–50
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
Common Bulbul
40–50
40–50
40–50
30–40
50–60
60–70
70–80
40–50
60–70
60–70
50–60
40–50
African Buffalo
30–40
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
60–70
50–60
60–70
60–70
40–50
40–50
40–50
Von der Decken's Hornbill
40–50
50–60
50–60
40–50
60–70
60–70
60–70
40–50
30–40
60–70
50–60
40–50
East African Oryx
40–50
50–60
60–70
60–70
40–50
50–60
40–50
60–70
40–50
20–30
50–60
40–50
Northern Red-billed Hornbill
50–60
50–60
60–70
50–60
60–70
60–70
60–70
40–50
30–40
50–60
40–50
40–50
White-Bellied Go-Away-Bird
40–50
60–70
60–70
50–60
70–80
60–70
60–70
40–50
40–50
50–60
40–50
40–50
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
40–50
50–60
50–60
40–50
60–70
40–50
50–60
40–50
40–50
40–50
50–60
50–60
Fork-tailed Drongo
40–50
50–60
50–60
40–50
60–70
50–60
50–60
30–40
30–40
60–70
50–60
40–50
Animal Events
🦌 Mzima Springs Dry Season Concentration
🐸 Wet Season Amphibian Breeding Choruses
🦌 Ngulia Hills Migratory Bird Wave

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
🦏 Black Rhinoceros Roam Volcanic Landscapes

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Excellent

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
880
🐒 Mammals
295
🦎 Reptiles
186
🐸 Amphibians
46
1407 Total Species
850 Global average across 296 parks
54 Threatened 29 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
57%
📊
Coverage (334 species at ≥5% of 1407 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
24%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (7 bird, 5 mammal)
46% Global avg
65%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
134 Global avg
243
🌟
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
42
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
27 Global avg
32

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Tsavo West National Park?

The most likely sightings are African Bush Elephant (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), East African Giraffe (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Plains Zebra (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Superb Starling (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (seen by 50–60% of wildlife watchers) — among 1407 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

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

March 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 African Bush Elephant in Tsavo West National Park?

Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a African Bush Elephant sighting in Tsavo West National Park, based on 150 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Black Rhinoceros in Tsavo West National Park?

Yes — about 26% of wildlife watchers report a Black Rhinoceros sighting in Tsavo West National Park, based on 21 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Common Hippopotamus in Tsavo West National Park?

Yes — about 39% of wildlife watchers report a Common Hippopotamus sighting in Tsavo West National Park, based on 43 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

⚖️

Tsavo West or ?

Compare species and sighting probabilities

Compare parks

Explore Other Parks

Amboseli National Park 📍 117 km 🐘 Elephant Kingdom of Amboseli

Amboseli National Park

🇰🇪 Kenya 🌍 #15 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #11 in Africa #11 in Savanna & Grassland
Tsavo East National Park 📍 120 km 🐘 Red Dust Elephants of Tsavo

Tsavo East National Park

🇰🇪 Kenya 🌍 #93 Global · 4.2 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #41 in Africa #41 in Savanna & Grassland
Mkomazi National Park 📍 140 km 🦎 West Usambara Two-horned Chamaeleon Sanctuary

Mkomazi National Park

🇹🇿 Tanzania 🌍 #140 Global · 3.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #50 in Africa #50 in Savanna & Grassland
Arusha National Park 📍 163 km 🐒 Blue Monkey Encounters in Arusha

Arusha National Park

🇹🇿 Tanzania 🌍 #8 Global · 4.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #5 in Africa #6 in Savanna & Grassland