Meru National Park

🇰🇪 Kenya

🦒 Somali Giraffe Thrives at Meru

🌍 #23 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #16 in Africa #17 in Savanna & Grassland

East Africa, Kenya 1176 spp. recorded

Meru National Park is a protected tropical savanna located in the lowlands east of Mount Kenya. Its terrain features open grassland, tall riverine woodland, and dense acacia scrub cut by permanent streams. Unlike heavily visited southern reserves, this remote northern sanctuary remains quiet and wild, famous for its populations of stately Somali Giraffe, heavy African Bush Elephant, and sturdy Waterbuck.

0.143° N 38.149° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Somali Giraffe

Giraffa reticulata

80–90% · Very likely

Lion

Panthera leo

60–70% · Likely

White Rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum

50–60% · Likely

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

70–80% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Superb Starling

Lamprotornis superbus

80–90% · Very likely

Yellow-necked Francolin

Pternistis leucoscepus

80–90% · Very likely

White-headed Buffalo-Weaver

Dinemellia dinemelli

80–90% · Very likely

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

Plocepasser mahali

80–90% · Very likely

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

70–80% · Very likely

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

70–80% · Very likely

Gray-headed Kingfisher

Halcyon leucocephala

70–80% · Very likely

Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver

Bubalornis niger

70–80% · Very likely

Olive Baboon

Papio anubis

70–80% · Very likely

White-browed Coucal

Centropus superciliosus

70–80% · Very likely

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

60–70% · Likely

White-Bellied Go-Away-Bird

Corythaixoides leucogaster

60–70% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Somali Giraffe

Giraffa reticulata

80–90% · Very likely

Lion

Panthera leo

60–70% · Likely

White Rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum

50–60% · Likely

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

70–80% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Olive Baboon

Papio anubis

70–80% · Very likely

Kirk's Dik-dik

Madoqua kirkii

60–70% · Likely

Plains Zebra

Equus quagga

60–70% · Likely

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

50–60% · Likely

Lesser Kudu

Tragelaphus imberbis

50–60% · Likely

Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax

Heterohyrax brucei

50–60% · Likely

African Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

50–60% · Likely

Grant's Gazelle

Nanger granti

50–60% · Likely

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

50–60% · Likely

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

50–60% · Likely

Desert Warthog

Phacochoerus aethiopicus

40–50% · Likely

Naked Mole Rat

Heterocephalus glaber

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Superb Starling

Lamprotornis superbus

80–90% · Very likely

Yellow-necked Francolin

Pternistis leucoscepus

80–90% · Very likely

White-headed Buffalo-Weaver

Dinemellia dinemelli

80–90% · Very likely

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

Plocepasser mahali

80–90% · Very likely

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

70–80% · Very likely

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

70–80% · Very likely

Gray-headed Kingfisher

Halcyon leucocephala

70–80% · Very likely

Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver

Bubalornis niger

70–80% · Very likely

White-browed Coucal

Centropus superciliosus

70–80% · Very likely

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

60–70% · Likely

White-Bellied Go-Away-Bird

Corythaixoides leucogaster

60–70% · Likely

Northern Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus erythrorhynchus

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Kenyan Rock Agama

Agama lionotus

50–60% · Likely

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

40–50% · Likely

Serrated Hinged Terrapin

Pelusios sinuatus

Insufficient data

Nile Monitor

Varanus niloticus

Insufficient data

Eastern Bark Snake

Hemirhagerrhis hildebrandtii

Insufficient data

Ashe's Spitting Cobra

Naja ashei

Insufficient data

Rock Monitor

Varanus albigularis

Insufficient data

Leopard Tortoise

Stigmochelys pardalis

Insufficient data

Black-headed Micrelaps

Micrelaps vaillanti

Insufficient data

Reticulated Centipede-Eater

Aparallactus lunulatus

Insufficient data

Antillean House Gecko

Hemidactylus angulatus

Insufficient data

African Five-lined Skink

Trachylepis quinquetaeniata

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Anchieta's Ridged Frog

Ptychadena anchietae

Insufficient data

Subdesert Toad

Sclerophrys xeros

Insufficient data

Senegal Kassina

Kassina senegalensis

Insufficient data

Common Reed Frog

Hyperolius viridiflavus

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦌

Dry Season Waterhole Concentration

Aug

As dry conditions peak in August, African Bush Elephants and Waterbuck congregate tightly around dwindling permanent rivers and waterholes for reliable hydration.

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

50–60% · Likely

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

70–80% · Likely

🦌

Wet Season Calving and New Growth

Feb

In February, African Buffalo and Lions experience increased behavioral activity as newborn calves draw opportunistic predators onto the flush green plains.

Lion

Panthera leo

60–70% · Likely

African Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

50–60% · Likely

🦎

Post-Rain Reptile and Gazelle Activity

Mar

Following early seasonal rains in March, Kenyan Rock Agamas bask prominently on warmed boulders while Grant's Gazelles forage across rejuvenating grasslands.

Kenyan Rock Agama

Agama lionotus

50–60% · Likely

Grant's Gazelle

Nanger granti

50–60% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

90–100

80–90

80–90

60–70

80–90

80–90

90–100

60–70

70–80

50–60

50–60

50–60

20–30

60–70

40–50

70–80

70–80

20–30

60–70

White Rhinoceros

40–50

40–50

70–80

30–40

50–60

20–30

40–50

60–70

30–40

20–30

80–90

60–70

African Bush Elephant

60–70

60–70

80–90

50–60

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

40–50

70–80

60–70

60–70

Superb Starling

80–90

80–90

80–90

90–100

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

90–100

90–100

70–80

Yellow-necked Francolin

70–80

90–100

80–90

90–100

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

90–100

70–80

80–90

White-headed Buffalo-Weaver

70–80

80–90

80–90

90–100

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

60–70

70–80

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

60–70

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

Helmeted Guineafowl

50–60

80–90

60–70

90–100

80–90

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

80–90

90–100

70–80

Fork-tailed Drongo

60–70

70–80

50–60

90–100

80–90

80–90

70–80

60–70

60–70

80–90

60–70

60–70

Gray-headed Kingfisher

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

70–80

80–90

70–80

Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver

40–50

70–80

70–80

80–90

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

80–90

60–70

50–60

70–80

80–90

60–70

70–80

40–50

70–80

80–90

80–90

40–50

30–40

60–70

60–70

White-browed Coucal

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

50–60

70–80

60–70

70–80

Lilac-breasted Roller

60–70

60–70

50–60

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

70–80

60–70

70–80

White-Bellied Go-Away-Bird

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

70–80

90–100

50–60

50–60

Animal Events

🦌 Dry Season Waterhole Concentration

🦌 Wet Season Calving and New Growth

🦎 Post-Rain Reptile and Gazelle Activity

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

🦒 Somali Giraffe Thrives at Meru

🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

768

🐒 Mammals

243

🦎 Reptiles

135

🐸 Amphibians

30

1176 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

45 Threatened 8 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

77%

📊

Coverage (293 species at ≥5% of 1176 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

25%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (9 bird, 3 mammal)

47% Global avg

50%

🔭

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

132 Global avg

222

🌟

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

48

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

58

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