| The Kruger National Park has without a doubt one of the highest diversity of species for any park in the world. The Kruger Park is home to approximately 147 mammal species, 114 reptile, 517 bird, 49 fish, 34 amphibian and 336 tree species.
The Big 5 (Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant & Buffalo) are probably the parks biggest attraction, however there are many more species to be on the look out for. Honey Badger, Serval, Side-striped Jackal, Wild Dogs and Cheetah are special sightings to have, and can in their own right be more appreciated than any of the Big 5.
Of the more rare antelope to be on the look out for are: Roan Antelope, Sable, Eland, Tssessebe, Mountain Reedbuck and Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest.
With the southern Kruger Park having the biggest plant diversity, it also attracts more antelope species, which in return attracts predators. As one moves northwards through the park the vegetation and topography changes and this influences the wildlife, their preferences to the specific vegetation of the area as well as the abundance of other competing species.
All this doesn’t even consider the insect life underpinning the park’s ecosystem - about half of southern Africa’s known species of insects are thought to occur in Kruger, producing the slightly mind-boggling figure of some 20,000 insect species in the park. In Kruger’s burn plots alone, 169 species of ants have been found. The insect life of the park is sufficient to sustain 39 different species of insectivorous bats.
The area you visit will determine the species that you are most likely to see. See the camps for more on which species occur within the immediate region. |
