Common and rarest animals in Maasai Mara National Reserve

Common and rarest animals in Maasai Mara National Reserve : While many Kenya safari tourists come to the Masai Mara national reserve to witness the Great Migration and the Big Five, there is much more wildlife to discover in this area. A fascinating array of untamed creatures can be found in this abundant region of Africa. With more than 90 different kinds of birds and over 90 different species of mammals, the Maasai mara national reserve environment keeps visitors scanning the horizon for their next amazing sight of wildlife. Continue reading this article to know the common and rarest animals in Maasai Mara National Reserve

There are many different kinds of wild creatures living in the Mara, along to the so-called ‘Big Five’—the lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, and buffalo. An overview of the wildlife you might see when visiting the Masai Mara is provided below.

When you can find the “Big Nine,” why limit yourself to the “Big Five”? The giraffe, cheetah, hippo, and zebra are added to the Big Five to form the group of wild creatures referred to as the “Big Nine.” When on safari in the Masai Mara, there’s a strong chance you’ll see the majority of them. Take a peek at these four Big Five extras that you should check for whilst on safari.

The cheetahs of Maasai mara national reserve

The cheetah is among the most recognisable animals in the Masai Mara national reserve.  Up to five cheetahs might be found hunting together in open areas. These large cats can bend and straighten their flexible spines. This, along with their strong rear legs, enables them to travel at amazing speeds of up to 110 km/h. They can accelerate from 0 to 64 miles per hour in just three leaps. When pursuing their prey, cheetahs can turn sharply thanks to the rudders on their incredibly long tails. The cheetah is a longer, leaner animal, despite occasionally being mistaken for a leopard. Along with that, its face is rounder and smaller than a leopard’s. Male cheetahs do not live alone, in contrast to their female counterparts.

The female cheetahs rear their offspring alone and only engage in mating behaviour with adult males. Upon reaching eighteen months of age, the mother abandons the cubs to their own. For about six months, the sibling cubs typically remain in a pack together. The female siblings separate from the group to lead solitary lives at the two-year mark. The male siblings establish a “coalition” and remain together for life. You are likely to see on Kenya safari a cheetah coalition a close-knit group that typically comprises of two or three siblings. With alongside enjoying hunting kudu, warthog, hartebeest, oryx, sable, and roadrunners, cheetahs typically hunt in the early morning and late afternoon.

They have also been observed consuming rabbits and game birds. Sadly, the IUCN has designated the cheetah as a critically endangered species as a result of a dramatic drop in cheetah populations over time. Only 10,000 to 12,000 cheetahs are thought to remain in the wild today.

Giraffe (Giraffa)

The tallest land mammal, the Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchii), is a remarkable sight. The giraffe is renowned for its elegant movements and stunning appearance. The giraffe can run for 50–60 hours per hour at its maximum speed. There are several giraffe (sub)species in Kenya. You can see Somali or reticulated giraffes in northern Kenya. Rothschild’s giraffes are extremely uncommon; there is continuous debate on whether or not they belong to a separate subspecies. Masai giraffes can be seen in southern Kenya. Unlike reticulated giraffes, Masai giraffes have jagged patches on their bodies rather than polygonal patches the colour of liver.

The majority of the 33,000 Masai giraffes that call this area home live in tiny groups. They eat for 16 to 20 hours every day on average. Acacia tree leaves are their preferred feast. Their lips and lengthy tongues deftly sidestep the thorns of the Acacia tree so they can nibble on the leaves. They can survive for weeks without water as long as they have fresh plants. The highest branches of the Acacia trees are usually where male giraffes feed, whereas the lower branches are where females often eat. The hyena, lions, and poachers are their biggest adversaries. Their strongest protection is their swift escape velocity and, should the need arise, their formidable kick.

Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius)

An mature male hippo weighs approximately 1500 kilogrammes on average, making it the third largest terrestrial animal. Hippos can be found around lakes, rivers, and marshes. They adore spending their days in the dirt and water, staying cool. They move from the water to graze on the grass around dusk. In the Masai Mara National Reserve, there are a lot of hippos. A certain river’s length is ruled by male hippos, or bulls, who are usually in charge of five to thirty female hippos and their young. As one of the world’s most violent animals, the hippo is among the most dangerous in Africa. In Sub-Saharan Africa, there are between 125,000 and 150,000 hippos.

Zebra (Equus quagga)

Numerous plains zebra herds can be seen in the Masai Mara. While still larger than the mountain zebra, this species of zebra is marginally smaller than the Grevy’s. Compared to the other two varieties of zebras, it also has wider stripes. Both tropical and temperate regions are home to plain zebras, who dwell in treeless grasslands and savanna woods. Crocodiles, lions, cheetahs, and African wild dogs are among the predators that hunt these zebras. From a sociable species, the plains zebra is. Together with multiple female mare zebras and their offspring, they form harems, each with a lone male stallion. There are groups of single male zebras in addition to these family groups. Herds are often formed when multiple groups band together to alert one another to potential predators. To defend his harem, the herd’s stallion snorts or barks when he spots a threat.

Aardvark (Orycteropus afer)

Aardvarks are small, digging mammals that have strong claws and a large snout. These nocturnal creatures are indigenous to Africa and consume termites and ants, among other things. They have powerful claws for digging and burrowing, short legs, and no hair.

Aardwolf (Proteles cristatus)

These solitary, nocturnal, yellowish-black striped animals have larger front legs than rear legs, a very coarse ridge of hairs along the length of their back, and a bushy, black-tipped tail that resembles that of a miniature striped hyena.

African Hare (Lepus capensis)

All over Africa, forested savannah and grasslands are home to the African hare. Though they are solitary animals, they occasionally form pairs or trios for dinner in order to protect themselves from predators.

Banded Mongoose (Mungos mungo)

The majority of these mongooses may be found in central and eastern Africa. They inhabit grasslands, woods, and savannahs. Termite mounds are among their dwellings, and they typically reside in colonies. They have black bands running from shoulder to tail on their back and are either brown or grey in colour.

Others small animals found in Maasai Mara National Reserve

Bat-eared Fox (Otocyon magalotis), Bushbaby (Galago senegalensis), Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus), Coke’s Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus cokii), Copper-tailed Monkey/Red-tailed Monkey (Cercopithecus Ascanius), Crested Porcupine (Hystrix cristata), Dwarf Mongoose (Helpgale parvula), Grant’s Gazelle (Gazella granti), Honey Badger (Mellivora capensis), Impala (Aepyceros melampus), Kirk’s Dik-Dik (Madoqua kirkii) Klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragus) Olive Baboon (Papio cynocephalus Anubis)

Madoqua Kirkii’s Dik-Dik (Kirk)

Oreotragus oreotragus, aka Klipspringer

Olive Baboon: Anubis Papio cynocephalus

Oribi, or Ourebia ourebi

Manis temminckii, the pangolin

Jackal with side stripes (Canis adustus)

Herpestes sanguineus, the slender mongoose

Hyaena spotted (Hyaena hyaena)

Deer (Pedetes capensis) in spring

Fruit Bat with Straw Colour (Eidolon helvum)

The Gazelle of Thomson (Gazella thomsonii)

Topi (Jimela, or Damaliscus lunatus)

Cercopithecus aethiops, the vervet monkey

Phacochoerus africanus, the warthog

Kobus ellipsiprymnus, the waterbuck

Connochaetes, the wildebeest

In summary, this article entails all common and rarest animals in maasai mara national reserve