Wildlife of Kruger National Park, South Africa
Kruger is roughly the size of Israel and hosts all of the Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and Cape buffalo — plus rare species like African wild dog and cheetah. The self-drive road network makes it one of the most accessible major game parks in the world.
Best timeMay – September dry season for concentrated wildlife around waterholes.
- 1Kruger is bigger than Israel and holds the Big Five in enormous numbers.
- 2Rhino poaching is Kruger's central conservation battle.
- 3The park has 500+ bird species and 100+ reptiles.
Signature species
Curated for Kruger National Park, South Africa, each tagged with its IUCN Red List status.
- CR
Black rhinoceros
Diceros bicornis
- NT
White rhinoceros
Ceratotherium simum
- EN
African wild dog
Lycaon pictus
- VU
Leopard
Panthera pardus
- VU
Southern ground hornbill
Bucorvus leadbeateri
IUCN codes — EX extinct · EW extinct in wild · CR critically endangered · EN endangered · VU vulnerable · NT near threatened · LC least concern · DD data deficient
Dos & don'ts
Local etiquette that keeps wildlife wild.
Do
- Enter camps by gate closing time — fines and predator risk after dark.
- Support SANParks anti-poaching donations.
- Keep distance — use zoom or binoculars, never bait animals closer.
- Stay on marked trails to avoid trampling nests, burrows and plants.
Don't
- Don't get out of the vehicle outside camps.
- Don't share exact rhino GPS points online.
- Never feed wildlife — human food changes behaviour and shortens lives.
- Don't share exact locations of nests, dens or rare species online.
Spotted here lately
Live from iNaturalist — research-grade observations within 200km, last 30 days.
Loading citizen-science data…