Uganda animals/342 Wild Animals of Uganda/Animals in Uganda. Are you looking for a list of animals in Uganda? What animals live in Uganda? What is the most common animal in Uganda? What animal is Uganda famous for? What is Uganda’s national animal? What is the most dangerous animal in Uganda? What animals do Ugandan people eat? and much more? we have put together a piece of perfect information about the major wildlife in Uganda for you.
Primates are among the most amazing Uganda animals to see on a Uganda safari tour. Uganda is often referred to as the primate capital of the world, with over 20 species of primate.
Uganda primates include 2 species of great apes (Gorillas and Chimpanzees) and 18 species of monkeys. All the monkeys in Uganda are members of Old World Monkey, known taxonomically as the Cercopithecidae. Uganda monkeys range from arboreal forms, such as the colobus monkeys, to fully terrestrial forms, such as Patas Monkeys.
Scientific name: Gorilla beringei beringeiHumankind’s close relative, the gorilla is the world’s largest and most impressive primate. Uganda is home to more than half of the world’s mountain gorilla population. This thick-furred ape is a high-altitude subspecies of the Eastern gorilla Gorilla beringei, one of Africa’s 2 gorilla species. Mountain gorillas only live in Uganda, Rwanda, and DR Congo, and nowhere else on the planet. They inhabit forested mountains at elevations of between 8,000 and 13,000 feet.
Males are larger than females, with a larger, more domed head and, in mature individuals, a saddle of silver-grey fur across the back. A dominant male, or Silverback, presides over a family of 5 – 30 females and young, defending them from threats and rivals, and directing their daily movements. Much more terrestrial than chimps, these endangered giants are also more strictly herbivorous, using powerful jaws to munch through a diet of wild celery, and other plants.
To see Mountain gorillas, you need to visit a habituated family on gorilla trekking in Uganda. Uganda boasts the highest number of habituated gorilla families that can be trekked in the wild, with 19 habituated in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – the best Uganda gorilla safari destination and 1 family in Mgahinga National Park.
There are just about 1063 mountain gorillas in Africa and the world at large on the Earth today and more than half of them live in Uganda. In fact, mountain gorillas live in only two localities in the world:-
Chimpanzees (Locally known as Ezike in Luganda a local dialect in Uganda) are black-coated, powerful great apes, with hairless hands, feet and faces. They’re our closest animal cousins, sharing 98.7% of our DNA. And just like us; chimps live in complex societies, solve complicated problems, make and use tools, engage in elaborate interactions, and communicate through a variety of sounds.
Many people cannot easily tell a gorilla from a chimp, but chimps are smaller than gorillas. Also, they don’t live in families, but instead form communities of up to 200 individuals who room the forest in small, socially mobile subgroups.
Predominantly herbivores, eating fruit and other plant matter, chimps will co-operate to collect other food – sometimes hunting monkeys. There are around 300,000 chimps left in tropical forests across central, east, and western Africa. Uganda is home to about 5700 wild chimps – one of the highest populations in Africa.
Your best opportunity to see these Uganda animals comes with chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park which is the best destination for Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda, with a population of about 1500 chimpanzees making it the best place in the world to see Chimpanzees.
Other places to see chimps on Uganda safaris & tours include Budongo Forest, Kalinzu Forest, and Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park..
Golden monkeys are found only in the Virunga Mountains and nowhere else in the world. These amazing animals of Uganda are very pretty, with shiny reddish-gold backs that blend in perfectly with the golden bamboo. They live in groups of up to 100 individuals and love to eat bamboo.
Your best opportunity to observe them up close comes with golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Olive Baboons are some of the world’s largest monkeys. They’re sometimes referred to as Anubis baboons, a name that comes from the Egyptian god Anubis, who was often represented by a dog head resembling their dog-like muzzle. The name olive baboon comes from the color of their coat which at a distance is a shade of green-grey.
Baboons live troops of up to 150 members and generally look frightening because of their long scary teeth. Since they’re not afraid of humans, having a big baboon troop surrounding your vehicle on a Uganda wildlife safari can be pretty intimidating!
Your best opportunity to see Olive baboons are on a safari in Uganda trip to Kibale National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National park, and Murchison Falls National Parks.
Also known as the Mantled Guereza, the Eastern black-and-white colobus monkey is a black-and-white colobus monkey species, a type of Old World monkey. It is among those beautiful Uganda animals you should look for on your Uganda safaris.
They are jet black monkeys with bold white facial markings and a beard, a long tail, and white sides and shoulders. Almost exclusively arboreal, it is capable of jumping up to 30m, a spectacular site with fluffy white tail streaming behind.
Your best chance to see Black-and-white colobus is on Uganda wildlife safaris and tours to Kibale, Bwindi, and Semuliki National Park.
Blue monkeys do not have a vivid blue appearance. They’re mainly olive or grey aside from their faces. The faces are dark with a pale or yellowish patch on the forehead – the “diadem” from which the species derives one its alternative name. The social system of Blue monkeys is mainly female because the males leave once they are mature. These rare animals of Uganda live in a group of 4 to 12 primates and eat mainly fruits and leaves.
Your best opportunity to see blue monkeys during wildlife safariS in Uganda is on a nature walk/primate walk in Kibale Forest National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The Patas monkey is the fastest runner among primates, which can sprint from 0 to 55km per hour in just 3 seconds. They’re a slender species colored red-brown dorsally and grey-white ventrally.
The face can be recognized by a black brow ridge and nose as well as by the white area around the mouth. These ground-dwelling monkeys avoid dense forests and live in open savannah grasslands. They move into multi-female groups of up to 60 monkeys, with just one adult male for most of the year. During the breeding season, there are multi-male influxes into the group.
Your best opportunity to see the Patas Monkey is on Uganda safari game drives in Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, and Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve.
L’Hoest’s monkey is one of the rare monkeys you can see during your Uganda wildlife safaris. This handsome Albertine Rift Endemic is often more difficult to see than most of its relatives largely because of the terrestrial habits and a preference for the dense secondary forest. It has a black face and backward-projecting white whiskers that partially cover its ears. It is the only guenon that habitually carries its tail in an upright position.
Your best opportunity to see the rare L’Hoest’s Monkeys in Uganda is on nature walks or primate walks in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Kibale Forest.
Redtail monkeys are common forest guenon, brownish in appearance with white cheek whiskers, a coppery red tail, and a distinctive heart-shaped white patch on their nose giving rise to the descriptive alternative name White-nosed monkey. They’re usually seen singly, in pairs, or in small family groups. But also associated with other monkey species and has been known to accumulate in groups of up to 200 animals.
Your best opportunity to see the Red-tailed monkeys in Uganda is on nature walks to Kibale Forest, Bigodi Wetland, Budongo Forest, Bwindi, and Semuliki National Park.
Ruwenzori colobus is closely related and similar in appearance to Mantled Guereza. It inhabits the montane forests in the Albertine Rift. It is black with white hair on the shoulders between 23 and 33 cm long. Its tail is also black and greyish-white at the end. It has white bushy tufts on the cheeks. The white hair on the forehead forms a crest.
Until 2001, Uganda’s red colobus was recognized as a species of western red colobus. However, the Uganda red colobus is a relatively large grey monkey. It has few distinguishing features other than a rust-red cap with a dark grey to black face. Your best chance to see the Uganda red colobus is on a nature walk in Kibale Forest, Semuliki National Park, and Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary.
Vervet monkeys are light grey and easily identified by their black face and males’ distinctive blue genitals. Associated with a wide variety of habitats, it is the only guenon you are likely to see outside forests and it is thought to be the most numerous monkey species in the world. Vervet monkeys are widespread in Uganda, even outside of Uganda national parks.
De Brazza’s Monkey offers travelers on Uganda tours one of the rarest sights. This spectacular thicket guenon has a relatively short tail, hairy face, and red-brown patch around eyes, a white band around its brow and a distinctive white mustache, and a beard.
Due to this distinctive appearance, the monkey is sometimes referred to as the “Ayatollah Monkey” after the similarly-bearded Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of Iran. You can see De Brazza’s Monkey on a hike on Semuliki National Park or Mount Elgon National Park.
Uganda Mangabey was previously thought to just be a population of the Grey-cheeked Mangabey; however, the Uganda Mangabey is rather smaller.
Endemic to Uganda, it has few distinguishing features, but it can be distinguished from other forest monkeys by its baboon-like behaviors, shaggier appearance, light grey cheeks, and slight mane. It mainly resides in lowland forests and mid-altitude forests.
Your best opportunity to see the Uganda Mangabey is during the Mangabey tracking adventure in Mabira Forest or on a nature walk in Kibale National Park.
The Dent’s Mona monkeys a small monkeys with a long tail of 67 to 90 cm. Individuals are colorful. The dorsal fur is red-brown to brown-agouti. The ventral surface and buttocks are white. You can only see the Dent’s Mona Monkey in Uganda in Semuliki National Park.
With their big saucepan eyes, the small Bushbabies/Galagos are one of the most endearing Uganda animals or primates of the night. Although reasonably common throughout Uganda forests where they spend most of their time in trees, they are not easily seen due to their predominately nocturnal movements and shy demeanor.
In addition to their big eyes, which help them see in low light, Galagos are adapted to nocturnal living with their large ears that rotate like radar dishes to zero in on prey in the dark. The animals are wonderful jumpers, using powerful legs and extremely long tails to spring great distances.
About 20 bushbaby species are known, though some experts believe many are yet to be discovered. Many species look so similar, it’s difficult to tell them apart by sight alone. Instead, scientists often use their distinct calls which sound like a crying newborn baby, the likely source of their name to differentiate between closely related species. Uganda is home to 6 species of Galagos including:
To see a bushbaby in Uganda, you track its piercing cry on a night walk in Kibale Forest and then shine a torch into it. You’ll easily pick out its large round eyes. You can also see the large and catlike silvery greater galago on a night game drive in Lake Mburo National Park and Lake Victoria.
The Potto is also a tiny nocturnal primate/animal of Uganda. It is sometimes called Bosman’s potto and in some English-speaking parts of Africa; they are called “softly-softly”. Their close, woolly fur is grey-brown. Pottos have a moist nose, long, slender bodies, large eyes, and round ears. To see pottos on your Uganda safari tours, go on a night walk in Kibale National Park.
Uganda is home to over 38 different kinds of small and large carnivores or meat-eaters. Large carnivores form part of the culture of any community on earth. They’re great attractions to any travelers during safaris in Uganda Africa, and draw large numbers of visitors to Uganda to witness these majestic Uganda animals in natural habitats.
LionIt’s incredibly exciting to see Lions on a Uganda wildlife safari. The first thing you’ll realize when seeing this member of the Big 5 in Uganda, is its startling size.
Lions are Africa’s largest cats. They are also essential players in Africa’s wild spaces, ruthlessly executing the role of an apex predator. Their muscular barrel-chested bodies, jutting chins, and booming roars are spine-tingling reminders that they are the King of the African bush.
These iconic predators live in prides of usually 10 to 30 individuals. Working together, a pride may down prey big animals like zebra, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, and even young elephants. Though often seen by day at dawn or dusk, lions are more active at night.
Lions can be found in several Uganda parks but are best-seen hunting antelope in Murchison Falls, lazing on rocky outcrops in Kidepo, or relaxing in fig trees in the southern Ishasha sector of Queer Elizabeth Park.
Shy and solitary, spotting a Leopard on a wildlife safari in Uganda will transform your Uganda safari game drive into a lifelong memory.
The leopard’s mastery of camouflage and stealth makes it extremely elusive, thus being such a sought-after sighting. This predator’s regal beauty is mesmerizing; its magnificent coat has captivated humans for millennia. The leopard has a long tail that is usually curled at the white tip, and beautiful rosette patterning (unlike a cheetah’s solid spots). They radiate a muscular feline grace and move like liquid gold.
Leopards are mostly nocturnal and best seen on night game drives in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, and Kidepo Valley. Lake Mburo National Park has the highest concentration of Leopards in Uganda. By day, you may spy one in a tree.
The Cheetah is the fastest land animal, relying only on speed as a hunting strategy. Long-legged and deep-chested, the cheetah is capable of exceeding 100 km/h in a short burst.
Seeing a cheetah on the hunt is one of the dream sights of any African safari. And yet, the evolutionary sacrifices that cheetahs have made in their quest for speed and agility have placed them at a disadvantage when it comes to defending their food against other predators. Lions, leopards, and hyenas frequently rob cheetahs of their hard-earned meals.
The cheetah is roughly the same size as a leopard but differs in its slimmer build, smaller head, and round, solid spots. It also has a distinctive black ‘tear’ line beneath each eye. It prefers open savannah habitats, where it can more easily spot and pursue its prey.
Kidepo National Park’s relatively flat terrain is a perfect hunting ground for cheetahs.
The Spotted hyena is one of the most misunderstood animals in the world. They are hated as cowardly, thieving, dirty, ugly, lazy…the list goes on. These impressions are embedded in human history and public consciousness then reinforced by mainstream media and films.
Fortunately, though, more and more people are coming to appreciate hyenas for the fascinating creatures they are. These Uganda animals play a vital role in the ecosystem by consuming carrion – they’re Mother Nature’s recyclers! Behavioral ecologists who have studied spotted hyenas believe that hyenas rank among some of the most intelligent animal species on earth. Their notorious (and often feared) laugh-like vocalization is just one of the many sophisticated ways in which they communicate.
Spotted hyenas are fairly easily observed in most major National Parks of Uganda such as Kidepo, Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, and Lake Mburo.
The fascinating Jackals seldom get the attention they deserve on a big game safari in Uganda. The Black-backed jackal is a dog-like Uganda animal and named for the dark, white-flecked ‘saddle’ on its back. It’s among the 3 jackal species in Africa. It has long legs and curved canine teeth suitable for hunting small prey.
Black-backed jackals are highly vocal and best known for their high wailing calls – often given in the early evening, when one individual answers another until an unearthly chorus builds up. Your best opportunity to see a black-backed jackal on a wildlife tour in Uganda is on a game drive in the remote Kidepo National Park or Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve.
The Side-striped jackal appears more or less uniform grey from a distance. At close quarters a light-colored stripe, or band, liberally fringed with black, is seen along each flank hence its name. Their call has been likened to an owl-like hoot or a series of short yaps, quite unlike that of the black-backed jackal.
Your best opportunity to see a side-striped jackal in Uganda on a wildlife safari in Murchison Falls, Kidepo Valley National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, and Queen Elizabeth National Park
The Bat-eared fox is unmistakable with its huge dish-like ears and beautiful grey-black patterns. Their ears are impressively large at 13cm in height, and they can pick up the movements of insects underground. These animals of Uganda live in family groups with their pups, having a litter of three to six puppies once a year.
Bat-eared foxes are mostly found in arid and semi-arid environments. It is commonly seen during the early hours of the day on game drives in Kidepo National Park.
Banded Mongooses are tough and agile small carnivores with a large head, small ears, short, muscular limbs, and a long tail. Their rough fur is grayish brown and black, and there are several dark brown to black horizontal bars across the back. The nose color of banded mongoose varies from gray-brown to orange-red.
These Uganda animals live in burrows and are social creatures living in communities of up to 40 individuals. They are very common in Queen Elizabeth National Park where habituated families can be tracked on wildlife safaris to Uganda.
African civets have been recorded in most Uganda safari parks/Uganda National Parks but they are rarely seen. They have coarse and wiry fur that varies in colour from white to creamy yellow to reddish on the back.
Their muzzle is pointed, ears small and rounded. A black band stretches across its small eyes, and two black bands are around its short broad neck. They gravitate to water sources where they are most likely to be seen on night games drive in Uganda on their nocturnal routine. African civets are hunted for their musk, which is a common component in many perfumes.
Genets look like African civets and are often mistaken due to slight variations in appearance.
However, the genet is slender with beautiful spotted coats and extraordinarily long tails, large ears, a pointed muzzle, and partly retractile claws. They are very secretive creatures in the wild. Genet species that are widespread in Uganda include
Otters are small aquatic carnivore animals of Uganda. They have long, slim bodies and relatively short limbs. Their most striking anatomical features are the powerful webbed feet used to swim, and their seal-like abilities to hold breath underwater. The species of otters that occur in Uganda include;
African honey badger, also known as Ratel, is revered as a fearless predator despite its cuddly appearance. It is a creature who snacks on honey from the notorious African ‘killer bee’ hives and thinks nothing of eating a deadly cobra, taking on lions, and quilled porcupines.
Honey badgers are easily identified by their striking coloration: jet black with a grey mantle, and a white stripe running from the head down to the base of the tail. The mantle and the stripe may vary in color and thickness from one individual to the next. They have short, sturdy legs, with five toes on each foot, armed with powerful claws of up to 40mm in length!
Their low-slung frame and short legs make them Uganda animals of stamina, not speed, and their distinctive jog-trot allows them to relentlessly pursue their prey until it has collapsed with exhaustion.
Caracals are brilliant hunters, able to launch themselves up to 16 feet into the air on the hunt for flying prey. The coat of these Uganda animals is typically a tawny or reddish gold with a white chin, throat, and underside.
All cats are regal, of course, but the caracal actually seems to have a crown: Its large, pointy ears, tipped with black and tufted, are a trademark of the species. They can be found in dry savannah. You can see them on a night game drive in Kidepo National Park.
The Serval is a medium-sized cat that looks somewhat like a cross between a small cheetah and a large house cat.
In reality, they belong to the “caracal lineage” of the Felidae family, along with Caracals and African golden cats, though their peculiar shapes, spotted coloration, and missing ear tufts set them apart from the other two species.
Servals have the longest legs in proportion to their bodies of any of the cat species (hence the model comparison) and a tawny-gold coat dotted with a mixture of spots and stripes. Like caracals, their tails are relatively short in comparison to other cat species.
Solitary and silent, these Uganda animals are seldom seen. They are thought to be one of the rarest African animals of Uganda – making them almost impossible to spot on tours in Uganda. The best time to see a serval is at sunrise or dusk.
The nocturnal African golden cats are widespread in western Uganda, where they have been recorded in every forested Uganda safari park except Semliki. The cats have fur color ranging from chestnut or reddish-brown, grayish brown to dark slaty.
Some are spotted, with the spots ranging from faded tan to black. In others, the spotting pattern is limited to the belly and inner legs. These Uganda animals are about twice the size of a domestic cat. Overall, it resembles the caracal but has shorter untufted round ears.
Uganda is home to many impressive large, medium-sized, and small herbivores. A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material.
By far the biggest of the so-called Big Five – indeed, the largest land animal on the planet – the African bush elephants shape the very landscape it inhabits and is a defining presence on any safari in Uganda.
These enormous Uganda animals are extraordinary in every respect. Their tusks, enlarged front teeth, serve for feeding and fighting; their trunk, an elongated nose, can tear down a branch or pick up a bean; and their huge ears are cooling vanes that circulate the body’s blood supply. Elephants are habituated to vehicles generally allow a close approach. However, always be alert to signs of agitation, such as a raised trunk or flapping ears.
Elephants are abundant throughout the savannah game parks in Uganda (except Lake Mburo). They are more commonly seen in the savannah grasslands of Murchison Falls, Kidepo, and Queen Elizabeth National Parks.
The iconic Southern White Rhino is one of Africa’s two rhinoceros species, the other being the black rhino. It also is the world’s largest land animal after the elephants and, on average, nearly twice the weight of the black rhino.
Confusingly both species are actually grey – ‘White’ does not describe its color, but may derive from the Dutch word wijd and refer to its ‘wide’ mouth – an adaptation for grazing.
But since the beginning of the 20th century, these pre-historic-looking heavyweights have been pushed to the brink of extinction. Sadly, the same cannot be said for humans because the rhino horn has a perceived value of over $60,000 per kilogram.
And Uganda was once home to thousands of rhinos but poaching in the 1970s and ‘80s took its toll and in 1982, the last rhino living in the wild was poached. In 2005, 6 white rhinos were reintroduced to the Ugandan wild at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Today, visitors can join trained rangers to track 32 white rhinos on foot.
With its name derived from the ancient Greek for ‘river horse’, it’s not a surprise that you’re most likely to see huge pods of these animals in Uganda’s rivers, lakes, and swamps.
Despite the hippo‘s physical resemblance to a pig, its closest living relatives are cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises, etc.). Due to its highly aggressive and unpredictable nature, the hippo is one of the most dangerous animals in the world – especially when they emerge from the water to graze at dusk. A hippo’s huge incisors and canines serve not for feeding but for threat displays and fighting; rival bulls contest violent territorial skirmishes.
If you’re staying at any of Uganda safari lodges or camps that are situated near a river or lake, you’ll be entertained by the daily, chortling soap opera of territorial males.
Your best opportunity to see many hippos in Uganda on the Kazinga Channel boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Nile launch cruise in Murchison Falls National Park.
The African buffalo is one of the celebrated members of the so-called Big Five. It is also one of the most dangerous African safari animals in Uganda due to its enormous strength and extremely bad and unpredictable temper. This is why buffalo have never been domesticated like cows.
With a notoriously staggering power, the buffalo has very few natural predators, aside from lions and big Crocodiles. Males are imposing beasts: larger than females, their curved horns meet at the base in a bony shield, called a boss. Their social structures are matriarchal, and herds may coalesce in huge gatherings of more than 1,000.
Large herds of Cape buffalo herds are ever-present Kidepo, Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, and Lake Mburo National Parks.
https://www.primeugandasafaris.com/blog/about-the-african-buffalo
Another one of the Uganda animals you’ll see, Rothschild’s giraffes are often a very popular sighting for most Africa safaris & tours travelers. Watching these world’s tallest land animals awkwardly maneuver into a wide-legged stance to drink water is an absolute treat!
Giraffes prefer the open savannah grasslands where they can be seen feeding on acacia plants and leaves from other trees. The best place to see these calm giants is in Kidepo Valley and Murchison Falls National Park.
In 2015, 15 Rothschild giraffes were introduced in Lake Mburo National Park from Murchison Falls to add to the park’s diversity.
Plains Zebras are quintessential African animals, one of the most photogenic Uganda animals on Uganda wildlife safaris. With their eye-catching stripes, they really do look great in photos! Their pattern has long puzzled scientists: it may function as camouflage, as an insect deterrent or to dazzle pursuing predators such as lions; perhaps all three.
There are three species of zebra – plains, Grevy’s, and mountain – but Plains zebra in Uganda is much the most common. They are social animals and they move around the park in search of food. Their similarity to horses is evident in appearance and anatomy.
You can see many zebras in Lake Mburo National Park. They can also be encountered in Kidepo Valley National Park.
If you’ve seen the Lion King you’ll probably remember the character of Pumbaa – he’s a Warthog. Warthogs are related to pigs, and as their name suggests they are medium-sized, pig-like animals with level back and comparatively long limbs. A large head with a flat face; prominent tusks, and “warts” (thickened skin and gristle) below eyes, and a mane of long hair. Gray skin, dark mane, and tail tuft; white cheek whiskers, shaped like tusks.
Warthogs are commonly seen in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, and Lake Mburo NP.
Despite its looks, the tiny Rock hyrax is closer related to the elephant than any other animal! It features a prominent pair of long, pointed tusk-like upper incisors, which are reminiscent of the elephant. Its thick fur is grey-brown. The rock hyrax also has a pointed head, short neck, rounded ears, and long, black whisker on its muzzle.
It feeds on grass, roots, and insects, and can often be found in small colonies in rocky areas. You can see Rock Hyrax on your Rwenzori Mountains trekking adventure or a volcano hike in Mount Elgon National Park
Uganda is home to 29 antelope species. ‘Antelope’ is a term used for even-toed ungulate (bovid) species with bony horns confined to Africa and Eurasia. They are known for their long, slender legs which give them great speed. Their unbranched horns do not shed like deer. Most Uganda antelopes occur in savannahs, but you can also find them in forests, mountains, and swamps.
Below Are The Major Antelopes In Uganda To Look For On Your Uganda Wildlife Tour:
The medium-sized Uganda Kob is the National Antelope of Uganda. It appears on the coat of arms
of Uganda, along with a Grey-crowned crane. At first glance, the Ugandan kob may be mistaken for the impala, but it is more heavily built. They also have ringed horns that curve backward and their short reddish coat. Only the males have horns.
Large herds of Uganda kobs can be seen Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls National Parks.
Impalas are beautiful, slender antelope with a smooth coat that seems to shimmer in the sunlight. The upper parts are a rich reddish-brown, the lower flanks are light-tan brown and the belly is white. There are distinctive black stripes on the back of each thigh and down the center of the upper side of the tail that form three vertical lines when seen from behind.
Impalas are also known for their long, spiraled horns which males use to challenge each other in tests of strength. They’re a key prey for lions and hyenas, so they practice safety in numbers and congregate in herds hundreds strong. Running impalas simply jump over anything in their path.
Impalas in Uganda are found only in Lake Mburo National Park.
Another of the Uganda antelopes you can see on your Uganda wildlife safari is the Defassa waterbuck. Its name comes from the fact that when threatened it will often run and hide in water, sometimes submerging almost completely until the threat has gone away.
This large, robust antelope is recognizable by its long, shaggy hair and a brown-gray coat that emits an oily secretion from its sweat glands, which acts as a water repellent. It features large, rounded ears and white patches above the eyes, around the nose and mouth, and throat.
Waterbucks are common in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, and Lake Mburo NP
The beautiful Bushbuck is the smallest of Uganda’s spiral-horned antelopes. It has geometrically shaped white patches or spots on the most mobile parts of its body – the ears, chin, tail, legs, and neck. Male bushbucks have horns, which are up to 20 inches long and grow straight back. At 10 months, young males sprout strongly twisted horns that form the first loop of a spiral at maturity.
You can see bushbucks in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, Kidepo Valley, and Lake Mburo National Park.
The Common Elands are Africa’s biggest antelope. They loom large in the continent’s culture, from prehistoric rock art to modern game farms. Though widespread, they are shy and sightings are rare. These massive, tan-colored, common antelopes are related to kudus and other spiral-horned antelope species.
Both sexes have a signature square profile – accentuated in the bull by a large dewlap – and straight horns that are longer and narrower in the female. The ox-like males are twice the weight of females, sometimes reaching buffalo size.
You can see elands in Uganda in Lake Mburo and Kidepo Valley National Parks.
The unusual Jackson’s hartebeest is a large antelope, recognized by its elongated forehead and curiously shaped horns that curve backward and can exceed a length of 40cm.
Hartebeests are sociable Uganda animals and typically form herds of 30-200 individuals. They are a cross between 2 subspecies of hartebeest: the Lelwel and Coke’s hartebeest. Despite their large stature, the Jackson hartebeest is not very aggressive.
You can see Jackson hartebeests in Murchison Falls and Kidepo National Parks on wildlife safari game drives.
The Topi resembles the hartebeest, but it is darker and has more shiny skin. It has dark spots on its legs, shoulders, and head, it lives on open grassland, and you can often spot them in herds where a male is looking out for predators.
You can see topis in the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park (Ishasha) – the home of tree-climbing lions and Lake Mburo National Park.
The Sitatunga is the most aquatic of the antelopes in Uganda and is specially adapted to its swampy habitats. Though widespread across the country, only a handful of places offer reliable sightings. The size of a large goat, males are dark brown with twisted horns, and females and young are rufous, patterned with white spots and stripes. Their long fur is water-resistant, and their exceptionally long, splayed hooves help them negotiate boggy terrain.
A reclusive species, Sitatunga feed in small family parties largely at dawn and dusk, resting up in hidden clearings during the middle of the day. Good photographic opportunities on Uganda safaris are rare.
Your encounter may just be a splash or a brief glimpse of a retreating shaggy rump. You can see
Sitatunga in Bigodi Wetland near Kibale National Park.
Bohor reedbuck is a small and medium-sized antelope. The overall body color is yellowish to pale red-brown, and the upper parts are white. Only males carry the short stout, ringed, and forward hooked horns.
Your opportunity to see the Bohor reedbuck is on a wildlife game viewing tour of Lake Mburo National Park and Murchison Falls National Park.
The Mountain Reedbuck is a medium-sized, graceful and shy antelope.
The fur is predominantly grey, but the head and shoulders are reddish-brown. It has a fluffy white tail
and striking white underparts. Forward curved horns are only found in males. This species has long narrow ears. They occur in small herds of 3 to 8 individuals.
You can see mountain reedbucks on a Uganda wildlife safari in Kidepo Valley National Park.
The majestic Greater kudu is among the largest antelopes. The spectacular spiral horns of this handsome antelope – the longest of any antelope – have long made it a favorite among safari-goers and trophy hunters alike. They belong to the Tragelaphus genus, alongside the likes of bushbuck and nyala.
You can see greater Kudu in Kidepo Valley National Park – in the thicket bush around Kanangorok Hotsprings.
Like its close cousin -greater kudu, the lesser kudu, have stripes and spots on the body, and a chevron of white hair between the eyes. Males have long, spiral horns. By contrast, lesser kudus are even smaller. They also have smaller horns than their larger cousins and have conspicuous white patches on the upper and lower parts of the neck.
Although both species are bluish-gray, grayish-brown, or rust color, the lesser kudus have five to six more lateral white stripes, for a total of 11 to 15. Both species have a crest of long hair along the spine.
You can also see Lesser Kudu in Kidepo Valley National Park.
Oribi is the largest of the small antelope. Its coat is a reddish-brown color with pure white fur underneath. This charming little antelope has a relatively long neck, medium-sized ears, and short tail; with a distinguishing black tip.
Only the male has horns and these are short, erect, and partly ridged. They usually occur in pairs or
small parties consisting of one mal, which is vigorously territorial, and up to four females.
You can see Oribi on day game drives in Lake Mburo, Kidepo, and Murchison Falls NP.
Klipspringer is a goat-like antelope normally seen in pairs and easily identified by its dark, bristly grey-yellow coat, slightly speckled appearance, and unique habitat preference.
Klipspringer means “rockjumper” in Afrikaans, an apt name for an antelope that occur exclusively in a mountainous area and rock outcrops.
You can see Klipspringers in Kidepo Valley, Murchison Falls, and Lake Mburo NP.
Guenther’s Dik-dik is a very small antelope with pointed, mobile snouts, large ears, round eyes, long hind legs, and short undeveloped tails. It has a yellowish-gray to reddish-brown coat, black hooves, small heads with long necks, and large ears with white insides. Belly, chin, breast, throat, and inner thighs are cream or white. Only male dik-dik have tiny, sharp horns.
Although the dik-dik is one of the most beautiful Uganda animals, it is very difficult to spot one. They dart in and out of bushes really fast!
You may see a dik-dik in Lake Mburo, Kidepo Valley, and Murchison Falls National Park.
About 142 species of reptiles have been recorded in Uganda including snakes, crocodiles, lizards, chameleons, turtles, and terrapins.
Here Are The Major Uganda Reptiles You Can Look For On Your Wildlife Safaris In Uganda;
The Nile crocodile is widely distributed throughout Uganda, living mostly in aquatic environments like lakes, rivers, swamps, and marshlands. It is Africa’s biggest freshwater predator, capable of taking down almost any animal within its range. They are generalists, eating mostly fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
Crocodiles are cold-blooded safari animals of Uganda and spend many hours keeping warm by resting in the sunshine on the bank of a lake or river. While they may look sleepy and slow, they can spring into action in a split second should any unsuspecting prey come too close.
The best way to spot many Nile crocodiles in Uganda is to take a boat trip on the Nile River in Murchison Falls National Park or Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The African rock python is the largest African snake and one of the 6 largest snake species in the world. The snake is found in different habitats, from forests to near deserts, usually near sources of
water. It kills its prey by constriction. It often eats animals up to the size of antelope, sometimes even crocodiles.
You can the rock python in Queen Elizabeth Park’s Maramagambo Forest in the Bat Cave.
The Nile monitor lizards are native to Africa and are distributed throughout the entire central and southern regions of the continent, mostly around rivers.
They have muscular bodies, strong legs, and powerful jaws. They have forked tongues, with highly developed olfactory properties. Nile monitors feed on fish, snails, frogs, crocodile eggs and young, snakes, birds, small mammals, insects, and carrion.
Your best opportunity to see the Nile Monitor Lizard is on the Kazinga Channel boat cruise in Queen
Elizabeth National Park.
Conclusion
Because of its pleasant tropical climate, Uganda is an excellent destination for viewing wild animals all year. It may not have as many wild animals as Kenya or Tanzania, but it certainly competes when it comes to wildlife safaris in Africa. There are greater opportunities to witness a range of animals, such as rare primates in tropical rainforests and a variety of savannah animals.
If you’re interested in seeing these Uganda animals, get in touch with one of our Uganda safari experts to help tailor-make a wildlife safari in Uganda that’s right for you.
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