Wildlife in Murchison falls national park

Wildlife in Murchison falls national park: Animals in Murchison falls national park are among the attractions which pull people to the park. The park is located in the northwestern part of Uganda 350km from Kampala. It was gazetted by the Uganda Wildlife Authority in 1952 to protect the vegetation, wildlife, and other attractions such as the Murchison falls found inside the national park.

As of today, Murchison falls national park covers a total area of 3893sq.km comprising savanna, woodland, and riverine vegetation. The national park is home to over 76 mammal species, 13 primate species, and over 451 bird species. All these can be seen at any time of the year when you visit the park and take part in a number of activities like game drives, boat cruises, and nature walk activities among others.

Mammals : Murchison falls national park is home to 76 mammal species that have been so far recorded. Among the 76 mammal species include the big 4 animals which are lions, buffaloes, leopards, and elephants. A safari to Murchison falls national park gives you an opportunity to encounter all 5 big mammals in the world if one passes via Ziwa Rhino sanctuary the only place where white rhinos live.

Apart from the big 4, Murchison falls national park is home to other mammal species such as bushbucks, Jackson’s heart beast, Uganda kobs, duikers, waterbucks, warthogs, giant forest hogs, hyenas, oribis, topis, hippos, crocodiles, and giraffes. These mammals can be seen during game drives, boat cruises, and nature walks within the park.

Birds: Murchison falls national park is a habitat for over 451 bird species making it one of the best birding destinations in the country. These birds have found their homes in the savannah, woodland, and riverine vegetation within the park. There are migratory birds, common birds, and those that are endemic to the Albertine rift.

Birds in Murchison falls national park include Northern carmine bee-eater, white-rumped seedeater, white-browed sparrow weaver, double-toothed barbet, white-fronted black chat, common teal, veracious dove, malachite kingfisher, pied kingfisher, blue naped moosebird, giant kingfisher, dark chanting goshawk, blue-naped moosebird, spur-winger geese, pennant winged nightjar, and saddle-billed stork among others.

Other bird species in Murchison falls national park are red-winged grey warbler, African darter, marabou stork, pel’s fishing owl, rock pratincole, Senegal thick-knee, vinaceous dove, black-headed batis, black pilled wood dove, long-toed plover, black-headed gonoleck, rock pratincole, secretary bird, black crake, and grey-headed bush shrike, etc.

Encounter chimps on your safari to Murchison Falls National Park

Primates: Over 13 primate species are said to be living in Murchison falls national park. These can be seen in Budongo forest, Kaniyo Pabidi forest, vegetation along the Nile, and many other places. Primates in Murchison falls national park include chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, grey-checked monkeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, pattas monkeys, and grey-checked mangabeys among others.

How to see the wildlife in Murchison falls national park

Going for game drives: Game drives in Murchison falls national park are the best way to see a number of mammals, primates, and bird species. These game drives can be done in the morning, evening, and at night when one wants to see nocturnal animals and birds. Different game trucks have been constructed in the park to show drivers the correct routes to use to different places instead of wasting the vegetation.

During the game drives one is able to come across different park animals such as olive baboons, buffaloes, elephants, hippos, duikers, giraffes, warthogs, bush pigs, lions, leopards, hyenas, different monkey species, and several bird species.

On the boat cruise: The fact that River Nile passes through Murchison falls national park, there are boat cruises carried out within the park. There are boat cruises to the bottom of the falls where people go to have closer views of the Murchison falls and there are boat cruises to the Nile delta which take people all the way to Lake Albert. These boat cruises give tourists an opportunity to see water animals such as hippos, crocodiles and fish, aquatic Birds in Murchison falls national park like African jacana, shoebill stork, giant kingfisher, malachite kingfisher, swamp flycatcher, and many others. The boat cruise also helps tourists to see different animals along the shower which come to drink water or graze especially in the dry season.

During the nature walks: Another way to meet different mammals of Murchison falls national park is by taking part in nature walks activities. The nature walks are guided by armed ranger guides and they can take you to different parts of the park where you are able to see different attractions in the region.

During the nature walks, one is able to meet different animals such as buffaloes, elephants, duikers, lions, leopards, giant forest hogs, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, giraffes, bush pigs, and much more. The nature walks are mostly done in Budongo forest, and Kaniyo Pabidi forest.

During chimpanzee trekking: During chimpanzee trekking which takes place in Budongo forest, tourists are able to meet different wild animals as they are searching for the chimpanzees. The search for chimpanzees can take 30 minutes to 4 hours and in that time, trekkers will come across different mammals, primates, and birds.

Best time for wildlife viewing in Murchison falls national park

Murchison falls national park can be visited at any time of the year however there are months that are better than the rest. the dry months from June to September and December to February are the best to visit Murchison falls national park and this is because there is little or no rainfall which keeps the game trucks dry, the vegetation is short and scattered with good views of the animals and the roads leading to the park are passable.

Travelers can still visit Murchison falls national park in the rainy season from march to May and October to November because the park is always open. During the rainy season, the lodges tend to be cheaper which favors budget travelers. The rainy season is characterized by too much rainfall which makes the game trucks muddy and slippery, the vegetation is tall and thick with unclear views of the park animals, and the roads leading to the park are impassable.