Gorongosa National Park

🇲🇿 Mozambique

🐕 Painted Hunting Dogs Return to Gorongosa

🌍 #87 Global · 4.2 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #35 in Africa #37 in Savanna & Grassland

Southern Africa, Mozambique 984 spp. recorded

Gorongosa National Park occupies a sprawling tropical savanna landscape in Mozambique, where seasonal floodplains meet dense woodlands and acacia flats. This protected basin supports a complex mosaic of habitats that differs from standard dry-land reserves through its massive permanent water systems and rich alluvial soils.

-18.770° S 34.448° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Lion

Panthera leo

40–50% · Likely

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

40–50% · Likely

Painted Hunting Dog

Lycaon pictus

40–50% · Likely

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

60–70% · Likely

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

50–60% · Likely

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla

50–60% · Likely

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

40–50% · Likely

Common Warthog

Phacochoerus africanus

40–50% · Likely

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

40–50% · Likely

Cape Turtle Dove

Streptopelia capicola

40–50% · Likely

Grey Foam-nest Treefrog

Chiromantis xerampelina

40–50% · Likely

Chacma Baboon

Papio ursinus

40–50% · Likely

Black-headed Oriole

Oriolus larvatus

40–50% · Likely

Greater Kudu

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

40–50% · Likely

Nyala

Tragelaphus angasii

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Lion

Panthera leo

40–50% · Likely

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

40–50% · Likely

Painted Hunting Dog

Lycaon pictus

40–50% · Likely

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

40–50% · Likely

Common Warthog

Phacochoerus africanus

40–50% · Likely

Chacma Baboon

Papio ursinus

40–50% · Likely

Greater Kudu

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

40–50% · Likely

Nyala

Tragelaphus angasii

40–50% · Likely

Vervet Monkey

Chlorocebus pygerythrus

40–50% · Possible

Blue Wildebeest

Connochaetes taurinus

30–40% · Possible

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

30–40% · Possible

Temminck's Ground Pangolin

Manis temminckii

30–40% · Possible

Bushpig

Potamochoerus larvatus

30–40% · Possible

Hartebeest

Alcelaphus buselaphus

30–40% · Possible

Northern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus scriptus

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

60–70% · Likely

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

50–60% · Likely

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla

50–60% · Likely

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

40–50% · Likely

Cape Turtle Dove

Streptopelia capicola

40–50% · Likely

Black-headed Oriole

Oriolus larvatus

40–50% · Likely

Hadada

Bostrychia hagedash

40–50% · Possible

Blue-breasted Cordonbleu

Uraeginthus angolensis

30–40% · Possible

Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiaca

30–40% · Possible

Red-necked Francolin

Pternistis afer

30–40% · Possible

Red-eyed Dove

Streptopelia semitorquata

30–40% · Possible

White-backed Vulture

Gyps africanus

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

30–40% · Possible

Nile Monitor

Varanus niloticus

30–40% · Possible

Cape Dwarf Gecko

Lygodactylus capensis

30–40% · Possible

African Striped Skink

Trachylepis striata

20–30% · Possible

Tropical House Gecko

Hemidactylus mabouia

20–30% · Possible

Flap-necked Chameleon

Chamaeleo dilepis

20–30% · Possible

Zambezi Soft-shelled Turtle

Cycloderma frenatum

20–30% · Possible

Eastern Hinged-Back Tortoise

Kinixys zombensis

20–30% · Possible

Variable Skink

Trachylepis varia

20–30% · Possible

Eastern Twig Snake

Thelotornis mossambicanus

Insufficient data

Cape Wolf Snake

Lycophidion capense

10–20% · Possible

Snouted Night Adder

Causus defilippii

10–20% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Grey Foam-nest Treefrog

Chiromantis xerampelina

40–50% · Likely

African Split-skin Toad

Schismaderma carens

30–40% · Possible

Painted Reed Frog

Hyperolius marmoratus

20–30% · Possible

Red-Banded Rubber Frog

Phrynomantis bifasciatus

Insufficient data

Common Squeaker

Arthroleptis stenodactylus

Insufficient data

Water Lily Reed Frog

Hyperolius pusillus

Insufficient data

Fornasini's Spiny Reed Frog

Afrixalus fornasini

Insufficient data

Senegal Kassina

Kassina senegalensis

Insufficient data

Ornate frog

Hildebrandtia ornata

Insufficient data

Snoring Leaf-folding Frog

Afrixalus crotalus

Insufficient data

Dwarf Squeaker

Arthroleptis xenodactyloides

Insufficient data

Strongylopus rhodesianus

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦌

Dry Season Wildlife Concentration

JulAugOct

As water sources recede, wildlife heavily congregates around permanent rivers and shrinking pools, offering exceptional game viewing opportunities.

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

40–50% · Likely

Lion

Panthera leo

40–50% · Likely

🐦

Peak Birdwatching Season

MayOct

A diverse array of resident and migratory bird species takes advantage of changing seasonal food supplies, making avian diversity remarkably visible.

African Fish-Eagle

Haliaeetus vocifer

30–40% · Possible

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

60–70% · Likely

🐸

Amphibian Breeding Chorus

NovDec

The arrival of early seasonal rains triggers massive, vocal breeding events among specialized floodplain frogs and toads.

African Split-skin Toad

Schismaderma carens

30–40% · Possible

Grey Foam-nest Treefrog

Chiromantis xerampelina

40–50% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

20–30

40–50

30–40

40–50

50–60

60–70

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

African Bush Elephant

30–40

20–30

40–50

10–20

10–20

50–60

40–50

60–70

10–20

30–40

30–40

30–40

Painted Hunting Dog

30–40

20–30

20–30

10–20

60–70

30–40

30–40

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

10–20

40–50

30–40

20–30

70–80

40–50

70–80

40–50

40–50

60–70

40–50

30–40

50–60

60–70

40–50

60–70

80–90

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

80–90

70–80

70–80

Fork-tailed Drongo

50–60

30–40

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

Black-backed Puffback

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

30–40

40–50

50–60

50–60

70–80

60–70

50–60

40–50

30–40

60–70

70–80

30–40

60–70

40–50

50–60

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

60–70

70–80

60–70

40–50

30–40

40–50

50–60

70–80

40–50

40–50

30–40

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

50–60

40–50

60–70

50–60

50–60

Cape Turtle Dove

50–60

50–60

40–50

30–40

60–70

40–50

50–60

30–40

30–40

50–60

30–40

50–60

Grey Foam-nest Treefrog

30–40

30–40

20–30

30–40

10–20

30–40

20–30

40–50

60–70

40–50

60–70

50–60

30–40

60–70

20–30

60–70

30–40

20–30

50–60

30–40

60–70

40–50

30–40

40–50

Black-headed Oriole

30–40

20–30

40–50

30–40

40–50

20–30

30–40

40–50

40–50

60–70

40–50

50–60

30–40

20–30

20–30

40–50

30–40

50–60

20–30

20–30

40–50

50–60

40–50

30–40

30–40

20–30

20–30

50–60

30–40

40–50

0–10

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

Animal Events

🦌 Dry Season Wildlife Concentration

🐦 Peak Birdwatching Season

🐸 Amphibian Breeding Chorus

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 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Excellent

🐕 Painted Hunting Dogs Return to Gorongosa

🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

627

🐒 Mammals

169

🦎 Reptiles

132

🐸 Amphibians

56

984 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

35 Threatened 3 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

4.2 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

49%

📊

Coverage (297 species at ≥5% of 984 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

30%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (6 bird, 5 mammal, 1 amphibian)

47% Global avg

76%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

171

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

38

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

16

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