One of the main reasons travelers visit Ngorongoro is to see the Big Five animals in one place. Here are the Big Five animals found in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Leopard
Leopards in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area are mostly found in the Northern Highland Forest Reserve. This area is part of the southern section of the conservation area. The forest covers about 893 square kilometers, which is around 20 percent of the total Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This forest is a good place for travelers hoping to see leopards during game drives.
Leopards are carnivores and feed on many animals such as antelopes, warthogs, monkeys, rodents, zebras, wildebeests, and sometimes fish. They are shy animals and prefer to hunt at night. Most of their night prey includes owls, bats, porcupines, and sometimes hyenas. During the day, leopards often rest in caves, on large rocks, or on tree branches where they are hard to spot.
African Lion
In the 1960s, the population of lions in Ngorongoro declined greatly due to floods that happened at that time. It is believed that only nine female lions and one male survived. By the end of 1965, seven more male lions moved into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This helped increase the population.
By 1975, more than 100 lions were living inside the Ngorongoro Crater. Today, there are about 60 lions in the crater. The decrease in numbers is linked to the steep crater slopes, which limit movement and breeding. There are also conflicts between lions and local people who graze livestock in the area. In some cases, lions are killed to protect cattle.
African Buffalo
African buffalo are common in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. They usually move in large groups, which helps them defend themselves against predators. Both male and female buffalo have horns, and they use them for protection. Buffalo are heavy animals, and when attacked by lions, they can be very dangerous.
Buffalo are known to be aggressive, especially when threatened. Outside protected areas, they often come into conflict with humans. In Ngorongoro, they are usually seen grazing on the crater floor or near water sources.
African Elephant
The Ngorongoro area is one of the best places to see African elephants on safari. These animals are very large and have long ivory tusks. Before the ivory ban of the 1980s, elephants were heavily killed for their tusks. Since the ban, elephant numbers have increased.
Elephants do not often stay inside the crater because the slopes are too steep for them to climb in and out easily. The Lerai Forest is one of the best places to see elephants in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This forest provides food, water, and shade for these animals.
Baby elephants are about 80 centimeters tall at birth and grow into very large adults. Elephants use their trunks for feeding, drinking, bathing, and digging for water during dry periods. An adult elephant can drink between 90 and 140 liters of water each day. Their size protects them from most predators, although young elephants may still be at risk.
Rhinoceroses
There are two types of rhinoceroses in Africa, the black rhinoceros and the white rhinoceros. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is home to the black rhinoceros. These animals are highly endangered and were hunted close to extinction due to poaching for their horns.
In 1965, there were about 100 black rhinos living in the Ngorongoro Crater. By 2004, this number had dropped to only 17. The Moru Kopjes area was home to about 12 black rhinos during the same period. Today, Ngorongoro remains one of the few places in Tanzania where black rhinos can still be seen in the wild.
The Lerai Forest is one of the best places to spot black rhinos in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Although they are rare, sightings are possible, making Ngorongoro a key destination for travelers hoping to see all members of the Big Five.
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