Wildlife in Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park is one of the best national parks in northern Tanzania on the country’s northern tourism circuits with a number of wildlife species that can be spotted during your safari. The park is known for its lake, Manyara, which forms two-thirds of the whole area covered by the park. Because the lake is comprised of alkaline substances because of its soda ash components, that’s why, at times, the flamingo birds can be found in the lake, which covers 230 square kilometers.
The Lake Manyara National Park was named the national park in the 1960s, and it is home to some of the most outstanding features, including the dense acacia woodland, the steep rocky slopes, Marshaland, and the stunning species of landscape, which are very interesting. Aside from the plant species found within the park, Lake Manyara National Park also has some flamingo birds, tree-climbing lions, and it is one of the regions or destinations in Tanzania with the largest concentration of elephants, making it the best and most interesting park for anyone on a safari vacation to explore and enjoy.
Wildlife of Lake Manyara National Park
When I speak of the wildlife in Lake Manyara National Park, I mean the park that harbors a lot of varied ecosystems that contain a wide range of habitats that have enabled the stay of various wildlife species within the park. Some of the habitats of the Lake Manyara national park that have supported wildlife include equatorial forests, mountain slopes, acacia woodlands, soda lakes, and various types of savannah, and all of these have attracted many of the species that call this great park home, including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds.
The wildlife in Lake Manyara National Park comes in the form of the lesser flamingo birds and the pelican birds that are always spotted on Lake Manyara. This is because of the alkaline water that produces the algae on which these bird species feed. However, this kind of water is not suitable for most of the animals in the wildness of the Manyara National park to drink.
Even though, during the dry season that hits hard in the Lake Manyara National Park, some of the animals find no alternative but to come to the lake and drink the alkaline water to survive. This is because most of the other water pools within the park dry up, forcing the animals to resort to this kind of water for survival.
Also in Tanzania, wildlife in Lake Manyara National Park comes in the form of the tree-climbing lion. Lake Manyara National Park is famous for its tree-climbing lions. Although there are reports that lions in the Serengeti National Park and the Tarangire National Park climb trees, it has been observed that lions in the Lake Manyara National Park climb trees much more frequently than lions in the previously mentioned parks.
The sighting of the lions in the trees has trickled into the minds of the scientists and researchers who are still trying to explain why the lions do climb trees, but for the visitors and tourists visiting the park, this has been reelected as a very outstanding safari experience, and many visitors who wish to visit the Lake Manyara National Park would like to see and spot the tree-climbing lions in the park.
Further, the wildlife in Lake Manyara National Park is reflected in the number of bird species that the park does offer. Lake Manyara National Park is home to over 400 species of birds, making the park a darling for bird lovers, which is exciting. Furthermore, the park contains other animals such as zebras, buffalos, wildebeests, antelopes, and it contains the world’s concentration of baboons due to its forested vegetation, which is very interesting and wonderful.
The elephants in Lake Manyara National Park have suffered asset loss as a result of illegal patching, including poaching, but as a result of conservation efforts, all African elephants found in the park are protected from any illegals and conserved for future generations. As you drive to the southwestern side of Lake Manyara National Park, you will encounter several hot springs and the rivers that cross the park, which include the Endabash River and the Mto wa Mbu River. Therefore, I can say that despite the limited size of the Lakenyara national park, it has got all of the wildlife species that have attracted several visitors to come and engage in various activities that are carried out because of the various wildlife species that are found within the park.
When to See Wildlife in Lake Manyara National Park
Visitors who are interested in seeing the Lake Manyara wildlife are free and can visit the park at any time of the year. The best and peak tourist season in Lake Manyara National Park is between July and September, and then from December to early March, and this is the best time for you to see the wildlife in Lake Manyara National Park. Don’t think that you can see wildlife during the wet season. You will see them, but you might have some difficulties viewing the wildlife because of the difficulties brought by the rainfall. For birders, the wet season is the best time to see Lake Manyara birds, especially from the end of October to December, when migratory birds visit the park and you will have a chance to see them. However, pack waterproof jackets because the park has a lot of mud.
How to access Lake Manyara National Park for wildlife viewing
The majority of visitors arrive at Arusha, Tanzania’s safari hub, to see Lake Manyara National Park. Lake Manyara is 126 kilometers from Arusha, and the drive to the northern gate via a new tarmac road takes 1.5 to 2 hours. You can alternatively fly from Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) to Lake Manyara Airport (LKY), which takes around 40 minutes. Arusha is about 46 kilometers from Kilimanjaro International Airport.
