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PHOTOGRAPHS |
Aardvark
Muhanga |
Also known as Ant Bears, these solitary nocturnal animals are well adapted to their environment but the result gives them a bizarre appearance. |
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Aardwolf |
Smaller but somewhat similar in appearance to the Hyena, these solitary carnivorous animals spend much time foraging for termites. |
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Agama |
Small lizards (males of some species have a pinkish orange head and bluish green body). |
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Baboon
Nyani |
Live in large troops with a strict social order, are playful but can be vicious if upset. |
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Badger |
The Honey Badger is sometimes called the ‘Ratel’ (Nyegere). |
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Barbet |
(The photograph shows a red and yellow Barbet) |
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Bat
Popo |
The only true flying mammals. The Hammer-Headed Fruit Bat is one of Africa’s largest bats with a wingspan of up to one metre. |
Bataleur |
A distinctive variety of eagle with black and white underwing plumage and a wedge tail. |
Boar
Nguruwe dume |
Related to the Hog (Pig). |
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Bongo
Bongo |
Rare striped antelopes often found in dense forest which they leave at night to graze. |
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Buffalo
Nyati |
Reputed to be the most dangerous animals as far as humans are concerned. |
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Bushbaby
Kombo |
Very agile small nocturnal animals with large eyes/ears and a long tail. |
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Bushbuck
Pongo |
Medium-sized timid antelopes with white spots and stripes. |
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Bustard |
The Kori Bustard is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world. |
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Caracal
Sibamangu |
Solitary, nocturnal, lynx-like cats (having triangular ears tipped with black fur). |
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Chameleon
Kinyonga |
Smallish lizards with gripping ‘toes’ and a long tongue, found in trees and bushes. They can move both eyes independently. |
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Cheetah
Duma |
Fastest living mammals which can catch prey by chasing it at terrific speed. |
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Civet
Fungo |
Small spotted nocturnal animals with musk-producing glands. |
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Crocodile
Mamba |
Can grow up to 7m long. |
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Crowned Crane |
Distinctive appearance with black head cap and large straw-coloured tuft of feathers on/behind the head. Crane is Korongo. |
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Dik-dik
Dik-dik |
One of the smallest antelopes, named after the noise they make when alarmed. |
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Dog
Mbwa |
(see Wild dog) |
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Dugong |
A rare marine mammal. |
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Duiker
Nysa |
Rarely seen nocturnal antelopes. |
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Eagle
Tai |
Large birds of prey. The Fish Eagle has a distinctive loud call. |
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Eland
Pofu |
Largest of the antelopes. |
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Elephant
Tembo /
Ndovu |
Largest and heaviest living land mammals, live in family groups and gather in herds for migration. Have powerful trunk and need much food so can be destructive to shrubs and trees. |
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Flamingo
Heroe |
Up to two million live in vast colonies on the Rift Valley soda lakes, getting their colour from the algae they eat. |
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Fox
Mbweha |
The bat-eared foxes (Mbweha masigio) use their large ears to pinpoint prey. |
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Frog
Chura |
Common Brown Tree Frogs are often heard in the still of night. |
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Gazelle
Swala |
Grant’s gazelles are similar size to Impala, but the Thomson’s (Swala tomi or “Tommy” as they are affectionately called) gazelles are slightly smaller and have a distinctive coat with a black band separating their brown top from the white belly. |
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Gecko |
Small nocturnal lizards with a translucent body and adhesive pads (not suckers) on their ‘toes’ which let them scurry up walls (and even along ceilings!) searching for insects and moths. |
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Genet
Kanu |
Nocturnal animals of the mongoose family, similar to yet longer than the domestic cat, very agile at climbing trees. |
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Gerenuk
Swala twiga |
A variety of antelope with very long neck, hence the swahili name meaning “gazelle giraffe”. |
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Giraffe
Twiga |
The tallest living animal. Often gather in non-hierarchical herds and use their height to reach leaves high on trees. |
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Gnu
Nyumbu |
(see Wildebeest) |
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Hare
Sungura |
For example the Spring Hare (Kamandegere), nocturnal burrowing animals that move in leaps rather like a kangaroo. |
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Hartebeest
Kongoni |
Have a distinctive long thin face with short angled horns. |
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Hippopotamus
Kiboko |
Like to live and wallow in still or slow-moving water but come aground for grazing (usually in the cool of the night). |
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Hog
Nguruwe |
Giant Forest Hog are the largest of East Africa’s pig species. |
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Hoopoe |
The Africa Hoopoe has a bright rufous plumage with black/white striped wings and tail, complemented by a crest of black-tipped feathers. |
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Hornbill |
Varieties include the Red- and Yellow-billed Hornbill, and the larger Ground Hornbill. |
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Hyena
Fisi |
Scavenging animals with very strong jaws, which often hunt at night and are famed for their whooping and laughter-like cries. |
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Hyrax
Pimbi |
Small vegetarian animals, often found in forest (Tree Hyrax) or rocky places (Rock Hyrax). They are the closest living relative to the elephant! |
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Ibis |
Sacred Ibis have a distinctive white plumage with black head/neck and wings. |
Impala
Swala pala |
One of the most common antelopes and a very good jumper (10m in length or 3m in height for a single bound). |
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Jackal
Mbweha |
A type of dog, but more similar to a fox in size and appearance, tend to feed off carrion and hunt small animals. |
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Klipspringer
Mbuzi mawe |
Live in or near rocky terrain, with specially adapted hooves which make them appear to be walking on tip-toe. They are only about 50cm at shoulder-height and have an unusual greenish mottled coat. |
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Kudu
Tandala |
A shy variety of antelope with white vertical stripes. |
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Leopard
Chui |
Have become very rare and when found are often in trees where they like to carry and store their prey. |
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Lion
Simba |
Live in prides (a handful of males and up to a dozen females and young), are generally lazy and spend much of the time resting. |
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Mongoose
Nguchiro /
Kicheche |
Weasel-like creatures, typically with long tails and thick hair. |
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Monitor
Kenge |
Large lizards sometimes found along river banks. |
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Monkey
Nyani |
These include the Black and White Colobus (Mbega) which are commonly found in tree tops, and the mischievous Vervet (Tumbili). |
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Mouse Bird |
Have distinctive long tail feathers. |
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Oribi
Taya |
Small uncommon antelopes with a black-tipped tail and an unusual scent gland (area of bare black skin) just below their ears. Use a distinctive stiff-legged jump (stotting) when fleeing danger. |
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Oryx
Choroa |
A type of antelope with particularly long, straight horns. |
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Ostrich
Mbuni |
Largest living birds (up to 2.5m high and 150kg weight) with long powerful legs and able to run at over 50kph. |
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Otter
Fisi maji |
Semiaquatic members of the weasel family. |
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Pangolin |
An unusal nocturnal creature armoured with scales (like an Armadillo), which walks on its hind feet and will curl into a ball if attacked. A pangolin has an amazingly long tongue (as long as its head and body) which it uses to reach insects which are often found in decayed bark or termite mounds. |
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Pelican |
Have a large bill and pouch. |
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Porcupine
Nungunungu |
Large (up to one metre long) nocturnal spine-bearing rodents. |
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Rat
Panya |
Giant Rats and Cane Rats are sometimes caught and eaten by humans. |
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Reedbuck
Tohe |
Medium-sized antelopes with a short bushy tail, found in reed-beds or tall grass near water. |
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Rhinoceros
Kifaru |
Have poor eye-sight but a good sense of smell and hearing plus great bulk and sharp horns. Have become particularly endangered by poaching. |
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Roan Antelope
Korongo |
Large and aggressive antelopes. |
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Sable Antelope
Pala hala |
Antelopes with an unusual patterned mask-like face and long swept-back horns. |
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Secretary Bird |
Birds of prey with unusual crest feathers. |
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Serval
Mondo |
Wild cats, generally nocturnal and found near water. |
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Shrew |
There are normal Shrews and Elephant Shrews (which have the shape of a shrew but the size of a very large rat). |
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Sitatunga
Nzohe |
Very shy swamp antelopes with webbed hooves; a good swimmer and liable to hide almost totally under water if in danger. |
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Snake
Nyoka |
Have hinged jaws which let them consume large prey (the Rocky Python can survive for months without eating after a big kill). |
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Squirrel
Kidiri /
Kindi |
There are ground (Kidiri) and bush (Kindi) varieties. |
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Steinbok
Dondoo |
Small reddish antelopes which often have a black triangle of fur sweeping up their muzzle. |
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Stork |
Marabou Storks are tall birds with a long bill and large pink throat pouch; they catch small animals and scavenge on carrion. |
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Sunbird |
Sunbirds feed from the nectar of flowering plants. Most males are brightly coloured often with a metallic plumage, whereas females are dull-coloured and hard to distinguish. |
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Suni
Paa |
These animals are slightly smaller than the Dik-dik and tend to dwell in forests. |
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Superb Starling |
Sociable birds with glossy plumage, often found near human habitation. Starling is Kwenzi. |
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Tiger |
The tiger (Panthera tigris) is native to Asia and not Africa. |
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Toad
Chura |
A group of toads is called a knot. |
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Topi
Nyamera |
Almost-purplish antelopes with black patches on their face and around the top of the legs. Males can sometimes be seen guarding their territory from on top of small mounds. |
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Tortoise /
Turtle
Kobe /
Kasa |
Tortoises are terrestrial turtles. Giant Tortoise can live for up to 150 years. |
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Vulture |
Large scavenging birds (wingspan up to 3m) which use their excellent vision to locate carrion – or to see where other vultures have found food and are beginning to congregate! |
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Wart hog
Ngiri |
Have bristly hair, small curved tusks and carry four wart-like growths on their head (larger on the boar than the sow). |
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Waterbuck
Kuru |
Antelopes that live near water, are good swimmers and have a thick shaggy water-repellent coat. |
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Weaver Bird
Mzingi |
Weaves fine nests. |
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Wild cat
Paka wa mwitu |
. |
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Wild dog
Mbwa mwitu |
Very rare. Tend to hunt in packs, working together to catch their prey. The have large ears, a white-tipped tail and their coats often have many different coloured patches of black, brown, yellow and white. |
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Wildebeest
Nyumbu |
Famed for their mass migration between the Masai Mara and Serengeti plains. |
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Zebra
Punda milia |
Sociable animals which often gather in large herds. The Swahili name means “striped donkey”. |
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