Field guide

The wildlife of Tanzania

From the Big Five of the Serengeti to whale sharks off Mafia and monkeys found nowhere else on Earth. Find out what lives here, where to see it and when.

Species profiled

Places to see them

Found only here

All 80 Mammals 38 Birds 16 Reptiles & amphibians 6 Fish & marine life 10 Plants & trees 10

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Showing 3 species in Birds

Flightless birds

Common Ostrich (Masai Ostrich)

Struthio camelus massaicus

The largest and fastest-running bird on Earth.

Serengeti, Tarangire +3 more

Waterbirds

Lesser Flamingo

Phoeniconaias minor

Pink flocks that turn East African soda lakes into a moving carpet.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara +2 more

Waterbirds

Grey Crowned Crane

Balearica regulorum

A regal, golden-crested crane that dances in the grassland.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Serengeti +2 more

Conservation categories follow the IUCN Red List and can change as new assessments are published. Where and when you see a species depends on the season, the weather and luck: wildlife is wild, and we never promise a sighting.

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