Tarangire National Park
🇹🇿 Tanzania
🐘 Elephants Among the BaobabsTarangire National Park sits in northern Tanzania and protects a tropical savanna of rolling grasslands, scattered baobab trees and a riverine strip of forest along the Tarangire River. The habitat supports large herds of African Bush Elephants that frequent the river, flocks of Superb Starlings in the acacia canopy, and Lilac‑breasted Rollers that swoop over the open plains.
-4.021° S 36.036° E
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ 
African Bush Elephant
Loxodonta africana
★ 
East African Giraffe
Giraffa tippelskirchi
★ 
Superb Starling
Lamprotornis superbus
★ 
Nile Monitor
Varanus niloticus
📊 Most Spotted
Lilac-breasted Roller
Coracias caudatus
Ashy Starling
Lamprotornis unicolor
Vervet Monkey
Chlorocebus pygerythrus
White-headed Buffalo-Weaver
Dinemellia dinemelli
Impala
Aepyceros melampus
Waterbuck
Kobus ellipsiprymnus
Northern Red-billed Hornbill
Tockus erythrorhynchus
Common Warthog
Phacochoerus africanus
Cape Turtle Dove
Streptopelia capicola
Yellow-collared Lovebird
Agapornis personatus
Northern White-crowned Shrike
Eurocephalus ruppelli
Plains Zebra
Equus quagga
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Vervet Monkey
Chlorocebus pygerythrus
Impala
Aepyceros melampus
Waterbuck
Kobus ellipsiprymnus
Common Warthog
Phacochoerus africanus
Plains Zebra
Equus quagga
Banded Mongoose
Mungos mungo
Lion
Panthera leo
Olive Baboon
Papio anubis
Blue Wildebeest
Connochaetes taurinus
Common Dwarf Mongoose
Helogale parvula
Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax
Heterohyrax brucei
African Buffalo
Syncerus caffer
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Lilac-breasted Roller
Coracias caudatus
Ashy Starling
Lamprotornis unicolor
White-headed Buffalo-Weaver
Dinemellia dinemelli
Northern Red-billed Hornbill
Tockus erythrorhynchus
Cape Turtle Dove
Streptopelia capicola
Yellow-collared Lovebird
Agapornis personatus
Northern White-crowned Shrike
Eurocephalus ruppelli
Magpie Shrike
Urolestes melanoleucus
Von der Decken's Hornbill
Tockus deckeni
Helmeted Guineafowl
Numida meleagris
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
Yellow-necked Francolin
Pternistis leucoscepus
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Leopard Tortoise
Stigmochelys pardalis
African Striped Skink
Trachylepis striata
Sudan Plated Lizard
Broadleysaurus major
Red-lipped Snake
Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia
Flap-necked Chameleon
Chamaeleo dilepis
Crevice Tortoise
Malacochersus tornieri
Southern African Python
Python natalensis
African Rock Python
Python sebae
Spotted Bush Snake
Philothamnus semivariegatus
Sudan Mabuya
Trachylepis brevicollis
Helmeted Turtle
Pelomedusa subrufa
Tree skink
Trachylepis planifrons
📊 Most Spotted
Red-Banded Rubber Frog
Phrynomantis bifasciatus
Peters' Foam-nest Tree Frog
Chiromantis petersii
Kenya Banana Frog
Afrixalus septentrionalis
Shovel-nosed Frog
Hemisus marmoratus
African Common Toad
Sclerophrys gutturalis
Senegal Kassina
Kassina senegalensis
Delicate Spiny Reed Frog
Afrixalus delicatus
Anchieta's Ridged Frog
Ptychadena anchietae
Four-striped Tree-folding Frog
Afrixalus quadrivittatus
Edible bullfrog
Pyxicephalus edulis
Schilluk ridged frog
Ptychadena schillukorum
Natal Puddle Frog
Phrynobatrachus natalensis
Recent sightings in Tarangire National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Great Elephant Migration
Tarangire's elephant herds congregate around the Tarangire River, creating one of Africa's most spectacular wildlife spectacles as they rely on the last remaining water sources during the dry season.
2Baobab Tree Wildlife Haven
The park's ancient baobab trees provide critical nesting sites and shade, attracting diverse wildlife including birds, mammals, and reptiles seeking refuge from the heat.
3Birding Spectacle: Starling Swarms
During the wet season, Superb Starlings and other birds form massive, swirling flocks, creating a breathtaking avian display against the baobab backdrop.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Great Elephant Migration
- 2Baobab Tree Wildlife Haven
- 3Birding Spectacle: Starling Swarms
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
However, to our delight, we eventually saw numerous animals: giraffes, thousands of wildebeest, many zebras, over 100 elephants, warthogs, vultures, colorful birds, two lionesses, ostriches, impalas, waterbucks, and squirrels.
Just behind the official entrance to the national park we see a herd of zebras.
First we saw a lot of wildebeests, zebras, and baboons.
The little 5 are: antlion ( we saw the hole where they capture prey), buffalo weaver, elephant shrew, leopard tortoise and this guy—a rhinoceros beetle.
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Tarangire National Park?
The most likely sightings are Superb Starling (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Lilac-breasted Roller (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), African Bush Elephant (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Ashy Starling (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Vervet Monkey (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers) — among 1236 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Tarangire National Park for wildlife?
March has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see African Bush Elephant in Tarangire National Park?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a African Bush Elephant sighting in Tarangire National Park, based on 450 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see East African Giraffe in Tarangire National Park?
Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a East African Giraffe sighting in Tarangire National Park, based on 279 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Superb Starling in Tarangire National Park?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Superb Starling sighting in Tarangire National Park, based on 1,891 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Nile Monitor in Tarangire National Park?
Yes — about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Nile Monitor sighting in Tarangire National Park, based on 69 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
Very goodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
ExcellentHow likely to see animals?
Experience
Very goodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
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