Uganda Wildlife Safaris

Uganda Safari Animals: Into The Realm of the Big Game

Deep into the heart of the awe-inspiring African savannah lies a wonderland of untamed beauty and biodiversity, a place where nature’s spectacle uniquely unfolds with each sunrise – Uganda, a wildlife haven like no other.

Trekking deep into this wonderland’s untamed savannah, you are immersed in a vibrant tapestry of colours and sounds of the wild.

Encounter the majestic Big Five which include Lions, leopards, elephants, Buffaloes and Rhinoceros as they traverse the vast landscapes.

While towering giraffes swiftly reach out for the highest leaves on the acacia trees with their skin tone glowing in the morning light as they guide their families in search for water and pasture.

And at the water’s edge, the atmosphere is concentrated with the grunts and roars of hippos as they laze in the calm cooling waters, as well as the Nile crocodiles lazily lurk on the lakeshores, simply waiting for an opportune moment so as to strike.

Encounter different bird spices as they draw an epic picture while they take to the air in a harmonised ballet of wings.

Beyond the vast savannah landscapes, the Pearl of Africa’s wilderness extends to the lush rainforests and mist-covered mountains as well.

Where, endangered primate species such as the chimpanzees swing swiftly from branch to branch with their loud calls echoing through the towering forest canopies.

Encounter the Silverback gorillas as they reign over their families while showcasing both strength and gentleness in their interactions.

What are the Big Five Animals?

The term “Big Five” is attributed to the hunters of old whereby they used this term to describe what they determined were the most dangerous animals to hunt in Africa. And all these animals are “formidable foes” (meaning opponents who are very powerful, capable, and difficult to defeat) indeed when being hunted by man.

Lions

Lions also known as “King of the Jungle” are so unique with exceptional hunting and tree-climbing skills which is rare in the lion population all over the world.

Destinations to witness the tree-climbing lions in Africa include Queen Elizabeth in Uganda.

Leopards

These apex predators are known for their powerful jaws which they use to suffocate prey and their skin texture that help them blend in the lush savanna grasslands making them difficult to easily notice by prey and opponents.

Leopards are good tree-climbing mammals which they use as a strategy to easily sight their prey and also run from potential threats and danger.

These apex predators also use their tree-climbing skills to hide their kills from scavengers like the hyenas.

Buffaloes

Buffaloes, also known as Cape buffaloes, scientifically referred to as “Syncerus caffer”, are iconic and robust bovine mammals found across sub-Saharan Africa.

African buffaloes are one of the largest and powerful animals, with mature bulls weighing up to 900 kg while around 1.7 meters tall.

Buffaloes are naturally social animals and form herds of various sizes, from a few individuals to numerous hundreds.

African buffaloes are famously known for their unpredictable and aggressive nature, most especially when threatened.

They have a reputation as responsible for most deaths of people in Africa and they have reportedly been known to ambush and attack humans

Elephants

The African bush elephant and African forest elephant are the largest land animals in the whole world with males reaching heights of over 13 feet while weighing over 14,000 pounds.

These mammals exhibit remarkable social behaviour by forming complex family units led by a female elephant known as a “matriarch”.

African elephants are typically herbivores and they feed on lush vegetation, including grass, leaves, bark, and fruits.

Rhinoceros

Rhinos are normally solitary mammals, with a poor eyesight but excellent senses of smell and hearing.

African rhinos are generally herbivores feeding on grasses, leaves, and fruits. While in the wild, rhinos can live up to 50 years, while some individuals in captivity have lived for over 60 years.

Rhinos are significant cultural symbols in Africa, representing strength, resilience, and natural heritage.

What are the Endangered Primate Species?

Mountain Gorillas

The estimated total population of Mountain Gorillas is over 1,000 individuals are left in the whole world, making them one of the most critically endangered species on the planet.

Gorillas live in cohesive and close-knit groups referred to as troops or families whereby each troop is led by a dominant male, called a silverback which is named after its silver-grey hair that develops on back as they mature.

Mountain Gorillas are herbivorous, and their diet consists of leaves, stems, fruits, and shoots.

They are well known for their peaceful and gentle nature, whereby they rarely show aggression unless threatened or provoked.

Gorillas communicate through various vocalizations, such as body gestures, and facial expressions.

Chimpanzees

A chimpanzee is a black-coated ape and is considered to be very intelligent. Chimps are closely related to humans and surprisingly sharing a 98.8% of their DNA.

They have been habituated in Budongo, Kibale Forest National, and the Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You can track chimps all year long.

Vervet monkeys

Vervet monkeys have a black face with very distinctive blue male genitals. These are found in many regions all over Uganda.

Black-and-white colobus monkeys

Black-and-white colobus monkeys are black with a white face, whitetail, long white hair running from the shoulders to rump, and white tufts at their long tails’ ends. Infants are born pure white.

Baboons

Baboons are large with a dog-like face and are found on roadsides, countryside, parks, they also inhabit the montane regions of Mgahinga Gorillas Park, Rwenzori Mountains, and Mount Elgon.

L’hoest’s monkey

L’hoest’s monkey has a black face with backward projecting white whiskers partially covering its ears and carries its tail in an upright position.

They are very hard to see because it prefers very dense forests. It is found in the Maramagambo forest, Kibale forest, Bwindi Forest, and Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The red-tailed monkey

The red-tailed monkey has a brownish colour, white whiskers, and a coppery tail with a heart-shaped patch on the nose.

They are found in Kibale forest, Bwindi Forest, Mpanga, and Budongo forest reserves, and Semliki and Queen Elizabeth national parks.

Red colobus

Red colobus has a slightly tufted crown. You can see it in Kibale Forest National Park, especially around Bigodi Wetland sanctuary and a few of them in Semliki National Park.

Patas monkey

Patas monkey has a lankier build, a light reddish-brown coat, and a black stripe above the eyes but could easily be confused with Vervet monkey.

They are found in the dry savannah in Kidepo and Murchison Falls National Parks.

Bush babies

Bush babies, also known as gala/ goes. They have sparkling large eyes and have a distinctive piercing cry that can be heard, especially at night.

They are found in all of Uganda’s Savannah reserves. Lesser bush baby found include the eastern needled-clawed bush baby, Thomas bush baby, Dwarf bush baby.

Golden monkey

The golden monkey is a sub-species of the blue monkey and is found in the Virunga Volcanoes’ bamboo forests.

They are found in Rwanda, Uganda, and DRC. They have a golden body, cheeks, tails with black limbs, crowns on their heads and tail end, and 10 to 25 pounds.

Other Uganda Safari Animals.

African civets

African civets are not easily spotted since they are nocturnal. They are bulky, longhaired with a cat-like face.

Spotted hyena

Spotted hyenas have a sloping back, dark brown spots, and with mighty jaws that can crack through tough bones and skin.

They are usually found in the savannah and have hunting skills, capable of killing an animal as large as a buffalo.

Mongooses

Mongooses are regularly seen around the Mweya peninsular in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The species include Egyptian mongoose, Marsh mongoose, slender mongoose, white-tailed mongoose, and banded mongoose.

Otters

Otters are aquatic predators found in most wetlands and can be seen in Lake Mburo National Park.

The species include the darker spotted-necked otter, the Cape clawless otter, and the Congo clawless otter is regarded to be the largest African otters.

Jackals

Jackals are inhabiting savannah habitats while hunting various birds and mammals and sometimes eat a variety of fruits and bulbs.

There is the side-striped jackal and the Black-backed found in Bwindi, Mgahinga, Murchison Falls, and Kidepo National Park.

Giraffe

Giraffe, specifically Rothschild’s giraffe, is the world’s tallest land mammal and can only be found in Murchison Falls, Lake Mburo, and Kidepo Valley national parks.

Hippopotamus

The hippopotamus is a large aquatic animal, with webbed feet, and is the third-largest land mammal after the elephant and the rhinoceros.

They don’t have sweat glands and spend most of their time submerged in water so as to cool. They appear on almost all water bodies such as Murchison falls, Queen Elizabeth, and Lake Mburo National Parks.

Zebra

Burchell’s zebras have awe-inspiring black and white stripes on their bodies and can be spotted in existing only in Lake Mburo and Kidepo Valley National Parks.

Hartebeest

Hartebeest commonly seen is the Jackson’s hartebeest. This is an unusual, flat-faced creature living in lightly wooded and open Savannah habitats, frequently seen in the Ishasha sector of the Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Mburo, and Kidepo valley.

Defassa waterbuck

Defassa waterbuck has a grey-brown coat, white rump, and large curved horns and grazes near water. They are found in most savannah national parks.

Sitatunga

Sitatunga is a large semi-aquatic mammal with a shaggier coat, both sexes having stripes, and has distinctively splayed hooves adapted to its favoured habitat of papyrus and other swamps.

Impala

Impala is slender with a chestnut colouring, sleek appearance, and distinctive lyre horns for males. They have broad-jump skills. They are only found in Lake Mburo.

Reedbuck

Reedbuck has small crescent-shaped horns and a Grey-brown in colour. The Bohor reedbuck is found in all the four Savannah national parks of Uganda.

Uganda Kob

Uganda Kob is related to the waterbuck and reedbuck but reddish-brown in colour and bulkier in appearance. They are commonly found in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison falls, Kidepo National Park.

Warthog

Warthog is grey with tusks on both sides of its mouth. They are commonly spotted in all Savannah national parks.

Nile crocodile

Nile crocodile is the largest living reptile that can grow up to the length of 6m. They feed on fish, mammals and at times humans.

They are seen in Lake Mburo, Murchison Falls, and Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

In conclusion, Uganda is a natural wonderland teeming with abundant wildlife. Explore Uganda with Nata Adventures today.