Safari Wildlife List



This is a special blog entry for the entire list of wildlife we saw while on safari in South Africa. We did our best to record each sighting. A special thanks to Jos for keeping the list as we went. 

Wildlife Logbook

Safari Expedition

Northern South Africa

June 2026

Pristine Northern South Africa: Gauteng, North West, Limpopo & Mpumalanga

Route

›  Johannesburg Airport — Bird & Game Lodge (1)

›  Madikwe Game Reserve — Tau Safari Lodge (2)

›  Welgevonden Private Nature Reserve — Sekala Private Lodge (3)

›  Madi a Thavha Mountain Lodge (4)

›  Grietjie Private Nature Reserve — Ngalali Retreat (3)

›  Hazyview — Idle & Wild (3)

›  Panorama Route

›  Johannesburg — Bird & Game Lodge (1)

Species List

Total observed: 126 species across 20 categories. Common name (scientific name).

1.0  Big 5   (5)

1.1  African Buffalo  (Syncerus caffer)

1.2  Elephant  (Loxodonta africana)

1.3  Leopard  (Panthera pardus)

1.4  Lion  (Panthera leo)

1.5  White Rhinoceros  (Ceratotherium simum)

2.0  Primates   (2)

2.1  Chacma Baboon  (Papio ursinus)

2.2  Vervet Monkey  (Chlorocebus pygerythrus)

3.0  Carnivores — Cats   (2)

3.1  Cheetah  (Acinonyx jubatus)

3.2  African Wildcat  (Felis lybica)

4.0  Carnivores — Dogs, Hyenas & Jackals   (3)

4.1  African Wild Dog  (Lycaon pictus)

4.2  Black-backed Jackal  (Lupulella mesomelas)

4.3  Spotted Hyena  (Crocuta crocuta)

5.0  Carnivores — Mongooses, Genets & Civet   (6)

5.1  Banded Mongoose  (Mungos mungo)

5.2  Dwarf Mongoose  (Helogale parvula)

5.3  Slender Mongoose  (Herpestes sanguineus)

5.4  Cape Grey Mongoose  (Galerella pulverulenta)

5.5  Small-spotted Genet  (Genetta genetta)

5.6  African Civet  (Civettictis civetta)

6.0  Antelopes & Other Herbivores   (17)

6.1  Bushbuck  (Tragelaphus sylvaticus)

6.2  Common Eland  (Taurotragus oryx)

6.3  Common Duiker  (Sylvicapra grimmia)

6.4  Giraffe  (Giraffa camelopardalis)

6.5  Hartebeest  (Alcelaphus buselaphus)

6.6  Impala  (Aepyceros melampus)

6.7  Klipspringer  (Oreotragus oreotragus)

6.8  Kudu  (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)

6.9  Nyala  (Tragelaphus angasii)

6.10  Sharpe's Grysbok  (Raphicerus sharpei)

6.11  Springbok  (Antidorcas marsupialis)

6.12  Steenbok  (Raphicerus campestris)

6.13  Waterbuck  (Kobus ellipsiprymnus)

6.14  Wildebeest  (Connochaetes taurinus)

6.15  Plains Zebra  (Equus quagga)

6.16  Warthog  (Phacochoerus africanus)

6.17  Hippopotamus  (Hippopotamus amphibius)

7.0  Small Mammals   (6)

7.1  Bushveld Gerbil  (Gerbilliscus leucogaster)

7.2  Ground Squirrel  (Xerus inauris)

7.3  Tree Squirrel  (Paraxerus cepapi)

7.4  Scrub Hare  (Lepus saxatilis)

7.5  Rock Hyrax (Dassie)  (Procavia capensis)

8.0  Eagles, Hawks & Other Raptors   (4)

8.1  African Fish Eagle  (Haliaeetus vocifer)

8.2  Martial Eagle  (Polemaetus bellicosus)

8.3  Bateleur  (Terathopius ecaudatus)

8.4  Black Sparrowhawk  (Accipiter melanoleucus)

8.5  Pale Chanting Goshawk (Melierax canorus).


9.0  Owls   (4)

9.1  Pearl-spotted Owlet  (Glaucidium perlatum)

9.2  Spotted Eagle-Owl  (Bubo africanus)

9.3  Verreaux's Eagle-Owl  (Bubo lacteus)

9.4  Nightjar  (Caprimulgus sp.)

10.0  Gamebirds & Ground Birds   (7)

10.1  Crested Francolin  (Dendroperdix sephaena)

10.2  Natal Spurfowl  (Pternistis natalensis)

10.3  Swainson's Spurfowl  (Pternistis swainsonii)

10.4  Helmeted Guineafowl  (Numida meleagris)

10.5  Kori Bustard  (Ardeotis kori)

10.6  Red-crested Korhaan  (Lophotis ruficrista)

10.7  Ostrich  (Struthio camelus)

11.0  Storks, Herons & Waterbirds   (13)

11.1  Yellow-billed Stork  (Mycteria ibis)

11.2  Woolly-necked Stork  (Ciconia episcopus)

11.3  Goliath Heron  (Ardea goliath)

11.4  Grey Heron  (Ardea cinerea)

11.5  Little Egret  (Egretta garzetta)

11.6  Hamerkop  (Scopus umbretta)

11.7  Egyptian Goose  (Alopochen aegyptiaca)

11.8  Black Crake  (Zapornia flavirostra)

11.9  Common Moorhen  (Gallinula chloropus)

11.10  Blacksmith Lapwing  (Vanellus armatus)

11.11  Crowned Lapwing  (Vanellus coronatus)

11.12  Three-banded Plover  (Charadrius tricollaris)

11.13  Spotted Thick-knee  (Burhinus capensis)

11.14. marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer) 

12.0  Kingfishers   (3)

12.1  Giant Kingfisher  (Megaceryle maxima)

12.2  Malachite Kingfisher  (Corythornis cristatus)

12.3  Brown-hooded Kingfisher  (Halcyon albiventris)

13.0  Hornbills, Hoopoes & Barbets   (7)

13.1  Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill  (Tockus leucomelas)

13.2  Red-billed Hornbill  (Tockus rufirostris)

13.3  African Hoopoe  (Upupa africana)

13.4  Green Wood-hoopoe  (Phoeniculus purpureus)

13.5  Acacia Pied Barbet  (Tricholaema leucomelas)

13.6  Crested Barbet  (Trachyphonus vaillantii)

13.7  Black-collared Barbet  (Lybius torquatus)

13.8  Trumpeter Hornbill (Bycanistes bucinator)

13.9  Southern ground hornbill (Bucorvis leadbeater)

14.0  Doves, Cuckoos, Coucals & Mousebirds   (7)

14.1  African Red-eyed Dove  (Streptopelia semitorquata)

14.2  Laughing Dove  (Spilopelia senegalensis)

14.3  Emerald-spotted Wood Dove  (Turtur chalcospilos)

14.4  Levaillant's Cuckoo  (Clamator levaillantii)

14.5  Burchell's Coucal  (Centropus burchellii)

14.6  Grey Go-away-bird  (Corythaixoides concolor)

14.7  Red-faced Mousebird  (Urocolius indicus)

15.0  Rollers, Shrikes & Bushshrikes   (6)

15.1  Lilac-breasted Roller  (Coracias caudatus)

15.2  Magpie Shrike  (Urolestes melanoleucus)

15.3  Southern White-crowned Shrike  (Eurocephalus anguitimens)

15.4  White-crested Helmet-shrike  (Prionops plumatus)

15.5  Grey-headed Bushshrike  (Malaconotus blanchoti)

15.6  Black-backed Puffback  (Dryoscopus cubla)

16.0  Songbirds & Other Passerines   (10)

16.1  Cape Glossy Starling  (Lamprotornis nitens)

16.2  Red-billed Oxpecker  (Buphagus erythrorhynchus)

16.3  Arrow-marked Babbler  (Turdoides jardineii)

16.4  Dark-capped Bulbul  (Pycnonotus tricolor)

16.5  Black-headed Oriole  (Oriolus larvatus)

16.6  Mocking Cliff Chat  (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris)

16.7  African Stonechat  (Saxicola torquatus)

16.8  White-browed Scrub Robin  (Cercotrichas leucophrys)

16.9  Tawny-flanked Prinia  (Prinia subflava)

16.10  African Pied Wagtail  (Motacilla aguimp)

17.0  Weavers, Sparrows & Waxbills   (4)

17.1  White-browed Sparrow-weaver  (Plocepasser mahali)

17.2  Red-billed Buffalo Weaver  (Bubalornis niger)

17.3  Grey-headed Sparrow  (Passer griseus)

17.4  Blue Waxbill  (Uraeginthus angolensis)

18.0  Reptiles   (10)

18.1  Nile Crocodile  (Crocodylus niloticus)

18.2  Water Monitor  (Varanus niloticus)

18.3  Boomslang  (Dispholidus typus

18.4  Flap-necked Chameleon  (Chamaeleo dilepis)

18.5  Tree Agama  (Acanthocercus atricollis)

18.6  Rainbow Skink  (Trachylepis margaritifera)

18.7  Variable Skink  (Trachylepis varia)

18.8  Dwarf Gecko  (Lygodactylus sp.)

18.9  Lizard  (Lacertilia sp.)

19.0  Fish   (2)

19.1  Sharptooth Catfish  (Clarias gariepinus)

19.2  Mozambique Tilapia  (Oreochromis mossambicus)

20.0  Insects & Arachnids   (8)

20.1  Broad Scarlet Dragonfly  (Crocothemis erythraea)

20.2  Orange Dropwing Dragonfly  (Trithemis kirbyi)

20.3  Red-veined Dropwing Dragonfly  (Trithemis arteriola)

20.4  Spotted Joker Butterfly  (Byblia ilithyia)

20.5  Matabele Ant  (Megaponera analis)

20.6  Red Driver Ant  (Dorylus sp.)

20.7  Baboon Spider  (Harpactira sp.)

20.8  Jumping Spider  (Hyllus sp.)

20.9  African Glow Worm (Lampyridae sp. - larvae)




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