Mana Pools National Park

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

🐘 Elephants Stand Tall for Acacia Pods

🌍 #18 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #14 in Africa #14 in Savanna & Grassland

Southern Africa, Zimbabwe 1189 spp. recorded

Mana Pools National Park lies in northern Zimbabwe, on the flood‑plain of the Zambezi River. The park is a tropical savanna where river islands, grassy banks and scattered mopane woodlands create a mosaic of dry and wet habitats.

-15.902° S 29.526° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

70–80% · Very likely

Painted Hunting Dog

Lycaon pictus

50–60% · Likely

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

60–70% · Likely

Lion

Panthera leo

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

70–80% · Very likely

Meves's Glossy-starling

Lamprotornis mevesii

70–80% · Very likely

Cape Turtle Dove

Streptopelia capicola

70–80% · Very likely

White-fronted Bee-eater

Merops bullockoides

60–70% · Likely

Southern Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus rufirostris

60–70% · Likely

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

60–70% · Likely

Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiaca

60–70% · Likely

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

60–70% · Likely

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

60–70% · Likely

Common Warthog

Phacochoerus africanus

60–70% · Likely

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

60–70% · Likely

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

60–70% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

70–80% · Very likely

Painted Hunting Dog

Lycaon pictus

50–60% · Likely

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

60–70% · Likely

Lion

Panthera leo

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

60–70% · Likely

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

60–70% · Likely

Common Warthog

Phacochoerus africanus

60–70% · Likely

African Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

60–70% · Likely

Greater Kudu

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

50–60% · Likely

Chacma Baboon

Papio ursinus

50–60% · Likely

Leopard

Panthera pardus

50–60% · Likely

Vervet Monkey

Chlorocebus pygerythrus

40–50% · Likely

Smith's Bush Squirrel

Paraxerus cepapi

40–50% · Likely

Plains Zebra

Equus quagga

30–40% · Possible

Northern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus scriptus

30–40% · Possible

Common Eland

Taurotragus oryx

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

70–80% · Very likely

Meves's Glossy-starling

Lamprotornis mevesii

70–80% · Very likely

Cape Turtle Dove

Streptopelia capicola

70–80% · Very likely

White-fronted Bee-eater

Merops bullockoides

60–70% · Likely

Southern Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus rufirostris

60–70% · Likely

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

60–70% · Likely

Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiaca

60–70% · Likely

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

60–70% · Likely

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

60–70% · Likely

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

50–60% · Likely

Tropical Boubou

Laniarius major

50–60% · Likely

Blue-breasted Cordonbleu

Uraeginthus angolensis

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

60–70% · Likely

Wahlberg’s Striped Skink

Trachylepis wahlbergii

30–40% · Possible

Nile Monitor

Varanus niloticus

30–40% · Possible

Leopard Tortoise

Stigmochelys pardalis

Insufficient data

Fischer's Thick-toed Gecko

Chondrodactylus laevigatus

30–40% · Possible

Chobe Dwarf Gecko

Lygodactylus chobiensis

30–40% · Possible

Spotted Bush Snake

Philothamnus semivariegatus

20–30% · Possible

Pointed Thick-toed Gecko

Pachydactylus punctatus

Insufficient data

Cape Dwarf Gecko

Lygodactylus capensis

Insufficient data

Black-lined Plated Lizard

Gerrhosaurus intermedius

Insufficient data

Snouted Cobra

Naja annulifera

Insufficient data

Serrated Hinged Terrapin

Pelusios sinuatus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Grey Foam-nest Treefrog

Chiromantis xerampelina

40–50% · Likely

Anchieta's Ridged Frog

Ptychadena anchietae

Insufficient data

Giant bullfrog

Pyxicephalus adspersus

Insufficient data

Edible bullfrog

Pyxicephalus edulis

Insufficient data

African Split-skin Toad

Schismaderma carens

Insufficient data

Power's Rain Frog

Breviceps poweri

Insufficient data

Shovel-nosed Frog

Hemisus marmoratus

Insufficient data

Red-Banded Rubber Frog

Phrynomantis bifasciatus

Insufficient data

Sharp-nosed ridged frog

Ptychadena oxyrhynchus

Insufficient data

Marbled sand frog

Tomopterna marmorata

Insufficient data

Mozambique ridged frog

Ptychadena mossambica

Insufficient data

Guinea Snout-burrower

Hemisus guineensis

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦌

Spotted Hyena and Predator Activity

MayJulSepNov

As water sources recede, predator interactions peak around shrinking pools, bringing hyenas and big cats into high-frequency contact along the floodplain.

Spotted Hyena

Crocuta crocuta

30–40% · Possible

🦌

Elephant Pod Foraging

JulFeb

During the dry winter months, elephants gather in the Faidherbia albida forests to feed on protein-rich fallen pods, often standing on their hind legs to reach branches.

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

70–80% · Very likely

🦌

Wild Dog Denning Season

JunJulSepOct

The dry season aligns with the wild dog denning period, offering exceptional opportunities to observe packs caring for their pups in the open riverine terrain.

Painted Hunting Dog

Lycaon pictus

50–60% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

African Bush Elephant

50–60

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

40–50

Painted Hunting Dog

30–40

30–40

70–80

50–60

40–50

60–70

60–70

40–50

60–70

60–70

20–30

20–30

Common Hippopotamus

40–50

70–80

40–50

30–40

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

30–40

60–70

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

70–80

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

30–40

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

80–90

70–80

80–90

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

70–80

80–90

80–90

Meves's Glossy-starling

60–70

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

50–60

60–70

70–80

80–90

Cape Turtle Dove

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

80–90

80–90

White-fronted Bee-eater

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

60–70

60–70

70–80

50–60

Southern Red-billed Hornbill

50–60

70–80

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

50–60

80–90

80–90

Helmeted Guineafowl

60–70

50–60

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

70–80

80–90

60–70

40–50

70–80

40–50

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

80–90

60–70

40–50

70–80

40–50

30–40

80–90

60–70

70–80

70–80

40–50

40–50

50–60

30–40

40–50

70–80

40–50

30–40

80–90

50–60

80–90

70–80

60–70

40–50

20–30

30–40

40–50

30–40

40–50

30–40

80–90

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

40–50

30–40

60–70

70–80

40–50

30–40

60–70

60–70

70–80

40–50

60–70

30–40

50–60

50–60

Fork-tailed Drongo

30–40

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

Animal Events

🦌 Spotted Hyena and Predator Activity

🦌 Elephant Pod Foraging

🦌 Wild Dog Denning Season

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

🐘 Elephants Stand Tall for Acacia Pods

🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

870

🐒 Mammals

177

🦎 Reptiles

104

🐸 Amphibians

38

1189 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

38 Threatened 5 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

68%

📊

Coverage (291 species at ≥5% of 1189 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

24%

🔀

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

199

🌟

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

39

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

58

Explore Other Parks

Lower Zambezi National Park

📍 67 km 🐊 Nile Crocodiles Patrol Lower Zambezi

Lower Zambezi National Park

🇿🇲 Zambia 🌍 #17 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #13 in Africa #13 in Savanna & Grassland

Kafue National Park

📍 406 km 🦁 Lion Roars Across Kafue's Plains

Kafue National Park

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

South Luangwa National Park

📍 424 km 🐆 Leopard Twilight Hunts in Luangwa

South Luangwa National Park

🇿🇲 Zambia 🌍 #5 Global · 4.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #4 in Africa #5 in Savanna & Grassland

Gorongosa National Park

📍 612 km 🐕 Painted Hunting Dogs Return to Gorongosa

Gorongosa National Park

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