The Creatures of Kruger National Park

When people asked me what I was going to do in South Africa, my first answer was, “See some animals!” And that was definitely true. The only thing I really booked in advance was a tour that would go through the country’s most famous national park, Kruger National Park. It spans over 7,500 miles and borders Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It also has nine points of entry. We used only two of them!

There are a few ways to see the park, including tours like mine and self-driving. I may get into that further in a later post, but I will say that our ranger was a professional and I would not have seen nearly half of these animals if it hadn’t been for his sharp eyes. We also did a night drive, which lets you see different types of creatures. I recommend it!

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Most of these photos were taken on my Canon T1i DSLR with an EF 75-300 telephoto zoom lens and a Manfrotto monopod for stability (originally purchased for my Malaysia trip).

The Big Five

Most travelers come to Kruger in search of the Big Five. Some are easier to spot than others. We found the leopard to be the toughest to find, but we ended up seeing two! These animals are also among the most poached, so rangers are constantly on the lookout for illegal hunters.

African Animal Favorites

While the Big Five were impressive, it was also incredible to see the animals I’d loved in The Lion King or at the zoo in real life. I also saw hyenas, but the photos turned out too blurry to post. Which one of these is your favorite? (Cue: “In the Jungle”)

Reptiles

Mammals aren’t the only creatures in Kruger. The bodies of water are a playground for crocodiles and hippos while dryer parts of the park have snakes and turtles. I don’t remember what all of these are, so if you can identify them, let me know in the comments!

Birds

I was surprised at how incredible the bird life was in Kruger, which is home to over 500 species. There’s even a Big Six of birds, which birding groups can admire with their binoculars. The weaver bird constructs intricate nests but if the female doesn’t like it, she destroys it. They’re fascinating!

My time in Kruger was incredible and I barely scratched the surface. If you are going to the park, give yourself plenty of time to explore. If you’re staying inside the park, you’ll have the best access to these amazing creatures.