An estimated 25 000 mammals are resident in the Crater, including large herds of resident wildebeest, 16 highly endangered black rhino and around 70 lions. Nomadic cheetah move in and out of the area and leopard are most often encountered in the Lerai Forest. Both golden and black-backed jackal are abundant, while the normally shy and nocturnal serval are frequently spotted during daylight hours. Vast numbers of buffalo, zebra and Thomson’s gazelle also occur. Large numbers of both lion and spotted hyena are also resident in the Crater.

The Lerai Forest, the permanent marshes on the Crater floor and the highland meadows provide the best sightings of elephant in the Crater area. The dense forest on the slopes and rim of the Crater provides shelter for the giant tuskers, which pass silently through the forest depths, some even visiting the lodge gardens after dark. Elephant are not the only visitors to the lodge, with buffalo occasionally taking a nocturnal stroll through the grounds. A triumph of conservation efforts, buffalo were once completely absent from the Crater floor but have returned in large numbers.    

While more often associated with the Great Migration in other parts of Tanzania, both zebra and wildebeest are permanently resident in the Crater. Thomson’s gazelle, which often join the wildebeest and zebras on their migration, are also more sedentary in the area, grazing the grasslands in the company of the larger animals. The saline waters of Lake Magadi attract both the lesser and the greater flamingo, with flocks of several thousand forming when the lake is low. Other bird species on the Crater floor include the ostrich and the Kori bustard, the world’s heaviest flying bird.

Recent Sightings from Wildwatch.com

THE KING OF THE JUNGLE - 30 August 2010
On 28th August 2010, we had a rather busy morning. On our way to the crater we came across a lioness walking up a hill in the middle of a descending road. We observed her walking and stopping every few metres, sniffing the ground and grass stems. She...
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SOUNDS OF NATURE - 30 August 2010
After an exciting sighting of the lions we drove through the Lerai Forest. Giant yellow bark acacia trees dominate the forest. we parked the vehicle in the middle of the forest. It was very quiet. We could hear different bird calls. All of the birds...
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UNSOLVED MYSTERY - 27 August 2010
This morning at Lerai Forest, we came across a buffalo carcass lying in a stream. The buffalo's skin had been removed, exposing the ribs. One hind leg had been half eaten. We tried to look for the animal which may have killed the buffalo as we were...
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