Animals In Murchison Falls National Park
Animals In Murchison Falls National Park : There are numerous animal species found in Murchison falls national park in the north western part of Uganda.
Murchison falls national park consists of savannah and woodland as well as tropical forest which act as habitat for the different animals found at the destination. Some of the locations where animals can be spotted in the national park include the Victoria track and also the Albert track.
Game viewing in Murchison falls national park can be done in the morning or during the afternoon hours and the game drives take about 3 to 4 hours as tourists enjoy exploring the savannah plains in search of the different animal species.
Wildlife which can be seen during game viewing experiences around the national park includes the following;
African Elephants:
Murchison Falls National Park is known for having a big population of African elephants which can be seen during safaris.
Elephants are part of the big five species and can be spotted as the roam around the savannah plains and during safaris in Murchison falls national park, they can also be spotted around the shores of the Nile in their herds.
Lions
Lions are among the predators of Murchison falls national park and the search for these animals during game drives in the savannah plains is very exciting.
During safaris in Murchison falls national park, tourists can witness as the lions hunt their or hide in the savannah. Lions are also part of the Big five animals to see in Uganda while on safari.
Leopard
Leopards which are also part of the big five animals ca also be spotted while on safari around Murchison falls national park.
Spotting leopards during safaris around Murchison falls national park can be an exciting adventure because of their ability to camouflage and they are also known for their solitary nature.
Buffalo
Buffalos are also among the animals found in Murchison falls national park and they are a very common sight in the savannah plains of the park.
These animals which are also part of the big five can be spotted around the savannah as they graze and also by the water shores during boat safaris in Murchison falls national park.
Giraffe
Giraffes are another common sight among the animals of Murchison falls national park and can be spotted around the savannah plains during wildlife safari.
The type of giraffes which can be seen in Murchison falls national park is the Rothschild giraffe which stand out from the rest of the savannah plains at the destination.
Hippos
Hippos in Murchison falls national park can be spotted in big numbers during boat safaris in Murchison falls national park.
They can be spotted in the water and sometimes they bask by the river banks during tours around Murchison falls national park.
Nile Crocodile
Nile crocodiles in Murchison falls national park can be spotted by the water shores and as they swim in the Nile.
Uganda Kobs
Uganda kobs can also be seen during wildlife safaris in Murchison falls national park and they are among the antelope species at the destination.
They can be spotted and identified in the savannah plains of the national park by their distinctive spiral horns.
Oribi
Another antelope species found in Murchison falls national park, is the oribi which can be identified in the savannah plains by their small size and graceful movements across the grasslands.
Dik dik
Murchison falls national park is also home to the dik dik which are another species of antelopes which can be spotted during wildlife safaris.
They are also small in size and elusive with big eyes, short tails and can also identified by their long hind legs during safaris around Murchison falls national park.
Hartebeests
Hartebeests can also be spotted in the plains of Murchison falls national park and are also referred to as kongoni.
These animals are big in size and can also be identified by elongated forehead and the hartebeests also have bracket shaped horns. Hartebeests are also known for being herbivorous in nature and they feed on grass.
Warthogs
Warthogs are part of the pig family and are another common sight when exploring the savannah plains of Murchison falls national park.
Chimpanzees
Chimpanzees are among the primates which can be seen during tours in Murchison falls national park and they are found in the Budongo forest.
The chimpanzees can be encountered during chimpanzee tracking experiences in Budongo forest which starts with briefing done by the park officials. Chimpanzee tracking takes place in the morning and in the afternoon when visiting the national park.
Many other primates are also found in the forests including vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, baboons among others are among the wildlife species of Murchison falls national park.
Apart from the mentioned animals above, Murchison falls national park is also home to a variety of many other animals and numerous bird species such as Abyssinian ground hornbill, Black headed Lapwing, Malachite Kingfisher, Gray crowned crane, Giant Kingfisher, Giant Heron, Night Jars, Yellow billed duck, Helmeted Guineafowl, Crested Francolin, Speckled Pigeon, Black billed Turaco among others. The national park boasts of over 450 bird species.
Murchison falls national park offers a variety of activities to take part in during the search of the animals and these include game drives, boat safaris along the Nile river, hiking to the top of the falls and viewing of the Murchison falls.
The Nile River that flows through Murchison falls national park provides a water source for these animals, offering excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing along its banks during the year.
The best time of the year to see the different animals in Murchison falls national park is during the dry season when wildlife species are known to gather by the water to drink. The months of the dry season which include the month of January, February, June, July, August, September, October and December are also good for viewing the wildlife in the savannah plains because the vegetation is thin and the road conditions are favorable for game viewing.
