The Serengeti plains host the world's largest and most pristine animal migration, the Great Migration. Over a million wildebeest move alongside hundreds of thousands of other ungulates through a 1,000 km circular journey across the borders of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya.
This extraordinary Serengeti animal migration unfolds against the backdrop of a unique and breathtaking landscape known as the 'endless plains'—a vast 25,000 km² expanse of flat, short grasslands punctuated by rocky outcrops (kopjes), flowing rivers, and woodlands.
But there is more to the Serengeti migration than wildebeests and zebras! This vast landscape hosts a stunning variety of animals and some of the most diverse predator-prey interactions found anywhere in the world. Visiting the Serengeti is a thrilling experience, unrivalled in diversity and abundance.
The Serengeti animal migration is dominated by wildebeests, zebras, Thomson’s gazelles, buffaloes, and topi.
However, there are so many more Serengeti animals, including over 18,000 hartebeests, 15,000 warthogs, more than 7,000 elands, 4,000 giraffes, 3,000 waterbucks, more than 2,700 elephants, 500 hippos, and a surprising 200 black rhinoceroses.
The smaller Serengeti animals include cuddly-looking bat-eared foxes, side-striped jackals, pangolins, aardwolfs, dik-diks, genets, mongooses, hyraxes, red-headed agamas, and more.
Read on to learn about the most popular animals in the Serengeti, which Serengeti predators you can expect, and where to see them.
Over one million wildebeests are at the heart of the Serengeti ecosystem. The blue wildebeest favours the nutrient-rich grasses that sprout following the rainy season on the Serengeti plains. Their constant search for grazing drives the mega-herds' annual migration across the Serengeti.
Known as the “clowns of the savannah”, wildebeest or gnus weigh 260 – 290 kg and look like they have been cobbled together from leftover parts.
Gnu calves can walk within minutes of birth and keep pace with the herds after just 3 days. These comical creatures make up 60% of the Serengeti migration and are the undisputed stars of the show.
There are approximately 900,000 Thomson’s gazelles in the Serengeti. Named after 19th-century geologist Joseph Thomson, “Tommies” can reach speeds of up to 94 km/h, making them more than a match for their top predator, the cheetah. Despite their speed and agility, in some areas of the Serengeti, Thomson’s gazelles make up almost 90% of the cheetah’s diet.
A small gazelle, adult Tommies stand only 1 meter at the shoulder, and calves, whose early life survival strategy is to remain stock-still and hidden, are exceptionally vulnerable to predation by eagles, cheetahs, lions, hyenas, wild dogs, and more. It is thought that most Thomson’s gazelles are residents of the park, while some join the migratory herds.
These beautiful gazelles are intrinsic to the Serengeti animal experience.
After the wildebeest, the plains zebras are the most populous animals in the Serengeti migration.
Plains zebras are 1.1 to 1.5 meters / 3.6 to 4.8 feet at the shoulder and can weigh up to 350 kg / 770 lbs. It is thought that around 300,000 zebras live in the Serengeti, and many of these participate in the Serengeti migration.
Plains zebras live in harems led by a single male but coalesce into super groups during the migration. They are great communicators, and in addition to barking, snorting, huffing, and braying, Plains zebras also use their eyes, ears, and hooves. Male zebras have specially adapted canines and can deliver a nasty bite.
Zebra predators include lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas, but when confronted with a zebra stallion's hooves and teeth, predators often turn to easier prey.
The Cape buffalo is one of Africa's famous Big 5 hunting trophies. Known amongst the Serengeti animals for their bad temper, buffalo can weigh between 300 and 835 kg / 660 to 1,840 lbs. This is one of Africa’s most dangerous animals.
In the Serengeti, during the rainy season, buffalo herds can be 1,000 members strong. While lions occasionally prey on calves, retribution from the angry buffalo herd is brutal. Herds are made up of predominantly females and their calves, while males congregate in bachelor groups.
Buffaloes need to drink every day and so never stray too far from water. There are over 70,000 buffalo in the Serengeti.
The topi of the Serengeti is a medium-sized antelope that is known for its extroverted intra-species antics.
Amongst the Serengeti animals, topis have one of the most striking appearances with reddish-brown to purplish coats, distinct black markings on their face and legs, and stockings of yellow-tan. While being picky eaters that eat only the choicest, freshest grasses, their social structure is flexible and they have been known to socialise with zebras, wildebeests, and even ostriches.
Male topis intentionally issue fake alarm calls, otherwise used to warn the herd of dangers like lions, to prevent females from straying to mate with other males. Female topis can put off giving birth if they are in danger.
In the Serengeti, there are approximately 27,000 topis, but while they do migrate in mass in South Sudan, it is unclear to what extent they migrate with the other Serengeti animals.
With so many animals in the Serengeti, it is no surprise that it boasts some of the best predator action in Africa. The Serengeti has lions, leopards, and cheetahs, as well as hyenas, wild dogs, jackals, caracals, servals, and foxes. Below is a list of the top Serengeti’s predators.
The Serengeti is known for the highest lion density in Africa.
The African lion is the most social of the big cats. There are around 4,000 lions in the Serengeti, and prides here often attain super-pride status of more than 15 – 20 individuals and have been known to number up to 40. Lions have an astonishing communication range. Synonymous with the African night, the lion's roar can be heard up to 8 km across the East African plains, announcing to all that they are the king of the Serengeti animals. Other lion noises include grunts, moans, growls, snarls, meows, purrs, hums, puffs, and woofs.
The lions in the Serengeti do not migrate. Exploiting the Serengeti migration, lions are plentiful. The best places to see Serengeti lions are in the Ndutu area in the south during calving season and in the central Seronera Plains.
There are around 1,000 leopards in the Serengeti. A member of Africa’s Big 5, leopards are the smallest of the big cats with shorter legs, a long body, and a large skull.
Unlike lions, leopards are solitary cats and only come together to mate. Serengeti leopards are ambush predators that will eat just about anything, from mice and snakes to bigger game like impala. After making a kill, they often drag prey into trees to keep it safe from other predators like lions and scavengers like hyenas and wild dogs.
In the Serengeti, the best places to see leopards are the central Seronera region and the Lobo Valley in the north, where leopards also take advantage of the Serengeti migration herds.
With its long legs and slender body, the cheetah is unique among the big cats. The Serengeti is one of the last cheetah strongholds in Africa, with a population of about 225 individuals.
The fastest of the Serengeti animals, indeed, the fastest animal on earth, the cheetah can go from 0 to 60 mph / 98 kmph, in only 3 seconds. Their unusually long tail acts as a rudder when cornering at high speed. The black tear marks on their faces reduce glare while scanning for prey, and their claws are blunt and semi-retractable, functioning as traction spikes when hunting.
Unlike most other big cats, cheetahs rarely scavenge and need only drink once every 3 to 4 days. The social structure amongst cheetahs is unique as females are solitary and males form small coalitions. Cheetahs are not territorial with home ranges of 200 – 3,000 km².
Often confused with leopards, cheetahs are lighter, faster and different in several ways. For more about their differences, see Cheetahs vs Leopards.
In the Serengeti, cheetahs eat medium-sized antelope like impala and Thomson’s gazelles, as well as birds and hares. The best place to see cheetah is in southern Serengeti where population density is highest with 2,5 individuals per 100 km ².
Powerful, versatile, and intelligent, spotted hyenas are one of the highlights of a Serengeti safari.
Weighing 40 – 80kg, the spotted hyena is the largest of the four hyena species. Despite their reputation as scavengers, spotted hyenas are tireless hunters able to run down zebra, and, Africa’s most efficient carnivore that devours every scrap of available food from meat to bone.
Hyena clans are run by females. While clans may number as many as 50, individuals disperse widely to forage. The Serengeti has a population of over 3,500 individual spotted hyenas.
Alongside the lion's roar, the hyena’s nighttime whoop is the most distinctive of the Serengeti animal sounds and the essence of an African safari night.
The Serengeti is one of the few places in Africa where wild dog populations are on the rise.
African wild dogs, or painted wolves, live in packs between 2 and 40 strong. They are incredibly social animals with a submissive hierarchy dominated by the eldest female and the eldest male. They are known to share food, take care of injured members, and communicate by touch and through vocalisations.
When hunting, painted wolves hunt as a cooperative unit and can run down prey over 6 km. They are Africa’s most efficient predators and seldom go a day without food. Home ranges can vary from 300-3,000 km².
The diversity of Serengeti animals is surpassed by its avian residents. The Serengeti is home to over 500 bird species. Some of these live permanently in the park, while others migrate to the Serengeti during the wet season.
There are 5 endemic Serengeti birds, the grey-throated spurfowl, Schalow's wheatear, red-throated tit, rufous-tailed weaver, grey-crested helmet shrike, and Schalow's turaco. It is also home to the striking lilac-breasted roller and the largest of the hornbill species, the southern ground hornbill, with its comical gait and striking red and black markings.
The Serengeti boasts the highest wild ostrich population in Africa.
The Serengeti ecosystem is one of the largest intact migration routes in the world.
Factors contributing to the Serengeti animal migration include rainfall, temperature, topography and geology, and soils and drainage systems in Serengeti National Park. The combination of volcanic soils and the ecological impact of the migration results in one of the most productive ecosystems on earth.
This ecosystem can sustain the Serengeti's animals, which happen to be the largest number of ungulates and the highest concentration of large predators in the world.
The Serengeti migration is a year-long movement of animals in pursuit of grazing.
The Serengeti migration route is predictable in general, but it is best to use an experienced company to get you in the right areas at the right times to ensure that you see as many of the Serengeti animals as possible. While the Great Migration is a year-round event, there are a few flash points that have become synonymous with it.
Almost 2 million Serengeti animals move in a year-long circular motion around the Serengeti ecosystem. It is a spectacle that is difficult to comprehend unless you see it with your own eyes. The grasslands of the Serengeti migration route are made up of a few different protected areas spread across Tanzania and Kenya.
| Great Migration Protected Areas |
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From January, wildebeest begin to mass in the southern Serengeti on the Ndutu Plains, which straddle the border of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. At this time, wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson’s gazelles calve, and the spectacle is a riot of new life. There is an urgency at this time as calves must walk within minutes to survive, and predators wait in the wings to pick up an easy meal. At the height of the calving season, around 8,000 wildebeest are born daily.
June is the rutting season for the wildebeest in the Serengeti. During this time, testosterone is high and noisy males compete for the attention of females. The “clowns of the savannah” are at their comical best and it is a delight to watch their antics unfold across the savannah. The western corridor and the Seronera region are popular safari destinations.
Lastly, late July to early September is the peak season for seeing the famous Grumeti and Mara River crossings. This is possibly the most famous of all African wildlife events. The wildebeest must wade en masse through the crocodile-infested waters, mixing sweat, spit, and blood. The Grumeti River is in the Serengeti’s western corridor, while the hugely popular Mara River crossing can be seen in the northern Serengeti or in Kenya’s Masai Mara.
Compare our great-value Serengeti Safaris or learn more about your options in our Tanzania Safari Guide.
Visiting the Serengeti is a phenomenal safari experience. With such an abundance of wildlife, you can see the Serengeti animals year-round. Still, if you want to visit tourist hotspots, such as the Mara River crossing or the calving season on the Ndutu Plains, you should consider booking 6 to 12 months in advance.
For example, January and February are good months to book for the Serengeti during the July to September migration.
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