Bird watching trip report - Tanzania

Iringa Red Colobus (Poliocolobus gordonorum) 9 sat in a big tree near the offices at Udzungwa Mountain Forest National Park at dawn on 15th. Confined to these mountains and endangered with as few as 450 individuals left according to Kingdon.

Angola Pied Colobus (Colobus angolensis) 4 in trees near the offices at Udzungwa Mountain Forest National Park at dawn on 15th. A family party of 7 in the forest remnant along the trail near Muller's Mountain Lodge on 20th and 21st.

Olive Baboon (Papio anubis) Small numbers up to 5 at Tarangire NP, up to 50 in a day on the Serengeti and 40 at Lake Manyara NP.

Yellow Baboon (Papio cynocephalus) The more southerly distributed of the two baboons this is a more slender less beefy and aggressive-looking animal than the above. Common round Mikumi NP and its surrounds with up to 40 in a day.

Vervet Monkey (Cercopithecus pygerythrus) 12 on the outskirts of Ngezi Forest on Pemba Island on 12th were of the smaller endemic subspecies nesiotes. Otherwise small numbers, up to 4 in a day, seen in the West Usambaras and their foothills, and frequent at Tarangire NP (6), Serengeti NP (15), Ngorongoro Crater NP (8) and Lake Manyara NP (6). Often a nuisance at picnic sites.

Gentle Monkey (Cercopithecus mitis) One on roadside telegraph wires near Udzungwa Mountain Forest National Park on 14th. 6 on the lower slopes of the East Usambaras near Sigi on 17th, up to 10 around Amani NR, 2 in the Muller's Mountain Lodge area on 20th and 5 at Lake Manyara NP on 29th.

Greater Galago (Otolemur crassicaudatus) One on the restaurant roof of the Manta Reef Hotel and in nearby trees, Pemba Island, on 12th. Others were calling there in the night and the species appears easy to see here.

Unidentified (Greater?) Galago Calling & spotlighted in trees around the Amani Nature Reserve Center

Bats

Pemba Flying-fox (Pteropus voeltzkowi) 10 of this endemic seen in brilliant moonlight while owling between Manta Reef and Ngezi Forest, Pemba Island, on 12th.

Rodents

Unstriped Ground-squirrel (Xerus rutilus) Singles in the dry foothills of the South Pares near Same on 22nd, at Tarangire Porini Camp on 23rd and Tarangire NP on 24th.

Tanganyika Mountain Squirrel (Paraxerus Lucifer) 3 at Udzungwa Mountain Forest National Park on 14th and two each day at Amani NR.

Loshoto Mountain Squirrel (Paraxerus vexillarius) Two at the Sawmill Trail in the West Usambara Mountains on 21st.

Ochre Bush Squirrel (Paraxerus ochraceus) Two at Tarangire Tented Camp on 25th.

African Dormouse (Graphiurus sp). At Tarangire Porini Camp one was seen and photographed in the roof of the Sutton's tent cover but judging by the noise during the night more than one was present.

Giant Pouched-rat (Cricetomys gambianus) One dead in the roadside near Muller's Mountain Lodge on 20th. Huge!

Unstriped Grass Rat (Arvicanthis sp). 5+ at the picnic site at the entrance to the Serengeti NP on 27th.

Carnivores

Common (Golden) Jackal (Canis aureus) 1-2 seen each day at Serengeti NP and in Ngorongoro Crater.

Side-striped Jackal (Canis adustus) Two from Serengeti Sopa Lodge on 26th and another on the Serengeti next day.

Black-backed Jackal (Canis mesomelas) Singles at Tarangire NP and each day at Serengeti NP with 2 at Ngorongoro Cater.

Slender Mongoose (Herpestes sanguinea) 2 singles at Lake Manyara NP on 29th.

Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale parvula) A family group of at least 7 taking an interest in our picnic lunch at Lake Manyara NP on 29th.

Banded Mongoose (Mungos mungo) A group of 7 at Tarangire NP on 24th and 2 at Lake Manyara NP on 29th.

Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) A female and three young at a den under the road at Mikumi NP on 14th, 19 at Serengeti NP on 25th, one there next day with 2 on 27th and 8 at Ngorongoro Crater on 28th.

African Civet (Civettictis civetta) One at dusk at Mikumi NP on 14th was seen well in the headlights of our van and there was just enough light for Brent to get some video footage.

Serval Cat (Felis serval) One sauntering through the open grassland at Serengeti NP on the afternoon of 25th.

Leopard (Panthera pardus) One at Tarangire NP on 24th was lounging along a high branch in classic style along with what on close inspection proved to be the leg of an Ostrich. Similar views of another at Serengeti NP on 26th (minus the Ostrich leg).

Lion (Panthera leo) 2 bachelor males watched from the main road through Mikumi NP on 15th (hard to see at this site so we were lucky) and 3 young males sat in the shade at Tarangire NP on 24th. At Serengeti NP a female feeding three small cubs and, nearby, an adult male seeing off a family of Cheetahs from their kill on 25th and a group of 7 resting in the shade and watching a Leopard next day. Another 7 at Ngorongoro Crater including a pair mating and a group of five unsuccessfully stalking Warthogs.

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) A male with a newly killed adult male Grant's Gazelle on the grassy slopes of Ngorongoro Crater NP outside the rim en route to Oldupai Gorge on 25th was followed later the same afternoon by a female with three half grown young at a kill in Serengeti NP. The latter were eventually seen off by a male Lion. Another adult in Serengeti NP on 27th was sat on a termite mound in classic fashion.

Hyraxes

Black-necked Rock Hyrax (Procavia johnstoni) Present on the granite kopjes in Serengeti NP with tame animals at a Picnic Site. Also 2 at Lake Manyara NP on 29th.

Proboscids

African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) The first 3 seen from the main road through Mikumi NP on 14th with 25 on our game drive there on 16th, one of which mock-charged the van. 30 at Tarangire NP on 24th with one a few metres from the terrace there at breakfast next day. Up to 45 at Serengeti NP including a large herd crossing the road near the Sopa on 26th. 4 seen in Ngorongoro Crater and 17 at Lake Manyara NP.

Odd-toed ungulates

Perissodactyla

Common Zebra (Equus quagga) Common in several National Parks with estimates of up to 20 at Mikumi, 80 at Tarangire, 80 at Serengeti and 30 at Lake Manyara. Very large numbers (hundreds) only at Ngorongoro Crater.

Browse (Black) Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) Four seen during our day at Ngorongoro Crater were all rather distant. All were towards the northern part of the crater with one on the lower slopes of the crater rim and 3 including two together in the light Acacia woodland.

Even-toed Ungulates

Artiodactyla

Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious) 2 in the Kilombero River on 14th, 12 at the Hippo Pool in Mikumi NP on 16th, up to 12 at the Hippo Pool in Serengeti NP, 45 in the Hippo Pool in Ngorongoro Crater and 40 at Lake Manyara NP (in the Hippo Pool, obviously).

Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) Up to 8 at Mikumi NP, 12 at Tarangire NP, 8 at Serengeti NP and 25 at Ngorongoro Crater.

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) Up to 15 at Mikumi NP, 15 at Tarangire Porini Camp, 9 at Mikumi NP, 12 at Serengeti NP and 15 at Lake Manyara NP. None at Ngorongoro Crater, which contains no suitable trees for them. The only big game animal seen outside the parks with a couple on the roadside en route from Lake Manyara to Arusha on 30th.

African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) One from the main road through Mikumi NP on 14th and 50 from the main road again there on 17th (though none on the game drive), 60 at Tarangire NP, 150 at Serengeti NP and hundreds at Ngorongoro Crater.

Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) One male at Serengeti NP on 26th.

Eland (Taurotragus oryx) One at Mikumi NP on 14th and 50 at Tarangire NP on 24th.

Kirk's Dikdik (Madoqua kirkii) Frequent in ones and twos at Tarangire NP (up to 7), Serengeti NP (7) and Lake Manyara NP (6). Always under the shade of trees, melting away if alarmed but often confiding. Cute.

Bohor Reedbuck (Redunca redunca) 4 at Mikumi NP on 16th and 1-5 on 3 dates in the Serengeti NP.

Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) Up to 8 at Tarangire NP (near the tented camp) and up to 6 in the Serengeti NP.

Red-fronted (Thompson's) Gazelle (Gazella rufifrons) One at the Spike-heeled Lark site on plains north of Oldonyosambu on 23rd. Large numbers at the southern end of Serengeti NP with 750+ visible on a single scan on 25th and larger numbers in total next day. Large numbers also at Ngorongoro Crater and 20 at Lake Manyara NP.

Grant's Gazelle (Gazella granti) Four at Tarangire NP on 24th. Largest numbers present at southern end of Serengeti NP and into the edge of Ngorongoro NP on the dry grasslands with 120 on 25th, one of which had just been taken by a male Cheetah. 10 at Ngorongoro Crater.

Impala (Aepyceros melampus) Common at Mikumi NP with up to 100 noted there, 30 at Tarangire NP on 24th, up to 20 in the Serengeti and 25 at Ngorongoro Crater.

Topi (Damaliscus lunatus) Only seen in the Serengeti with 15 on 16th and 6 next day.

Hartebeest (Kongoni) (Alcelaphus busephalus) 4 in Mikumi NP (from the main road) on 17th, 8 at Tarangire NP on 24th, 2 in the Serengeti on 27th and 8 in Ngorongoro Crater. All we saw were seemingly A. b. cokei, 'Kongoni'.

Wildebeest (Brindled Gnu) (Connochaetes gnou) Up to 50 at Mikumi NP, 100 at Tarangire NP, 10 in the Serengeti (at this season the huge herds are in the Masai Mara), thousands in Ngorongoro Crater and 50 at Lake Manyara NP.