Encounters with the ‘Big Five’ and more in Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is home to the Big Five, a category of animals often regarded as the greatest riches of the South African bushveld. Tourists from near and far flock to there  so that they can catch a glimpse of these iconic species in their natural habitat.

The Big 5 and beyond at Kruger National Park

One of the best places in the world to see animals is the Kruger National Park. The Park is home to 147 different mammal species, including all of the large safari animals, and boasts an astounding variety of wildlife.

All the big cats are present, and lions in particular are commonly spotted in the southern portion of the park on Kruger National Park safaris. The Kruger is home to buffalo, elephants, and many beautiful antelopes, which are usually a highlight. Waterbuck, impala, and greater kudu are examples of the common game. Of these are two elusive species to watch out for: steenbok and common duiker.

White rhinos are endangered due to increased poaching in recent years, but there is still a chance to witness one at Kruger. Despite a recent increase in poaching, Kruger has the world’s largest population of white rhinos, with an estimated 8000 rhinos. Black rhinos are rarer and seldom seen.

The endangered wild dog lives in big groups that roam widely, and there is also a myriad of other smaller mammals from similarly interesting species.

Thrilling predators

The primary large mammal predators in Kruger are lions, hyaenas, leopards, cheetahs, and wild dogs, each of which occupies slightly distinct habitats or ecological niches that are adapted to their food acquisition demands.

Leopards are nocturnal hunters who hide during the day and hunt at night. Even if they do wander into open ground, the sleek, tawny-yellow body with black rosette dots is difficult to spot since it camouflages so well.

The magnificent cheetah, the fastest terrestrial animal capable of attaining speeds of up to 75 km/h in brief, with explosive bursts of sinuous movement, is easier to witness. These, on the other hand, must compete for food with larger predators and require open grasslands to run down their prey, resulting in a slow rate of population expansion.

They can be found throughout the park, but they are most noticeable in the Kruger’s central and southern grasslands.

Gentle browsers and grazers

Herbivores, which can be roughly classed as either grazers or browsers, far outnumber predators. There are too many antelope species to list, including the Impala, Kudu, Zebra, Giraffe, Wildebeest, Waterbuck (Nyala), Warthog, Sable, Reedbuck, Tsessebe, Eland, Hyena, and Wild Dog.

Grazers, such as buffalo, feed on grass, whereas browsers, such as the giraffe, feed on leaves. Grazers need to drink water every two days, whereas browsers acquire the majority of their moisture from green leaves and are less dependant on frequent water intake.

The time of the year and the quality of grazing in each location have a significant impact on the distribution of animals in Kruger National Park. Because the grazing is mostly sourveld with a few pockets of sweetveld, the western part of Kruger supports fewer game.

The larger herds, as well as the majority of the predators, can be found to the east on the open sweetveld grasslands.

Visit the Kruger for great encounters with different animals.

Also read: Experience the wildlife on the eco-trails