WILDLIFE & HABITATS
Discover the biodiversity of Arusha National Park
WILDLIFE
ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK
Giraffe, Buffalo & Plains Game
Arusha is famous for easy giraffe sightings, plus buffalo, zebra, waterbuck and bushbuck in open glades and forest edges.
Primates
Black-and-white colobus and blue monkeys thrive in the montane forest, with vervet monkeys frequenting glades and picnic sites.
Birdlife
~500 species recorded — from flamingos and waterfowl on Momella Lakes to forest raptors and turacos in the Meru slopes.
Carnivores (Occasional)
Spotted hyena and leopard occur, with sightings best at dawn/dusk along forest margins and open glades.
DIVERSE HABITATS
ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK
Arusha’s compact but varied ecosystem includes open glades (Serengeti Ndogo), montane forest on Mt. Meru, heath and moorland at higher elevations, alkaline Momella Lakes, and the evergreen Ngurdoto Crater floor.
This steep gradient of habitats supports unusual species mixes and excellent birding. Forest rivers feed Tululusia Waterfall, while wetlands and alkaline pans around Momella host flamingos, hippos, and waterfowl seasonally.
Conservation is Key
Through habitat protection, guided low-impact activities (walking, canoeing) and community partnerships, Arusha safeguards a rare blend of crater, lake and montane forest ecosystems on the slopes of Mount Meru.
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