KNP Promotions- Wildlife

The Kafue National Park probably has the greatest wildlife diversity of all parks in Zambia, including 158 species of mammals, 481 species of birds, 69 species of reptiles, 35 species of amphibians and 58 species of fish. All the spectacular large mammals are found in the park except for rhino, giraffe and tsessebe.

Animal densities, on the other hand, are kept in check by the low nutritional value of miombo woodland. Wildlife might therefore be harder to find than in other parks, but visitors will be rewarded by the fact that the animals of the Kafue National Park, generally, are bigger than in other areas. One of the reasons why the hunting concessions in this area are very popular with international safari hunters. Despite past rife poaching and lack of management, the Kafue National Park offers spectacular game viewing. Nowhere else in Zambia - maybe even the rest of Africa - can wildlife be experienced in such a unique wilderness.

The park boasts four of the Big Five, including lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo. Two white rhinos were introduced in 1963, despite no evidence that white rhinoceros - contrary to their black counterpart - have ever existed in the Kafue National Park, but they have since perished.

The Kafue National park has the greatest variety of antelope in Africa, including blue wildebeest, Defassa waterbuck, duiker, eland, impala, kudu, red lechwe, Lichtenstein's hartebeest, oribi, puku, reedbuck, roan, sable, sitatunga, tsessebe and zebra.

Predators are plentiful, including cheetah, civet, genet, hyena, jackal, leopard, lion, serval and wild dog.

This is one of the last strongholds for wild dogs in Africa, and one of the prime places in Zambia to see leopard.

Birdwatchers will find pleasure in the 491 bird species recorded in the park, including Zambia's only endemic species, Chaplin's Barbet.