Murchison Falls National Park is the biggest National Park in Uganda today. Game drives are one of the best activities you can actually do in Murchison falls National Park. The park is very big and it has got a variety of different tracts that you can drive through to see a variety of Bird species as well as different Bird species in Uganda today. The best part of the game drives happens during the morning hours where most of the animals are coming out to graze properly and have some water to quench their thirst. It gets more interesting when the animals are hunting down each other especially among the hyenas and lions as well as the leopards. It is a magical moment truly best to watch during the game drives. The evening game drives give you a glimpse of various Giraffe animals to see in the park. The sun downer is amazing to watch as you enjoy a wonderful picnic evening in the park. In this article, we are going to be looking at the various animal species to see during either a morning or evening game drive in Murchison Falls National Park.
10 Best Animals to see on a game drive in Murchison Falls National Park
- African Elephant
The African Elephant is the biggest creature you will find just living on the fertile soils of Murchison Falls National Park. They are not just massive, but super smart too, and they live in these tight-knit groups like the coolest family you will have ever seen. Over at Murchison Falls, they just wander around the savannah like it’s their own backyard, hanging out in big, happy families. These guys are like the unsung heroes of the animal kingdom because they basically help the whole place stay in tip-top shape. They are like nature’s landscapers with their trunks that can do anything from munching on some leaves to taking a sip of water. And oh man, when they hit the Nile River, it’s like their personal spa day! They love to take a dip and have a drink there. The park’s been working really hard to keep these gentle giants safe from things like poachers and losing their homes. So, thanks to them, we can still catch these amazing sights in their natural habitat.
- Rothschild’s Giraffe
Rothschild’s Giraffe also known as the Ugandan Giraffe are some folks call them, and is like the celebrity of the giraffe world because they are super rare. These animals have a cool look with a lighter coat and lower legs that are like, totally white with no spots. You can usually spot them hanging out in Murchison Falls National Park, which is like their own VIP club. They love to stay in savannahs and open woodlands, munching on acacia leaves like it’s nobody’s business. Thanks to some pretty awesome conservation efforts, this park has become their safe haven, and their numbers are looking up, which is great news. Watching a bunch of these long-necked beauties strolling through the park is like the ultimate Murchison Falls moment. It’s like nature’s own reality show, but way better. So, if you are ever there, don’t miss the chance to check them out.
- Lion
The lion recognized globally as the ‘the king of the jungle’ is one of the powerful upper trophic level species found in Murchison Falls National Park. These beautiful big cats are solitary animals mainly seen in groups called prides, which is made up of related females and their young, and several males. Due to hunting and poaching, big cats like lions are facing many challenges which make them important in preservation of the balance in the ecosystem in that they feed on prey animals. In the park they like areas that provide good cover when hunting, areas such as grasslands and regions with a lot of shrubs. Lions are cats to behold whether they are literally taking the sun or hunting, you get to see the strength and the social skills of the cats of the wild.
- Nile Crocodile
The Nile crocodile is another reptile species that is well known to be among the largest and most aggressive living crocodiles. These wildlife species are well known to inhabit the area beside the Nile River in this park. Nile Crocodiles have strong necks and are stalk hunters, and therefore are very effective hunters of fish, birds and any mammal that comes close to the water line. They are also carnivores and are useful animals in the community and ecosystem since they help in the decomposition of carrion. These crocodiles can mainly be seen by visitors sunning on the river borders or gracefully moving in the river water; a feature that enhances their paleo-archaic attraction.
- Hippopotamus
Hippos, scientifically termed as hippopotamuses, are some of the most famous animals found in Murchison Falls National Park. These massive herbivores are mostly found to spend most of their time in water to avoid getting a sunburn on their skin. They are animals that are predominantly social, and they inhabit social groups that are referred to as pod. Domesticated animals as they may appear, hippos have one of the most vicious dispositions and are involved in many deadly attacks in Africa. The fact that they are widely located in the regions of the Nile River and its branches can be interesting for tourists; despite severe tension and fear, to meet such animals.
- Cape Buffalo
The Cape buffalo or African Buffalo, is a large powerful bovine that lives in large herds in the grasslands as well as woodland regions of the park. These creatures are well regarded by predators as well as the people because of their erratic behavior. This is because like with most social groups for instance the Buffalo herds, they form large groups for safety. The prospects of having to encounter an incredibly large group of animals in a certain area when out on a hunting expedition is encouraging, yet at the same time, somewhat threatening. It hosts a number of wild animals, and such precious breeds of the buffalo that not only dictate the vegetation cover but also act as great prey to lions and other large carnivores.
- Leopard
Other big cats, perched at the top of Murchison Falls National Park food chain include the leopard, which is a reclusive and rare large felid. Leopards can easily blend into their surroundings because they are covered in beautiful spots on their shiny black fur. They are mainly active during night time, and will catch their prey during night time as well, dragging the body of the prey up a tree to tender for vultures. Leopards are versatile creatures of the African wild living in different ecosystems including the riverine forest, savannah. A person will need to be very lucky to meet a leopard in the natural environment because these animals take all measures to ensure that they do not come across people.
- Ugandan Kob
The Ugandan Kob is a beautiful, chill antelope that’s basically the poster child for Murchison Falls National Park. They have got these pretty reddish-brown coats and the dudes have some fancy lyre-shaped horns, which are like their crowning glory. These guys just love to hang out and munch on grass in wide open spaces, especially around watering holes where they can chill with their buddies. When it’s time to find a date, the male Kob’s go all out with flashy moves to catch the ladies’ attention. It’s like their own little dance party, but with life and death stakes.