The Murchison Falls National Park is dominated by savanna, woodland, river/wetland and tropical forest habitats which provide homes for 76 mammal species and 450 bird species.Though the wildlife population dwindled during the 1970s, the animals are recovering from the heavy poaching. Today a variety of animals can be seen including a profusion of hippos, crocodiles and waterbirds including elusive and bizarre shoebill.
Large mammals include lion, leopard, elephant, hippopotamus, Rothschild’s giraffe, Cape buffalo, hartebeest, oribi, warthog, and Uganda kob, The Nile corridor provides year-round water for these animals as well as a plethora of waterbirds (including the rare shoebill stork) and Uganda’s largest population of Nile crocodile.
The Kaniyo Pabidi forest provides refuges for chimpanzee and other primates as well as an impressive 360 species of bird.
Most Popular Animals to see in Murchison Falls National Park
Once you cross with the ferry to the northern section of the park you have reached your destination in the wilderness, there are a various species of mammals in tracking fields also known as circuits that were demarcated for travellers to do game drives.
Antelopes
The park has different species of antelopes that reside in the wilderness of which there are numerous herds of Kobs, water bucks, Oribs, bush backs, Jackson’s Heart beast with all of these classified differently in feeding and breeding habits. Antelopes prefer grazing around giraffes taking the advantage of their height because they can easily spot dangerous predators hiding ready to grab antelopes, the giraffes will call and send signals to the surrounding mammals for them take cover or any other protective measure.
The Uganda kob is the national animal of Uganda representing Uganda as the wildlife destination that travellers shouldn’t miss visiting to discover the undiscovered, there for if you make a safari in Uganda don’t miss Murchison falls for Uganda kobs especially in their mating grounds in morning hours.
Oribis
These are smallest antelopes compared to the Uganda kobs and other antelopes in the savanna land, this brings anxiety on your face while watching these creatures stride the road marking their territory against intruders as the on protective mechanism between them. They pair for life and by far like most of antelopes it’s only the males that have horns and females don’t.
Giraffes
Murchison Falls National Park is among the 3 places in Uganda where Rothschild giraffes can only be spotted. Scientifically, they are called Giraffa Camelopardalis rothschildi a sub species of giraffe and most endangered in the wild. In Murchison Falls National Park they can be spotted while on a game drive or hot air balloon safaris in the northern track.
The giraffes are a must in Murchison Falls National Park. These are said to be the tallest mammals on the universe, with classified characters in life, dominant males are identified by change in their colors, whereby they get more darker than the other giraffes, their body locomotion is far different from others in this case one side moves in the same motion same side and the same story at once, the forward leg will move in at the same time, same direction with the hind leg.
Giraffes feed on acacia trees and shrubs and they have enjoyed sharing grazing with other +herbivorous animals apart from predators but what amazes is that they are not like other mammals that do take water occasionally, giraffes regularly go to water field for water just because they have got a longer body structure which gives them a hard time in bowing down to drink water as a result raising higher chances of predators attack by the time they get up on a standstill to start running predators like lions have already made a successful mission on them.
Elephants
Murchison Falls National Park comprises of African elephants which are also popularly called Loxodonta Africana. Elephants are a few most exciting and largest terrestrial mammal species. They come in large grey color with long flexible trunk, thick legs and pointed tusks.
They are largest land animals in Africa and the African elephants are bigger than the Asian elephants. The males stretch up to 3.64 meters and do weigh about 5455 kilograms whereas females stand about 3 meters and have weight of about 3636 to 4545 kilograms. You can catch a glimpse at these remarkable mammal species while on a game drive in the northern part of Murchison Falls National Park.
Hippos
Hippos are herbivorous animals they best feed in the evening and lately in the night as they are seeing very early morning slopping down the river to relax and cool their bodies when the sun comes during day. Relax as you get an informative talk about the hippos calling for each other in the school as the sign of dominance. As mentioned before hippos live in a group called a school with members between 10 to 30, there is always a dominant male that protects the territory from intruders.
After this that hippo experience kindly get on board and continue for other activities in the park alternately a bonus game drive in the other game drive circuits for anonymous wildlife.
Cape buffaloes
Scientifically called Syncerus caffer, the Cape buffaloes are a few most remarkable and famous wildlife species you need not to miss to catch a glimpse while on Uganda safari in Murchison Falls National Park. The cape buffaloes are a subspecies and the largest in size in Southern and East Africa. In Murchison Falls National Park, they form part of the big game and can easily be spotted in large herds while you are on game drive in the north bank of the park.
African lions
Lions a few big cat species to see in Murchison Falls National Park while on Uganda safari. Scientifically, they are called Panthera Leo and the males usually weigh about 250 kilograms and they feature as the second largest living cats just after the tiger. Females have a gestation period of 110 days. A pride comprises of up to 15 individuals and in Murchison Falls National Park, they can be sighted while you are on a game drive along the northern track.
African leopards
Leopards are a few most popular animals to see in Murchison Falls National Park. They are scientifically called Panthera Pardus one of the species in genus Panthera that is extant. Leopards are listed among a few vulnerable species in IUCN Red list as their numbers are highly threatened today due to habitat loss and fragmentation. They are nocturnal species and known to run up to 54 kilometers per hour and do hunt antelopes, fish, insects, repellents and fish.
Guided Safari in Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison falls is a leisure take reserve especially to travelers taking their first time safari in Uganda and the entire Africa as a continent, its well-done in a 4×4 wheel drive safari jeep with special care and luxurious comfort with a professional driver guide taking you through the exceptional experience of wildlife regardless of which specie, the park ranks number one in Uganda of all the 10 national parks in peal to have the best of the best on your safari for with in its perimeters there are the big fives than you should not go away without taking a spectacular photo shoot for memories that last.
Enjoy various herds of Elephants with their creativity in family behavior, herds of buffaloes are spread everywhere wallowing themselves in mud especially in the tracking circuits, lions in theirs prides can easily spotted in the very morning hours and late in the evening like it’s all to other cats here you may have chance seeing them hunting kobs around the matting grounds where kobs gather in big herds for males to find females, Leopards are one of the big five family so by chance on your side you can view them lying in tree branches and this may be that they are securing their catch.
There is a relaxing time amidst the wilderness after an eventful game drive time in a style, you will have fun at the hippo pool with a spectacular view of the Albert Nile with hippos cooling themselves as the splash water respectively in scattered family also known as schools.
This is the time you will stretch your legs move around for the place is safe for you to go easy yourself and make short calls. Cue in something in case of any packed breakfast or any snack of a kind and here is the best time for you to taste the amazing tropical fruits that your wildlife safari guide will prepare, in this category there is pilling a pineapple that you will start salivating even before the service time just because of the tasty feeling with the yummy juice coming out of it as its chopped into pieces of share.
Otherwise get back to your respective accommodation for lunch and prepare for the afternoon activity as by your pronounced itinerary.