Diversity like nowhere else
Botswana wildlife guide
A comprehensive guide to Botswana's wildlife across all Wilderness regions.
Discover Botswana’s wildlife
Discover Botswana’s wildlife
In Botswana, one can experience a diversity of wildlife encounters arguably like nowhere else in Africa. From the Okavango Delta's wetland mosaic to the semi-arid landscapes of the Kalahari, one can see specialised aquatic species, recognisable African icons, and desert-adapted wildlife, creating some of the best wildlife viewing on the continent.
A sanctuary of biodiversity
Botswana is unquestionably one of Africa's premier wildlife destinations, where pristine wilderness areas provide sanctuary for extraordinary biodiversity across multiple habitats. From the world's largest inland delta to savannah grasslands and semi-arid landscapes, this remarkable country supports over 140 mammal species, 600+ bird species, and countless smaller creatures in their natural habitats.
The Big Five
Botswana is home to four of Africa's Big Five. While rhinos remain extremely rare, the country's elephant, lion, leopard, and buffalo populations thrive in diverse habitats, and can be found from riverine forests to open grasslands, offering exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities.
Lion
Lions reach impressive densities across Botswana's regions. The famous Savuti Pride in the Linyanti is known for their elephant-hunting behaviour, while the lions of Mababe hunt actively throughout the day. Several large prides dominate territories along the Linyanti water courses, with the Delta's high prey density supporting great numbers of lions adapted to the water-rich environment.
Leopard
High leopard densities thrive in Botswana's riverine forests and mopane woodlands. The Linyanti region offers excellent sightings in its dense riverine forests, while the Delta's wooded islands provide the perfect habitat for thriving populations.
Elephant
Botswana has Africa's largest elephant population, with the Linyanti and Chobe regions boasting the highest elephant densities during the dry season. The Okavango Delta supports good populations year-round, while the Mababe serves as a critical movement corridor for the species, making northern Botswana one of the best places to see these majestic giants, especially in winter.
Buffalo
Being exceptionally gregarious, buffalo form spectacular herds throughout Botswana. The Mababe Depression, particularly, witnesses mega-herds exceeding 2,000 individuals during the dry season, while the Okavango Delta, Linyanti, and Chobe support substantial populations too.
Lion
Lion
Lions reach impressive densities across Botswana's regions. The famous Savuti Pride in the Linyanti is known for their elephant-hunting behaviour, while the lions of Mababe hunt actively throughout the day. Several large prides dominate territories along the Linyanti water courses, with the Delta's high prey density supporting great numbers of lions adapted to the water-rich environment.
Leopard
Leopard
High leopard densities thrive in Botswana's riverine forests and mopane woodlands. The Linyanti region offers excellent sightings in its dense riverine forests, while the Delta's wooded islands provide the perfect habitat for thriving populations.
Elephant
Elephant
Botswana has Africa's largest elephant population, with the Linyanti and Chobe regions boasting the highest elephant densities during the dry season. The Okavango Delta supports good populations year-round, while the Mababe serves as a critical movement corridor for the species, making northern Botswana one of the best places to see these majestic giants, especially in winter.
Buffalo
Buffalo
Being exceptionally gregarious, buffalo form spectacular herds throughout Botswana. The Mababe Depression, particularly, witnesses mega-herds exceeding 2,000 individuals during the dry season, while the Okavango Delta, Linyanti, and Chobe support substantial populations too.
Predators
Cheetah
Cheetahs hunt across open landscapes, avoiding competition with other predators.
Wild dog
The Delta and the Linyanti regions are strongholds for endangered African wild dogs.
Spotted hyena
Found throughout Botswana, hyenas play a crucial role as both predator and scavenger.
Smaller predators
Jackals, servals, caracals, bat-eared foxes, and African wild cats are found across diverse habitats.
Herbivores
Aquatic & rare wildlife
Botswana birdlife
With several designated Important Bird & Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and over 600 bird species, Botswana is rich in avian life, particularly waterbirds.
Wildlife by region
Each region of Botswana offers distinct wildlife communities shaped by specific habitats. The Okavango Delta features aquatic specialists, while the Linyanti and Chobe regions attract concentrations of large wildlife to their river systems. Areas like the Mababe serve as crucial corridors between ecosystems, while the Central Kalahari hosts wildlife adapted to its drier environment.
Okavango Delta
Supports part of Botswana's 140+ mammal species, with 464 bird species specifically recorded across a mosaic of wetland environments and dry islands. Unique species include aquatic specialists such as sitatunga, red lechwe, slaty egret, wattled crane, and Pel's fishing owl.
The Okavango Delta
Linyanti
Features extraordinary elephant concentrations and good predator viewing, including thriving lion prides, Endangered African wild dogs, and high leopard densities in the riverine forests. With rare roan and sable antelope as well as puku present, the Linyanti is exceptionally diverse.
The Linyanti
Chobe
Like the Linyanti, Chobe is home to extraordinary elephant concentrations that move towards the Chobe River in the dry season (May to October). It also has good herds of buffalo, several lion prides and incredible birdlife.
Central Kalahari
Consisting mostly of semi-arid landscapes, the environment of the Central Kalahari is a lot harsher than the north. Here, one can see desert-adapted wildlife, including springbok, gemsbok, and eland. Predators such as the famed black-maned lions, brown hyena and cheetah are also present.
Mababe
The Mababe Marsh serves as a crucial wildlife corridor connecting animals between ecosystems. Here, buffalo mega-herds exceed 2,000 individuals in the dry season, with massive zebra migrations coming through in December and back again in March. Exceptional predator viewing includes lions seen daily and numerous spotted hyenas, with the edges of the marsh prolific for birdlife.
The MababeOkavango Delta
Okavango Delta
Supports part of Botswana's 140+ mammal species, with 464 bird species specifically recorded across a mosaic of wetland environments and dry islands. Unique species include aquatic specialists such as sitatunga, red lechwe, slaty egret, wattled crane, and Pel's fishing owl.
The Okavango DeltaLinyanti
Linyanti
Features extraordinary elephant concentrations and good predator viewing, including thriving lion prides, Endangered African wild dogs, and high leopard densities in the riverine forests. With rare roan and sable antelope as well as puku present, the Linyanti is exceptionally diverse.
The LinyantiChobe
Chobe
Like the Linyanti, Chobe is home to extraordinary elephant concentrations that move towards the Chobe River in the dry season (May to October). It also has good herds of buffalo, several lion prides and incredible birdlife.
Central Kalahari
Central Kalahari
Consisting mostly of semi-arid landscapes, the environment of the Central Kalahari is a lot harsher than the north. Here, one can see desert-adapted wildlife, including springbok, gemsbok, and eland. Predators such as the famed black-maned lions, brown hyena and cheetah are also present.
Mababe
Mababe
The Mababe Marsh serves as a crucial wildlife corridor connecting animals between ecosystems. Here, buffalo mega-herds exceed 2,000 individuals in the dry season, with massive zebra migrations coming through in December and back again in March. Exceptional predator viewing includes lions seen daily and numerous spotted hyenas, with the edges of the marsh prolific for birdlife.
The MababeSeasonal wildlife highlights
Botswana’s diverse ecosystems are ever-changing, with seasons and water availability influencing wildlife movements – from the Okavango Delta’s annual inundation (from May to October), restricting wildlife movement as its water levels rise, to the summer rains that trigger a mass zebra migration from north to south.
Unsung zebra migration
20,000+ zebras travel 1,000 km between the Chobe River and Nxai Pan in December & March each year.
Calving season
The onset of the rains triggers many animals to simultaneously give birth (normally early December).
Migratory birds
Numerous species arrive for the summer to breed, including dazzling carmine bee-eaters.
The annual inundation
The Delta waters arrive in April, peaking between June & August, receding again from September.
Conservation & responsible viewing
Conservation & responsible viewing
Through the conservation of its pristine wilderness areas, Botswana’s conservation contributes heavily to the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, allowing for the movement of key wildlife species across five countries. Using a high-value, low-impact model, each wildlife sighting is limited to a handful of vehicles that observe animals from a respectful distance.
Wildlife photography by season
Understanding the seasons of Botswana helps visitors achieve their photographic goals. In the dry season, wildlife concentrates around the remaining water sources, offering high-action predator-prey encounters. The wet season provides a profusion of green, peak birdlife, and young animals, with early morning and late afternoon providing the best light year-round for photography.
Frequently asked questions
Wildlife in Botswana
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