Gorongosa National Park
🇲🇿 Mozambique
🐕 Painted Hunting Dogs Return to GorongosaGorongosa 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
★ 
African Bush Elephant
Loxodonta africana
★ 
Painted Hunting Dog
Lycaon pictus
★ 
Waterbuck
Kobus ellipsiprymnus
📊 Most Spotted
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
Black-backed Puffback
Dryoscopus cubla
Impala
Aepyceros melampus
Common Warthog
Phacochoerus africanus
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
Turtur chalcospilos
Cape Turtle Dove
Streptopelia capicola
Grey Foam-nest Treefrog
Chiromantis xerampelina
Chacma Baboon
Papio ursinus
Black-headed Oriole
Oriolus larvatus
Greater Kudu
Tragelaphus strepsiceros
Nyala
Tragelaphus angasii
⭐ Iconic Species
★ Lion
Panthera leo
★ African Bush Elephant
Loxodonta africana
★ Painted Hunting Dog
Lycaon pictus
★ Waterbuck
Kobus ellipsiprymnus
📊 Most Spotted
Impala
Aepyceros melampus
Common Warthog
Phacochoerus africanus
Chacma Baboon
Papio ursinus
Greater Kudu
Tragelaphus strepsiceros
Nyala
Tragelaphus angasii
Vervet Monkey
Chlorocebus pygerythrus
Blue Wildebeest
Connochaetes taurinus
Common Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus amphibius
Temminck's Ground Pangolin
Manis temminckii
Bushpig
Potamochoerus larvatus
Hartebeest
Alcelaphus buselaphus
Northern Bushbuck
Tragelaphus scriptus
📊 Most Spotted
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
Black-backed Puffback
Dryoscopus cubla
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
Turtur chalcospilos
Cape Turtle Dove
Streptopelia capicola
Black-headed Oriole
Oriolus larvatus
Hadada
Bostrychia hagedash
Blue-breasted Cordonbleu
Uraeginthus angolensis
Egyptian Goose
Alopochen aegyptiaca
Red-necked Francolin
Pternistis afer
Red-eyed Dove
Streptopelia semitorquata
White-backed Vulture
Gyps africanus
📊 Most Spotted
Nile Crocodile
Crocodylus niloticus
Nile Monitor
Varanus niloticus
Cape Dwarf Gecko
Lygodactylus capensis
African Striped Skink
Trachylepis striata
Tropical House Gecko
Hemidactylus mabouia
Flap-necked Chameleon
Chamaeleo dilepis
Zambezi Soft-shelled Turtle
Cycloderma frenatum
Eastern Hinged-Back Tortoise
Kinixys zombensis
Variable Skink
Trachylepis varia
Cape Wolf Snake
Lycophidion capense
Snouted Night Adder
Causus defilippii
Eastern Twig Snake
Thelotornis mossambicanus
📊 Most Spotted
Grey Foam-nest Treefrog
Chiromantis xerampelina
African Split-skin Toad
Schismaderma carens
Painted Reed Frog
Hyperolius marmoratus
Red-Banded Rubber Frog
Phrynomantis bifasciatus
Common Squeaker
Arthroleptis stenodactylus
Water Lily Reed Frog
Hyperolius pusillus
Fornasini's Spiny Reed Frog
Afrixalus fornasini
Senegal Kassina
Kassina senegalensis
Ornate frog
Hildebrandtia ornata
Snoring Leaf-folding Frog
Afrixalus crotalus
Dwarf Squeaker
Arthroleptis xenodactyloides
Chimanimani Stream Frog
Strongylopus rhodesianus
Recent sightings in Gorongosa National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Dry Season Wildlife Concentration
As water sources recede, wildlife heavily congregates around permanent rivers and shrinking pools, offering exceptional game viewing opportunities.
2Amphibian Breeding Chorus
The arrival of early seasonal rains triggers massive, vocal breeding events among specialized floodplain frogs and toads.
3Peak Birdwatching Season
A diverse array of resident and migratory bird species takes advantage of changing seasonal food supplies, making avian diversity remarkably visible.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Dry Season Wildlife Concentration
- 2Amphibian Breeding Chorus
- 3Peak Birdwatching Season
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Gorongosa National Park?
The most likely sightings are Common Bulbul (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Fork-tailed Drongo (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers), Black-backed Puffback (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers), Waterbuck (seen by about 50% of wildlife watchers), Impala (seen by about 50% of wildlife watchers) — among 984 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Gorongosa National Park for wildlife?
October has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see Lion in Gorongosa National Park?
Yes — about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Lion sighting in Gorongosa National Park, based on 35 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see African Bush Elephant in Gorongosa National Park?
Yes — about 40% of wildlife watchers report a African Bush Elephant sighting in Gorongosa National Park, based on 23 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Painted Hunting Dog in Gorongosa National Park?
Yes — about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Painted Hunting Dog sighting in Gorongosa National Park, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Waterbuck in Gorongosa National Park?
Yes — about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Waterbuck sighting in Gorongosa National Park, based on 40 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
GoodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
ExcellentHow likely to see animals?
Experience
ExcellentHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
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