Kafue National Park

🇿🇲 Zambia

🦁 Lion Roars Across Kafue's Plains

🌍 #24 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #17 in Africa #18 in Savanna & Grassland

Southern Africa, Zambia 1233 spp. recorded

Kafue National Park is a protected savanna and riverine wilderness situated in the heart of Zambia. Its vast expanse features open grasslands, dense woodland, and permanent river channels that shape the region's diverse ecosystems.

-14.527° S 26.018° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Lion

Panthera leo

60–70% · Likely

Painted Hunting Dog

Lycaon pictus

30–40% · Possible

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Puku

Kobus vardonii

70–80% · Very likely

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

70–80% · Likely

African Fish-Eagle

Haliaeetus vocifer

60–70% · Likely

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

60–70% · Likely

Cape Turtle Dove

Streptopelia capicola

60–70% · Likely

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

60–70% · Likely

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

50–60% · Likely

Northern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus scriptus

50–60% · Likely

Common Warthog

Phacochoerus africanus

50–60% · Likely

Tropical Boubou

Laniarius major

50–60% · Likely

Hadada

Bostrychia hagedash

50–60% · Likely

African Wattled Lapwing

Vanellus senegallus

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Lion

Panthera leo

60–70% · Likely

Painted Hunting Dog

Lycaon pictus

30–40% · Possible

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Puku

Kobus vardonii

70–80% · Very likely

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

60–70% · Likely

Northern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus scriptus

50–60% · Likely

Common Warthog

Phacochoerus africanus

50–60% · Likely

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

50–60% · Likely

Kinda Baboon

Papio kindae

50–60% · Likely

Leopard

Panthera pardus

40–50% · Likely

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

40–50% · Likely

Malbrouck Monkey

Chlorocebus cynosuros

40–50% · Likely

Roan Antelope

Hippotragus equinus

40–50% · Likely

Hartebeest

Alcelaphus buselaphus

40–50% · Likely

Greater Kudu

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

70–80% · Likely

African Fish-Eagle

Haliaeetus vocifer

60–70% · Likely

Cape Turtle Dove

Streptopelia capicola

60–70% · Likely

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

60–70% · Likely

Tropical Boubou

Laniarius major

50–60% · Likely

Hadada

Bostrychia hagedash

50–60% · Likely

African Wattled Lapwing

Vanellus senegallus

50–60% · Likely

Grey Go-Away-Bird

Corythaixoides concolor

50–60% · Likely

Bateleur

Terathopius ecaudatus

50–60% · Likely

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla

50–60% · Likely

Black-collared Barbet

Lybius torquatus

50–60% · Likely

White-backed Vulture

Gyps africanus

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

50–60% · Likely

Wahlberg’s Striped Skink

Trachylepis wahlbergii

50–60% · Likely

Nile Monitor

Varanus niloticus

40–50% · Likely

Chobe Dwarf Gecko

Lygodactylus chobiensis

20–30% · Possible

Serrated Hinged Terrapin

Pelusios sinuatus

20–30% · Possible

Flap-necked Chameleon

Chamaeleo dilepis

Insufficient data

Olive Whip Snake

Psammophis mossambicus

Insufficient data

Common Tiger Snake

Telescopus semiannulatus

Insufficient data

Tropical House Gecko

Hemidactylus mabouia

Insufficient data

Puff Adder

Bitis arietans

Insufficient data

Olive Marsh Snake

Natriciteres olivacea

Insufficient data

Fischer's Thick-toed Gecko

Chondrodactylus laevigatus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Grey Foam-nest Treefrog

Chiromantis xerampelina

40–50% · Likely

African Split-skin Toad

Schismaderma carens

Insufficient data

Senegal Kassina

Kassina senegalensis

Insufficient data

Kivu Reed Frog

Hyperolius kivuensis

Insufficient data

Red-Banded Rubber Frog

Phrynomantis bifasciatus

Insufficient data

Anchieta's Ridged Frog

Ptychadena anchietae

Insufficient data

Powers Clawed Frog

Xenopus poweri

Insufficient data

Bocage's Tree Frog

Leptopelis bocagii

Insufficient data

African Common Toad

Sclerophrys gutturalis

Insufficient data

Margined Reed Frog

Hyperolius marginatus

Insufficient data

Mababe puddle frog

Phrynobatrachus mababiensis

Insufficient data

Angolan Reed Frog

Hyperolius parallelus

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦌

Peak Predator Activity

JunJulAugSepOct

Lions and wild dogs dominate the dry-season hunt, preying on concentrated herds of puku, impala, and zebra. Night drives reveal these predators in action, especially near water sources.

Painted Hunting Dog

Lycaon pictus

30–40% · Possible

Lion

Panthera leo

60–70% · Likely

🐸

Rains and Amphibian Emergence

MarAprMaySepOctNov

Grey foam-nest treefrogs and African split-skin toads erupt in chorus after rains, transforming wetlands into a symphony of sound. Their breeding coincides with the first flush of insect life, attracting bats and birds.

African Split-skin Toad

Schismaderma carens

Insufficient data

Grey Foam-nest Treefrog

Chiromantis xerampelina

40–50% · Likely

🦌

Dry Season Floodplain Concentration

JunJulAugSepOct

Hippos and lechwes gather in dense herds along the Kafue River’s shrinking pools, creating unparalleled wildlife spectacles. The hippo’s grazing maintains open water channels, while lechwes graze on exposed floodplain grasses.

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

60–70% · Likely

Lechwe

Kobus leche

40–50% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

40–50

40–50

30–40

30–40

30–40

50–60

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

50–60

40–50

Painted Hunting Dog

30–40

10–20

10–20

30–40

10–20

30–40

60–70

40–50

30–40

0–10

10–20

0–10

Common Hippopotamus

20–30

40–50

30–40

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

80–90

60–70

40–50

60–70

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

70–80

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

80–90

50–60

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

African Fish-Eagle

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

50–60

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

50–60

African Bush Elephant

20–30

30–40

30–40

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

70–80

40–50

Cape Turtle Dove

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

80–90

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

50–60

70–80

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

20–30

30–40

20–30

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

80–90

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

Northern Bushbuck

20–30

50–60

20–30

40–50

50–60

50–60

70–80

70–80

30–40

60–70

70–80

30–40

20–30

30–40

30–40

40–50

30–40

70–80

50–60

70–80

50–60

60–70

70–80

40–50

Tropical Boubou

60–70

60–70

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

70–80

40–50

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

African Wattled Lapwing

60–70

30–40

40–50

20–30

30–40

40–50

50–60

60–70

70–80

50–60

50–60

50–60

Animal Events

🦌 Peak Predator Activity

🐸 Rains and Amphibian Emergence

🦌 Dry Season Floodplain Concentration

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

🦁 Lion Roars Across Kafue's Plains

🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

890

🐒 Mammals

183

🦎 Reptiles

101

🐸 Amphibians

59

1233 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

41 Threatened 4 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

64%

📊

Coverage (311 species at ≥5% of 1233 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

25%

🔀

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

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

221

🌟

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

45

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

49

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