iSimangaliso Wetland Park

🇿🇦 South Africa

🐊 Crocodile Encounters at ISimangaliso

🌍 #33 Global · 4.7 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #21 in Africa #10 in Tropical Forest

Southern Africa, South Africa 1128 spp. recorded

Nestled along the South African coast, iSimangaliso Wetland Park protects a lush tropical rainforest environment of dense jungle foliage, freshwater wetlands, and coastal dunes. This protected mosaic of dense vegetation and humid waterways creates a distinct habitat that separates the region from neighboring savanna reserves.

-28.030° S 32.528° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

50–60% · Likely

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

30–40% · Possible

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

30–40% · Possible

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

60–70% · Likely

Hadada

Bostrychia hagedash

50–60% · Likely

African Jacana

Actophilornis africanus

50–60% · Likely

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla

50–60% · Likely

Yellow-bellied Greenbul

Chlorocichla flaviventris

50–60% · Likely

Green-backed Camaroptera

Camaroptera brachyura

50–60% · Likely

Painted Reed Frog

Hyperolius marmoratus

50–60% · Likely

Sombre Greenbul

Andropadus importunus

50–60% · Likely

Redcap Robinchat

Cossypha natalensis

50–60% · Likely

Long-tailed Cormorant

Microcarbo africanus

50–60% · Likely

Common Square-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus ludwigii

40–50% · Likely

Crested Guineafowl

Guttera pucherani

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

50–60% · Likely

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

30–40% · Possible

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Greater Kudu

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

40–50% · Likely

Common Warthog

Phacochoerus africanus

40–50% · Likely

Vervet Monkey

Chlorocebus pygerythrus

40–50% · Likely

African Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

40–50% · Likely

Plains Zebra

Equus quagga

40–50% · Likely

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

40–50% · Possible

Natal Duiker

Cephalophus natalensis

30–40% · Possible

Northern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus scriptus

30–40% · Possible

Blue Monkey

Cercopithecus mitis

30–40% · Possible

Southern Giraffe

Giraffa giraffa

30–40% · Possible

Nyala

Tragelaphus angasii

30–40% · Possible

Southern Reedbuck

Redunca arundinum

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

60–70% · Likely

Hadada

Bostrychia hagedash

50–60% · Likely

African Jacana

Actophilornis africanus

50–60% · Likely

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla

50–60% · Likely

Yellow-bellied Greenbul

Chlorocichla flaviventris

50–60% · Likely

Green-backed Camaroptera

Camaroptera brachyura

50–60% · Likely

Sombre Greenbul

Andropadus importunus

50–60% · Likely

Redcap Robinchat

Cossypha natalensis

50–60% · Likely

Long-tailed Cormorant

Microcarbo africanus

50–60% · Likely

Common Square-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus ludwigii

40–50% · Likely

Crested Guineafowl

Guttera pucherani

40–50% · Likely

White-browed Coucal

Centropus superciliosus

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Tropical House Gecko

Hemidactylus mabouia

40–50% · Likely

Cape Dwarf Gecko

Lygodactylus capensis

30–40% · Possible

Eastern Hinged-Back Tortoise

Kinixys zombensis

30–40% · Possible

Flap-necked Chameleon

Chamaeleo dilepis

30–40% · Possible

Nile Monitor

Varanus niloticus

30–40% · Possible

Eastern Sand Skink

Trachylepis depressa

20–30% · Possible

African Striped Skink

Trachylepis striata

20–30% · Possible

Setaro's Dwarf Chameleon

Bradypodion setaroi

20–30% · Possible

Eastern Green Snake

Philothamnus natalensis

20–30% · Possible

Cape Terrapin

Pelomedusa galeata

20–30% · Possible

Southern Tree Agama

Acanthocercus atricollis

20–30% · Possible

Twig Snake

Thelotornis capensis

10–20% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Painted Reed Frog

Hyperolius marmoratus

50–60% · Likely

Tinker Reed Frog

Hyperolius tuberilinguis

30–40% · Possible

Water Lily Reed Frog

Hyperolius pusillus

20–30% · Possible

argus reed frog

Hyperolius argus

20–30% · Possible

Natal Forest Tree Frog

Leptopelis natalensis

20–30% · Possible

African Common Toad

Sclerophrys gutturalis

20–30% · Possible

Red-legged Wot-wot

Phlyctimantis maculatus

20–30% · Possible

Fornasini's Spiny Reed Frog

Afrixalus fornasini

10–20% · Possible

Grey Foam-nest Treefrog

Chiromantis xerampelina

10–20% · Possible

Common Squeaker

Arthroleptis stenodactylus

10–20% · Possible

African Split-skin Toad

Schismaderma carens

10–20% · Possible

Mozambique Forest Tree Frog

Leptopelis mossambicus

10–20% · With luck

Animal Events

🦌

Humpback Whale Migration

JulAugSep

Humpback whales migrate along the coastline, breaching and singing near the continental shelf, offering unparalleled whale-watching opportunities.

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

10–20% · With luck

🐸

Painted Reed Frog Chorus

JanMar

Thousands of Painted Reed Frogs gather in flooded reed beds, creating a deafening nighttime chorus that fills the wetlands with a unique, musical cacophony.

Painted Reed Frog

Hyperolius marmoratus

50–60% · Likely

🦎

St. Lucia Estuary Crocodile Feeding Frenzy

MarJulAug

Nile Crocodiles congregate in the estuary’s shallows, ambushing prey with explosive bursts, showcasing their role as apex predators in a dynamic ecosystem.

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

30–40% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

Common Hippopotamus

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

60–70

70–80

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

30–40

30–40

40–50

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

50–60

30–40

20–30

20–30

30–40

African Bush Elephant

30–40

30–40

20–30

20–30

30–40

20–30

40–50

40–50

30–40

30–40

40–50

30–40

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

10–20

30–40

30–40

<5

0–10

<5

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

70–80

60–70

70–80

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

70–80

40–50

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

30–40

60–70

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

Black-backed Puffback

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

60–70

60–70

70–80

Yellow-bellied Greenbul

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

40–50

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

Green-backed Camaroptera

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

30–40

50–60

50–60

50–60

70–80

50–60

60–70

Painted Reed Frog

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

30–40

30–40

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

Sombre Greenbul

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

60–70

40–50

50–60

Redcap Robinchat

40–50

20–30

30–40

40–50

70–80

50–60

50–60

60–70

40–50

50–60

50–60

40–50

Long-tailed Cormorant

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

Common Square-tailed Drongo

30–40

30–40

50–60

40–50

50–60

30–40

50–60

40–50

30–40

50–60

50–60

60–70

Crested Guineafowl

30–40

40–50

20–30

30–40

20–30

30–40

40–50

30–40

50–60

70–80

50–60

30–40

Animal Events

🦌 Humpback Whale Migration

🐸 Painted Reed Frog Chorus

🦎 St. Lucia Estuary Crocodile Feeding Frenzy

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 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ World-class

🐊 Crocodile Encounters at ISimangaliso

🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

728

🐒 Mammals

195

🦎 Reptiles

136

🐸 Amphibians

69

1128 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

59 Threatened 7 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

55%

📊

Coverage (324 species at ≥5% of 1128 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

29%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (10 bird, 1 mammal, 1 amphibian)

47% Global avg

39%

🔭

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

132 Global avg

201

🌟

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

31

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

32

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