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DESTINATIONS
Arusha National Park
Where and What to Watch
The early mornings and late evenings are usually the best times to observe animals. During the heat of the day much of the wildlife rests under cover or retreats into the deeper parts of the forests. However with careful and patient searching, visitors can see interesting species throughout the day in Arusha National Park.
The forest trees provide habitats for many bird and mammal species. Stop beside a tree and carefully scan the trunk and branches. Listen for branches cracking as a troop of colobus monkeys travel along the tree tops. Many forest birds have loud calls which penetrate through the leafy canopy and reveal their whereabouts. Remember to approach the animals slowly and quietly to avoid scaring them.
The waterbirds around the lakes are particularly abundant between October and April because of the presence of many migrants from the northern hemisphere. Look carefully at the shape of their beaks to see how these are adapted for the food they eat.
When you first see members of a group of animals, like a herd of giraffe, a troop of baboons or pair of Egyptian geese, they all look much the same. If you spend a few moments watching you will begin to see individual differences. No two Egyptian geese have exactly the same coloration and plumage patterns, baboons have tails of various shapes and lengths. Giraffes have individually distinct patterns. The neck is a good place to look at the markings and recognize individuals. Look to see the composition of the group: is there one male with several females, or all males or a mixture? As you watch carefully you may begin to notice the way animals interact with each other, how the young play together, how closely they feed together, whether some animals seem dominant to others and what a courtship display looks like.
There is a large variety of tree species in Arusha National Park. As you drive through the Park you can see which species are prevalent in the different habitats. In order to help with identification, numbered labels have been attached to certain individual trees.
Special Thanks to Thomson Safaris and Tanzania National Parks for contributing Tanzanian information.
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