Tsavo East National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Elephants crossing road in Tsavo East.
Location:	Kenya
Nearest city:
Coordinates:	°′″, °′″
Area:	11,747 km²
Established:	1948
Visitation:	(in )
Governing body:	Kenya Wildlife Service

The Bachuma Gate entrance to Tsavo National Park

Tsavo East National Park is one of the oldest and largest parks in Kenya at 11,747 square kilometers. Opened in April of 1948, it is located near the village of Voi in the Taita District of Coast Province. The park is divided into east and west sections by the A109 road and a railway. Named for the Tsavo River, which flows west to east through the national park, it borders the Chyulu Hills National Park, and the Mkomazi Game Reserve in Tanzania. The World Conservation Union or International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales A national park is a reserve of land, usually owned by a national government, protected from most human development and pollution. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Download high resolution version (1536x1002, 1536 KB)Elephant and Calf crossing road in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... Image File history File links TsavoGate67. ... Image File history File links TsavoGate67. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... Voi is a market town in southern Kenya, lying on the edge of the Tsavo National Park. ... Coast Province is a province of Kenya. ... Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales A national park is a reserve of land, usually owned by a national government, protected from most human development and pollution. ...

Geography

The park can be accessed by three main gates, from Voi through the Manyani gate, from Mombasa through the Bachuma gate or from Malindi through the Sala gate. There are also several airstrips in the park that allow chartered light planes. Inside the park, the Athi and Tsavo rivers converge to form the Galana River. Most of the park consists of semi-arid grasslands and savanna. It is considered one of the world's biodiversity strongholds, and its popularity is mostly due to the vast amounts of diverse wildlife that can be seen. The park also offers camping and several geographical points of interest. Mombasa is the second largest city in Kenya. ... Malindi is a city in Kenya that has been a Swahili settlement since the 14th century. ... This article refers to the tool of travel. ... Athi-Galana-Sabaki River is the second longest river in Kenya (after the Tana River). ... Savanna is a grassland dotted with trees, and occurs in several types of biomes. ...

The slightly larger Tsavo East is generally flat, with dry plains across which the Galana River flows. Other features include the Yatta Plateau and Lugards Falls. Wildlife in Tsavo East includes black rhinos and hirola antelopes. In geography, a plain is a large area of land with relatively low relief. ... Athi-Galana-Sabaki River is the second longest river in Kenya (after the Tana River). ... Binomial name Diceros bicornis The Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) is a mammal of the Perissodactyla order which lives in the eastern areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. ...

Tsavo West is more mountainous and wetter than its counterpart, with swamps, Lake Jipe and the Mzima Springs. It is known for birdlife and for its large mammals. It is also home to a black rhino sanctuary. Mount McKinley in Alaska has the largest visible base-to-summit elevation differences anywhere For other uses, see Mountain (disambiguation). ... A freshwater swamp This article is about the wetland type (a landform). ... For other meanings of bird, see bird (disambiguation). ... Orders Subclass Multituberculata (extinct) Plagiaulacida Cimolodonta Subclass Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Subclass Triconodonta (extinct) Subclass Eutheria (includes extinct ancestors)/Placentalia (excludes extinct ancestors) Afrosoricida Artiodactyla Carnivora Cetacea Chiroptera Cimolesta (extinct) Creodonta (extinct) Condylarthra (extinct) Dermoptera Desmostylia (extinct) Embrithopoda (extinct) Hyracoidea Insectivora Lagomorpha Litopterna (extinct) Macroscelidea Mesonychia (extinct) Notoungulata (extinct) Perissodactyla Pholidota Plesiadapiformes...

Major Attractions

Mudanda Rock

The Mudanda Rock is a 1.6 km inselberg of stratified rock that acts as a water catchment that supplies a natural dam below. It offers an excellent vantage point for the hundreds of elephants and other wildlife that come to drink during the dry season. An inselberg is an isolated hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain that rises abruptly from a gently sloping or virtually level surrounding plain. ...

Yatta Plateau

The Yatta Plateau, the world's longest lava flow, runs along the western boundary of the park above the Athi river. Its 290 km length was formed by lava from Ol Doinyo Sabuk Mountain. In computer programming jargon, lava flow is a problem in which computer code, usually written under less than optimal conditions, is put into production and then built on when still in a developmental state. ...

Lugard Falls

Lugard Falls, named after Frederick Lugard, is actually a series of rapids on the Galana river. Sir Frederick Lugard Sir Frederick John Dealtry Lugard (Chinese Translated Name 盧押, or more rarely, 盧嘉) (January 22, 1858 - 1945), Baron Lugard of Abinger, (often referred to as Lord Lugard) was a British soldier, explorer of Africa and colonial administrator, who was Governor of Hong Kong. ...

Aruba Dam

Aruba Dam was built in 1952 across the Voi river. The reservoir created by the dam attracts many animals and water birds. A reservoir is an artificial lake created by flooding land behind a dam. ...

Animals

Tsavo East National Park is one of the world's largest game sanctuaries, providing undeveloped wilderness homes to vast numbers of animals. A comprehensive list of the animal types found in Tsavo East Park includes the aardwolf, yellow baboon, bat, cape buffalo, bushbaby, bushbuck, caracal, African wildcat, cheetah, African Civet, dik-dik, African hunting dog, African dormouse, Blue Duiker, bush duiker, red duiker, eland, African elephant, bat-eared fox, greater galago, gazelle, large-spotted genet, small-spotted genet, gerenuk, giraffe, African hare, springhare, Coke hartebeest, hunter hartebeest, East African hedgehog, spotted hyaena, striped hyaena, rock hyrax, tree hyrax, impala, black-backed jackal, side-striped jackal, klipspringer, Lesser Kudu, leopard, lion, banded mongoose, dwarf mongoose, large grey mongoose, marsh mongoose, slender mongoose, white-tailed mongoose, black faced vervet monkey, Sykes's monkey, fringe-eared oryx, clawless otter, ground pangolin, crested porcupine, cane rat, giant rat, naked mole rat, ratel, bohor reedbuck, black rhinoceros, serval, spectacled elephant shrew, bush squirrel, East African red squirrel, striped ground squirrel, unstriped ground squirrel, ibex, suni, warthog, waterbuck, common zebra, and Grevy's zebra. Binomial name Proteles cristatus Sparrman 1783 The Aardwolf (Proteles cristatus) is a small mammal related to the Hyena, native to Africa. ... Binomial name Papio cynocephalus (Linnaeus, 1766) The Yellow Baboon (Papio cynocephalus) is a baboon from the Old World monkey family. ... Suborders Megachiroptera Microchiroptera See text for families. ... Species Syncerus caffer Subspecies Syncerus is a genus of bovines found in Africa, the only extant member of which is the African Buffalo, or Cape Buffalo. ... Genera  Otolemur  Euoticus  Galago Galagos, also known as bushbabies or bush babies, are small, nocturnal primates native to continental Africa, and make up the family Galagonidae. ... Binomial name Tragelaphus scriptus Pallas, 1766 The Bushbuck (Traelaphus scriptus) is an antelope that is found in forest and woodland throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. ... Binomial name Caracal caracal (Schreber, 1776) The Caracal, also called Persian lynx or African lynx (Caracal caracal, sometimes Felis caracal), is a medium-sized wild cat. ... For articles on topics with similar names, see Wildcat. ... Binomial name Acinonyx jubatus (Schreber, 1775) The Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is an atypical member of the cat family (Felidae) that hunts by speed rather than by stealth or pack tactics. ... Binomial name Civetticus civetta (Schreber, 1776) The African Civet is a common viverrid that ranges across tropical Africa. ... The dik-dik is a small antelope named for the sound it makes when alarmed that lives in the brush of southern and eastern Africa. ... Binomial name Lycaon pictus (Temminck, 1820) The African Hunting Dog (Lycaon pictus), also called African Wild Dog, is a mammal of the Canidae family, and thus related to the domestic dog. ... Binomial name Cephalophus monticola Thunberg, 1789 Blue Duiker (Cephalophus monticola) is a small forest dwelling Duiker found in the Central Africa and southern South Africa. ... Binomial name Sylvicapra grimmia (Linnaeus, 1758) The Common Duiker, Sylvicapra grimmia, also known as the Gray or Bush Duiker, is a small antelope with small horns found in west, central, east, and southern Africa. ... Binomial name Taurotragus oryx Pallas, 1766 The Common Eland (Taurotragus oryx) is a savannah and plain antelope found in East and Southern Africa. ... Binomial name Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach, 1797) The African Savannah Elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the best-known and larger of the two African elephants. ... Binomial name Otocyon megalotis (Desmarest, 1822) The Bat-eared Fox is a canid of the African savanna. ... Type species Otolemur agyisymbanus Coquerel, 1859 ( = Otolicnus garnetti Ogilby, 1838) Species Otolemur crassicaudatus Otolemur monteiri Otolemur garnettii The greater galagos or thick-tailed bushbabies are the common name for three species of strepsirrhine primates. ... Species Several, see text A gazelle is an antelope of the genus Gazella. ... Binomial name Litocranius walleri (Brooke, 1878) The Gerenuk (Litocranius walleri) is an antelope-like animal, closely related to the gazelle, found in East Africa. ... Binomial name Giraffa camelopardalis Linnaeus, 1758 The Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is an even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all land-living animal species. ... Binomial name Pedetes capensis (Coe, 1969) The Springhare, or Springhaas (Pedetes capensis) is not actually a hare, but a member of the order Rodentia; it is the only species in its family Pedetidae. ... Binomial name Crocuta crocuta (Erxleben, 1777) The largest and best-known member of the hyena family, the Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) is primarily a predator, not a scavenger. ... Binomial name Hyaena hyaena (Linnaeus, 1758) The Striped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena) is closely related to the Brown Hyena, but lives in northern Africa, the Middle East, and western India. ... Genera  Procavia  Heterohyrax  Dendrohyrax A hyrax is any of about 11 species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. ... Genera  Procavia  Heterohyrax  Dendrohyrax A hyrax is any of about 11 species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. ... Binomial name Aepyceros melampus (Lichtenstein, 1812) An impala (Aepyceros melampus Greek aipos high ceros horn + melas black pous foot) is a medium-sized African antelope, weighing about 50 kg. ... Binomial name Canis mesomelas Schreber, 1775 The Black-backed jackal is an African canine with a fox-like appearance, tan fur, and a thick stripe of black and silver running down its back. ... Binomial name Oreotragus oreotragus (Zimmerman,, 1783) The Klipspringer (literally rock jumper in Afrikaans), Oreotragus oreotragus, is a small African antelope that lives from the Cape of Good Hope all the way up East Africa and into Ethiopia. ... Binomial name Tragelaphus imberbis (Blyth, 1869) The Lesser Kudu (Tragelaphus imberbis) are forest antelope found in East Africa and (possibly) the southern Arabian Peninsula. ... Binomial name Panthera pardus (Linnaeus, 1758) Leopards (Panthera pardus) are one of the four big cats of the genus Panthera. ... Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) Comparative view of the human and lion frames, c1860. ... Binomial name Mungos mungo (Gmelin, 1788) The Banded mongoose (Mungos mungo) is a mongoose commonly found in the central and eastern parts of Africa. ... Species Oryx beisa Oryx dammah Oryx gazella Oryx leucoryx An Oryx is one of three or four large antelope species of the genus Oryx, typically having long straight nearly upright horns. ... Binomial name Manis temminckii Smuts, 1832 The Temmincks Pangolin (Manis temminckii) is one of four species of pangolin which can be found in Africa and the only one in southern and eastern Africa. ... Binomial name Hystrix cristata Linnaeus, 1758 The Crested Porcupine or European Porcupine or African Porcupine or North African crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata) is a member of the Old World porcupines. ... Species Thryonomys gregorianus (Lesser Cane Rat) Thryonomys swinderianus (Greater Cane Rat) The genus Thryonomys, also know as cane rats, is a genus of rodent found in Africa south of the Sahara. ... Nutrias are sometimes mistaken for the fearsome Giant Rat of Sumatra. ... Binomial name Heterocephalus glaber Rüppell, 1842 The Naked Mole Rat (Heterocephalus glaber), also known as the Sand Puppy, or desert mole rat, is a very unusual burrowing rodent native to parts of East Africa, predominately South Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. ... Binomial name Mellivora capensis (Schreber, 1776) The Ratel (Mellivora capensis), also known as the Honey Badger, is a member of the Mustelidae family. ... Binomial name Redunca redunca (Pallas, 1767) The Bohor Reedbuck (Redunca redunca) is an antelope native to central Africa, mostly living in grassland areas near water. ... Binomial name Diceros bicornis Linnaeus, 1758 The Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis; also colloquially, Black Rhino) is a mammal in the order Perissodactyla, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. ... Binomial name Leptailurus serval (Schreber, 1776) Serval The Serval (Leptailurus serval, sometimes Felis serval) is a medium-sized African wild cat: length 85 cm, plus 40 cm tail. ... Species Lariscus husei Lariscus insignis Lariscus niobe Lariscus obscurus Striped Ground Squirrels (genus Lariscus) form a taxon of squirrels under the subfamily Sciurinae. ... Species Capra ibex Capra nubiana Capra pyrenaica Capra sibiria Capra walie See also Ibex (vehicle) ifor the specialist off-road vehicle, and the Ibex Valley. ... Suni Scientific Name: Neotragus moschatus Habitat: South-east Africa and depend on the dense underbrush Food: Leaves, fungi, fruits, flowers Suni are the smallest antelopes in the world. ... Binomial name Phacochoerus africanus (Pallas, 1766) // Taxonomy The warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) is a wild member of the pig family that lives in Africa. ... Binomial name Kobus ellipsiprymnus (Ogilby, 1833) The Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) is an antelope found in Western, Central Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. ... Species Equus zebra Equus quagga Equus grevyi *See Equus for other species. ... Species Equus zebra Equus quagga Equus grevyi *See Equus for other species. ...

Birds

Over 500 bird species have been recorded in the area, including ostriches, kestrels, buzzards, starlings, weaver birds, kingfishers, hornbills, secretary birds, and herons. Binomial name Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758 The ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a flightless bird native to Africa. ... The name kestrel is given to several different members of the falcon genus, Falco. ... A buzzard is a type of large bird, in any of several different but related senses: In the Old World: A medium-sized wide-ranging raptor with a robust body and broad wings. ... Genera Aplonis Poeoptera Grafisia Onychognathus Lamprotornis Cinnyricinclus Speculipastor Neochicla Spreo Cosmoparus Sarroglossa Creatophora Fregilupus (extinct) Necropsar (extinct) Sturnus Leucopsar Basilornis Streptocitta Sarcops Scissirostrum See also Myna, Oxpecker Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae. ... Genera Many:see text The Weavers are small passerine birds related to the finches. ... Families Alcedinidae Halcyonidae Cerylidae Kingfishers are birds of the three families Alcedinidae (river kingfishers), Halcyonidae (tree kingfishers), and Cerylidae (water kingfishers). ... Genera Aceros Anorrhinus Anthracoceros Buceros Bucorvus Ceratogymna (=Bycanistes) Ocyceros Penelopides Tockus Hornbills (Family Bucerotidae) are a group of birds whose bill is shaped like a cows horn, but without a twist, sometimes with a casque on the upper mandible. ... Binomial name Sagittarius serpentarius (Miller,JF, 1779) The Secretary Bird, Sagittarius serpentarius, is an extraordinary member of the bird of prey family. ... Genera Ardea Zebrilus Philherodias Tigrisoma Ardeola Bubulcus Egretta Agamia Butorides Tigriornis Tigrisoma Gorsachius Syrigma Zonerodius Nycticorax see also: Bittern Heron and reeds, Haronobu Suzuki (1754-1770) Herons are medium to large long-legged, long-necked wading birds of the family Ardeidae, which also includes the egrets and bitterns. ...

External links

• Kenya Wildlife Service page for Tsavo East National Park
• Pictures of Tsavo National Park