Virunga National Park

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

🦍 Tracking Earth's Rarest Mountain Gorillas

🌍 #137 Global · 3.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #49 in Africa #49 in Savanna & Grassland

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1814 spp. recorded

Virunga is a tropical savanna reserve situated in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, featuring sweeping grasslands and dense woodlands across its protected terrain. This rugged African landscape supports iconic populations of the Eastern Gorilla and the massive African Bush Elephant, alongside smaller forest mammals.

-0.605° S 29.463° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Eastern Gorilla

Gorilla beringei

50–60% · Likely

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

30–40% · Possible

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

20–30% · Possible

African Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

60–70% · Likely

Speckled Mousebird

Colius striatus

40–50% · Likely

Chubb's Cisticola

Cisticola chubbi

40–50% · Likely

Blue Monkey

Cercopithecus mitis

40–50% · Likely

Streaky Seedeater

Crithagra striolata

40–50% · Likely

L'Hoest's Guenon

Allochrocebus lhoesti

40–50% · Likely

Pied Crow

Corvus albus

40–50% · Likely

Black Sawwing

Psalidoprocne pristoptera

40–50% · Likely

Hadada

Bostrychia hagedash

30–40% · Possible

Green White-eye

Zosterops stuhlmanni

30–40% · Possible

Baglafecht Weaver

Ploceus baglafecht

30–40% · Possible

Northern Grey-headed Sparrow

Passer griseus

30–40% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

Eastern Gorilla

Gorilla beringei

50–60% · Likely

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

30–40% · Possible

African Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Blue Monkey

Cercopithecus mitis

40–50% · Likely

L'Hoest's Guenon

Allochrocebus lhoesti

40–50% · Likely

Mantled Guereza

Colobus guereza

30–40% · Possible

Olive Baboon

Papio anubis

30–40% · Possible

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

30–40% · Possible

Kob

Kobus kob

20–30% · Possible

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

20–30% · Possible

Common Warthog

Phacochoerus africanus

20–30% · Possible

Lion

Panthera leo

20–30% · Possible

Topi

Damaliscus korrigum

20–30% · Possible

Red-tailed Monkey

Cercopithecus ascanius

20–30% · Possible

Giant Forest Hog

Hylochoerus meinertzhageni

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

60–70% · Likely

Speckled Mousebird

Colius striatus

40–50% · Likely

Chubb's Cisticola

Cisticola chubbi

40–50% · Likely

Streaky Seedeater

Crithagra striolata

40–50% · Likely

Pied Crow

Corvus albus

40–50% · Likely

Black Sawwing

Psalidoprocne pristoptera

40–50% · Likely

Hadada

Bostrychia hagedash

30–40% · Possible

Green White-eye

Zosterops stuhlmanni

30–40% · Possible

Baglafecht Weaver

Ploceus baglafecht

30–40% · Possible

Northern Grey-headed Sparrow

Passer griseus

30–40% · Possible

White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher

Dioptrornis fischeri

30–40% · Possible

Bronze Sunbird

Nectarinia kilimensis

30–40% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Johnston's Chameleon

Trioceros johnstoni

30–40% · Possible

Coarse Chameleon

Trioceros rudis

20–30% · Possible

Nile Monitor

Varanus niloticus

20–30% · Possible

Jackson's Forest Lizard

Adolfus jacksoni

20–30% · Possible

Montane side-striped chameleon

Trioceros ellioti

10–20% · With luck

Uganda blue-headed tree agama

Acanthocercus ugandaensis

10–20% · With luck

Speckle-lipped Mabuya

Trachylepis maculilabris

5–10% · With luck

African Striped Skink

Trachylepis striata

5–10% · With luck

Great Lakes Bush Viper

Atheris nitschei

5–10% · With luck

Tolley’s forest chameleon

Kinyongia tolleyae

5–10% · With luck

🦎 No photo available

Adolfus africanus

Insufficient data

Spotted Bush Snake

Philothamnus semivariegatus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Kivu Reed Frog

Hyperolius kivuensis

5–10% · With luck

Common Reed Frog

Hyperolius viridiflavus

5–10% · With luck

Gong Rock Frog

Hyperolius glandicolor

5–10% · With luck

Natal Puddle Frog

Phrynobatrachus natalensis

5–10% · With luck

Nile Ridged Frog

Ptychadena nilotica

5–10% · With luck

Kisolo Toad

Sclerophrys kisoloensis

5–10% · With luck

Kisenyi Forest Tree Frog

Leptopelis kivuensis

5–10% · Rare

🐸 No photo available

Afrixalus orophilus

Insufficient data

African Common Toad

Sclerophrys gutturalis

Insufficient data

Anchieta's Ridged Frog

Ptychadena anchietae

Insufficient data

Rugegewald Screeching Frog

Arthroleptis adolfifriederici

Insufficient data

Secteur Munsenene Reed Frog

Hyperolius lateralis

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦌

Blue Monkey Breeding Display

FebJul

During the breeding season, male Blue Monkeys perform loud vocalizations and vivid facial displays to attract females.

Blue Monkey

Cercopithecus mitis

40–50% · Likely

🦎

Nile Crocodile Nesting Period

JanSep

Female Nile Crocodiles construct mound nests along riverbanks and lay clutches of eggs, guarded fiercely until hatching.

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

20–30% · Possible

🦌

Elephant Migration Corridor

JanFeb

Large herds of African Bush Elephants move between dry-season water sources, creating well-worn pathways used for generations.

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

30–40% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

40–50

40–50

30–40

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

Eastern Gorilla

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

40–50

50–60

50–60

African Bush Elephant

40–50

40–50

20–30

10–20

20–30

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

20–30

20–30

40–50

30–40

20–30

<5

10–20

10–20

20–30

20–30

10–20

20–30

10–20

<5

20–30

African Buffalo

40–50

30–40

10–20

30–40

20–30

30–40

20–30

20–30

30–40

20–30

20–30

30–40

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

Speckled Mousebird

40–50

50–60

30–40

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

30–40

40–50

30–40

40–50

Chubb's Cisticola

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

20–30

30–40

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

30–40

Streaky Seedeater

30–40

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

30–40

30–40

40–50

50–60

30–40

50–60

L'Hoest's Guenon

30–40

40–50

40–50

20–30

20–30

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

30–40

40–50

40–50

30–40

30–40

40–50

30–40

40–50

30–40

40–50

60–70

40–50

40–50

20–30

30–40

30–40

10–20

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

30–40

30–40

50–60

30–40

40–50

Green White-eye

20–30

30–40

40–50

20–30

30–40

30–40

40–50

40–50

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

Baglafecht Weaver

30–40

20–30

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

20–30

30–40

50–60

30–40

40–50

Northern Grey-headed Sparrow

30–40

40–50

30–40

20–30

30–40

30–40

30–40

20–30

30–40

40–50

40–50

50–60

Animal Events

🦌 Blue Monkey Breeding Display

🦎 Nile Crocodile Nesting Period

🦌 Elephant Migration Corridor

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

🦍 Tracking Earth's Rarest Mountain Gorillas

🦜

Biodiversity

Excellent

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

1119

🐒 Mammals

368

🦎 Reptiles

231

🐸 Amphibians

96

1814 Total Species

850 Global average across 296 parks

81 Threatened 30 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Very good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

3.4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

45%

📊

Coverage (294 species at ≥5% of 1814 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

16%

🔀

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

46% Global avg

50%

🔭

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

134 Global avg

229

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

15 Global avg

23

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

27 Global avg

9

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Virunga National Park?

The most likely sightings are Common Bulbul (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Eastern Gorilla (seen by 50–60% of wildlife watchers), Speckled Mousebird (seen by 40–50% of wildlife watchers), Chubb's Cisticola (seen by 40–50% of wildlife watchers), Blue Monkey (seen by 40–50% of wildlife watchers) — among 1814 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Virunga National Park for wildlife?

July 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 Eastern Gorilla in Virunga National Park?

Yes — about 59% of wildlife watchers report a Eastern Gorilla sighting in Virunga National Park, based on 302 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see African Bush Elephant in Virunga National Park?

Yes — about 35% of wildlife watchers report a African Bush Elephant sighting in Virunga National Park, based on 109 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Nile Crocodile in Virunga National Park?

Yes — about 22% of wildlife watchers report a Nile Crocodile sighting in Virunga National Park, based on 50 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see African Buffalo in Virunga National Park?

Yes — about 33% of wildlife watchers report a African Buffalo sighting in Virunga National Park, based on 95 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

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