Lake Manyara National Park

🇹🇿 Tanzania

🦁 Lion Nests Among Acacia Canopies

🌍 #75 Global · 4.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #32 in Africa #32 in Savanna & Grassland

East Africa, Tanzania 1209 spp. recorded

Lake Manyara National Park is a protected wetland and groundwater forest situated in Tanzania, tucked beneath the steep red cliffs of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. This compact reserve differs from nearby acacia savannas through its permanent alkaline lake, dense woodlands, and open grassy floodplains fed by underground springs.

-3.563° S 35.756° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Lion

Panthera leo

20–30% · Possible

Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

0–10% · With luck

African Fish-Eagle

Haliaeetus vocifer

30–40% · Possible

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Olive Baboon

Papio anubis

70–80% · Very likely

Vervet Monkey

Chlorocebus pygerythrus

60–70% · Likely

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

60–70% · Likely

Silvery-cheeked Hornbill

Bycanistes brevis

60–70% · Likely

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

60–70% · Likely

Speckled Mousebird

Colius striatus

50–60% · Likely

Crowned Hornbill

Lophoceros alboterminatus

50–60% · Likely

Northern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus scriptus

50–60% · Likely

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

50–60% · Likely

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

50–60% · Likely

Northern White-crowned Shrike

Eurocephalus ruppelli

50–60% · Likely

Little Egret

Egretta garzetta

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Lion

Panthera leo

20–30% · Possible

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Olive Baboon

Papio anubis

70–80% · Very likely

Vervet Monkey

Chlorocebus pygerythrus

60–70% · Likely

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

60–70% · Likely

Northern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus scriptus

50–60% · Likely

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

50–60% · Likely

Blue Monkey

Cercopithecus mitis

40–50% · Likely

African Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

40–50% · Likely

Plains Zebra

Equus quagga

40–50% · Likely

East African Giraffe

Giraffa tippelskirchi

30–40% · Possible

Klipspringer

Oreotragus oreotragus

30–40% · Possible

Common Dwarf Mongoose

Helogale parvula

20–30% · Possible

Blue Wildebeest

Connochaetes taurinus

20–30% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

0–10% · With luck

African Fish-Eagle

Haliaeetus vocifer

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

60–70% · Likely

Silvery-cheeked Hornbill

Bycanistes brevis

60–70% · Likely

Speckled Mousebird

Colius striatus

50–60% · Likely

Crowned Hornbill

Lophoceros alboterminatus

50–60% · Likely

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

50–60% · Likely

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

50–60% · Likely

Northern White-crowned Shrike

Eurocephalus ruppelli

50–60% · Likely

Little Egret

Egretta garzetta

50–60% · Likely

African Pied Wagtail

Motacilla aguimp

40–50% · Likely

Little Bee-eater

Merops pusillus

40–50% · Likely

Hamerkop

Scopus umbretta

40–50% · Likely

Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiaca

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Nile Monitor

Varanus niloticus

40–50% · Likely

African Striped Skink

Trachylepis striata

Insufficient data

Variable Skink

Trachylepis varia

Insufficient data

Dodoma Rock Agama

Agama dodomae

Insufficient data

Sudan Mabuya

Trachylepis brevicollis

Insufficient data

Painted Dwarf Gecko

Lygodactylus picturatus

Insufficient data

Jackson's Forest Lizard

Adolfus jacksoni

Insufficient data

Southern African Python

Python natalensis

Insufficient data

African Rock Python

Python sebae

0–10% · With luck

Wahlberg's Snake-eyed Skink

Panaspis wahlbergii

Insufficient data

Kenyan Rock Agama

Agama lionotus

Insufficient data

Puff Adder

Bitis arietans

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

African Common Toad

Sclerophrys gutturalis

Insufficient data

Shovel-nosed Frog

Hemisus marmoratus

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐦

Great Migration of Waterbirds

JanFebMarAprMayNov

Lake Manyara acts as a critical stopover for migratory waterbirds, including herons, storks, and egrets, during their seasonal movements. Peak numbers align with local breeding cycles.

Great Egret

Ardea alba

20–30% · Possible

🦌

Tree-Climbing Lion Nests

FebMarJulSepNovDec

Lions in Lake Manyara are known to climb trees, primarily baobabs and acacias, to escape heat, avoid flies, or survey prey. This behavior is most frequent during dry seasons when shade is scarce.

Lion

Panthera leo

20–30% · Possible

🐦

Flamingo Breeding Spectacle

FebMarOctNovDec

Greater Flamingos gather in thousands to breed on mudflats, creating a striking pink landscape. Breeding coincides with receding water levels and abundant algae.

Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

0–10% · With luck

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

50–60

60–70

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

20–30

20–30

30–40

<5

20–30

20–30

20–30

20–30

30–40

10–20

20–30

10–20

Greater Flamingo

0–10

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

10–20

10–20

<5

20–30

<5

African Fish-Eagle

40–50

60–70

30–40

30–40

20–30

10–20

40–50

30–40

20–30

40–50

20–30

30–40

African Bush Elephant

40–50

60–70

70–80

30–40

40–50

70–80

70–80

60–70

50–60

40–50

70–80

50–60

70–80

80–90

70–80

60–70

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

80–90

50–60

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

50–60

50–60

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

60–70

70–80

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

70–80

Silvery-cheeked Hornbill

70–80

50–60

60–70

50–60

80–90

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

50–60

70–80

70–80

40–50

70–80

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

20–30

60–70

40–50

Speckled Mousebird

50–60

60–70

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

30–40

30–40

50–60

50–60

Crowned Hornbill

60–70

70–80

50–60

60–70

60–70

30–40

40–50

40–50

20–30

50–60

80–90

50–60

Northern Bushbuck

60–70

50–60

30–40

20–30

70–80

40–50

60–70

60–70

50–60

70–80

50–60

20–30

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

50–60

50–60

60–70

70–80

80–90

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

60–70

40–50

Fork-tailed Drongo

40–50

60–70

40–50

70–80

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

30–40

50–60

50–60

50–60

Northern White-crowned Shrike

40–50

70–80

40–50

40–50

70–80

50–60

30–40

30–40

20–30

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

70–80

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

50–60

50–60

30–40

40–50

50–60

40–50

Animal Events

🐦 Great Migration of Waterbirds

🦌 Tree-Climbing Lion Nests

🐦 Flamingo Breeding Spectacle

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

🦁 Lion Nests Among Acacia Canopies

🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

834

🐒 Mammals

214

🦎 Reptiles

122

🐸 Amphibians

39

1209 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

39 Threatened 6 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

4.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

61%

📊

Coverage (242 species at ≥5% of 1209 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

20%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (7 bird, 5 mammal)

47% Global avg

65%

🔭

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

132 Global avg

184

🌟

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

26

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

26

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