Animals of the Serengeti

About this book 7
About the guides 10
Geography of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) 12
The great migrations 14
Map of the 'Greater Serengeti area' 16
Where to watch wildlife in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) 20

MAMMALS
Lion Panthera leo 24
Leopard Panthera pardus 28
Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus 32
Serval Leptailurus serval 36
Caracal Caracal caracal 37
Wild Cat Felis sylvestris 38
African Civet Civettictis civetta 39
Small-spotted Genet Genetta genetta 40
Large-spotted Genet Genetta tigrina 40
Spotted Hyena Crocuta crocuta 42
Aardwolf Proteles cristata 44
Striped Hyena Hyena hyaena 45
Dwarf Mongoose Helogale parvula 46
Banded Mongoose Mungos mungo 47
Slender Mongoose Herpestes sanguineus 48
Ichneumon Mongoose Herpestes ichneumon 49
Marsh Mongoose Atilax paludinosus 50
White-tailed Mongoose Ichneumia albicauda 51
Zorilla Ictonyx striatus 52
Honey Badger Mellivora capensis 53
Black-backed Jackal Canis mesomelas 54
Side-striped Jackal Canis adustus 55
Golden Jackal Canis aureus 56
Bat-eared Fox Otocyon megalotis 58
Wild Dog Lycaon pictus 59
Pangolin Smutsia temminckii 60
Aardvark Orycteropus afer 61
African Elephant Loxodonta africana 62
Black Rhinoceros Diceros bicornis 67
Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius 68
Cape Buffalo Syncerus caffer 70
Bushpig Potamochoerus larvatus 73
Warthog Phacochoerus africanus 74
Plains Zebra Equus quagga 76
Maasai Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis 80
Eland Tragelaphus oryx 84
Roan Hippotragus equinus 86
Bush Duiker Sylvicapra grimmia 87
Steinbuck Raphicerus campestris 88
Oribi Ourebia ourebi 89
Kirk's Dik-dik Madoqua kirkii 90
Klipspringer Oreotragus oreotragus 91
Mountain Reedbuck Redunca fulvorufula 92
Bohor Reedbuck Redunca redunca 93
Bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus 94
Defassa Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus 95
Impala Aepyceros melampus 96
Grant's Gazelle Nanger granti 98
Thomson's Gazelle Eudorcas thomsonii 100
Coke's Hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus 102
Topi Damaliscus lunatus 103
White-bearded Wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus 104
Cape Hare Lepus capensis 108
Scrub Hare Lepus saxatilis 108
Springhare Pedetes capensis 109
Unstriped Ground Squirrel Xerus rutilus 110
Grass Rat Arvicanthis niloticus 111
White-bellied Hedgehog Atelerix albiventris 112
Crested Porcupine Hystrix cristata 113
Rock Hyrax Procavia capensis 114
Southern Tree Hyrax Dendrohyrax arboreus 115
Bush Hyrax Heterohyrax brucei 115
Greater Galago Otolemur crassicaudatus 116
Lesser Galago Galago senegalensis 117
Guereza Colobus Colobus guereza 118
Patas Monkey Erythrocebus patas 120
Blue Monkey Cercopithecus mitis 122
Vervet Monkey Chlorocebus pygerythrus 124
Olive Baboon Papio anubis 126
Rufous Sengi Elephantulus rufescens 128

REPTILES
Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus 130
Savanna Monitor Varanus albigularis 132
Nile Monitor Varanus niloticus 132
Leopard Tortoise Geochelone pardalis 134
Helmeted Terrapin Pelomedusa subrufa 135
Flap-necked Chameleon Chamaeleo dilepis 136
Striped Skink Mabuya striata 136
Tropical House Gecko Hemidactylus mabouia 138
Cape Dwarf Gecko Lygodactylus capensis 139
Mwanza Flat-headed Agama Agama mwanzae 140
Red-headed Rock Agama Agama agama 140
Blue-headed Tree Agama Acanthocercus atricollis 141
Black-necked Spitting Cobra Naja nigricollis 142
Black Mamba Dendroaspis polylepis 143
Spotted Bush Snake Philothamnus semivariegatus 144
Velvety-green Night Adder Causus resimus 144
Puff Adder Bitis arietans 145
African Rock Python Python natalensis 146

Further reading and useful resources 148
Acknowledgements 149
Photographic credits 149
Index 150