The Big Five animals are some of the most wanted wildlife sightings in Lake Nakuru National Park, second only to the famous large flocks of pink flamingos that live on Lake Nakuru.
The park is home to over 50 species of mammals, which live in different types of vegetation, including acacia woodlands, savanna grasslands, and the rare euphorbia forest. These habitats support many types of animals.
Lake Nakuru National Park is one of the few parks in Kenya where you can see 4 of the Big Five animals. These include buffaloes, lions, leopards, and both black and white rhinos.
The only member of the Big Five not found here is the elephant. Elephants are not in the park because it is fully fenced, and fencing prevents the free movement that elephants need to search for food.
The park is fenced mainly to protect its rhinos. Rhinos have been heavily poached, especially for their horns, which are sold in markets in countries like China and Thailand.
These horns are often used to make jewelry. Lake Nakuru is also a good place for spotting leopards and other animals that are active at night, especially during night game drives.
Rhinos
Rhinos are among the most common animals in the park. The park has about 100 to 150 rhinos. Around 80% are white rhinos, and the rest are black rhinos. Lake Nakuru is a rhino sanctuary, and visitors often see them during game drives.
Because of heavy poaching in the past, the park’s fence helps protect these animals. Rhinos are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Rothschild’s Giraffe
The Rothschild’s giraffe was introduced into the park in the 1980s. Since then, they have adapted well and are now commonly seen during Lake Nakuru safaris.
Cape Buffalo
Cape buffaloes are also one of the Big Five animals found in the park. They are present in large numbers and can be seen easily throughout the year. Although they may look calm, lone buffaloes can be dangerous.
Hippos
Hippos are large, semi-aquatic animals and are the third largest land mammals. In Lake Nakuru, they are often seen in the water and are easy to spot during safaris at any time of the year.
Other Common Animals in Lake Nakuru
Besides the animals mentioned above, visitors can also see zebras, hyenas, cheetahs, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, and black-and-white colobus monkeys.
These animals are commonly seen while on safari in Lake Nakuru National Park, making it a great destination for wildlife lovers all year round.
