The Big 9 in Samburu National Reserve
The Big 9 in Samburu National Reserve : Samburu national reserve has a variety of animal species in the different categories that is forexample the reserve has got the special five which includes the Grevy Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and the Beisa Oryx these are as well called the rare northern species in Samburu national reserve, which are unique to this area in Kenya and can only be spotted in the Samburu Reserve.
Also the reserve consists of the categorized list of the wildlife of mammals which includes what is commonly known as the Big five which consists of the (lion, elephant, leopard and the African buffalo) it only the rhino which is absent from the Big five. The Samburu national reserve is a home to all the three big cats which are known as the lion, leopard, and the cheetah as well as the rare African or wild dog whose numbers are increasing.
The Big 9 In Samburu National Reserve.
The big 9 in the Samburu National Reserve includes the Cheetah, Giraffe, Zebra, Hippopotamus, Lion, elephant, leopard, African buffalo, and the antelope.
1.Cheetah (Acinonyx Jubantus).
Cheetahs are universally known for their speed, being the fastest land animals, touching up to 110 km per hour on short bursts during hunts. They are also known for hunting in the open and in groups of four to five. Similar in appearance to the leopards, the cheetah is longer and lighter in the body. It has a slightly bowed back and a much smaller and rounder face. The cheetah stands around 80 cm at the shoulder, measures around 210 cm in length (including the tail) and weighs anything from 40 to 60 kg. It is found small numbers in all of the Kenya’s major game reserves.
2.Giraffe (Giraffa).
Giraffe are the tallest living terrestrial animals and actually quite a sight, extremely picturesque and its own for their graceful movements even when running at their fastest speed of 50 to 60 km per hour. There are two main sub species of Giraffe there is the Reticulated or the Somali Giraffe and the Maasai Giraffe in the southern part, it is believed that 33,000 maasai giraffe are alive in the reserve.s
3.Zebra. (Equus quagga).
One of the wild animals that most people would always associate with in East Africa, zebras are present in Samburu and Kenya generally in large numbers. There are 2 sub species namely the plain zebra and the Grevys zebra, though Maasai Mara is a home to the plain zebra but they can be in Samburu National Reserve in north Kenya.
4.Hippopotamus. (Hippopotamus amphibious).
The Hippopotamus are commonly referred to as Hippo are the third largest land mammal with the average adult males weighing in at close to 1500 kilograms. Hippos typically inhabit in swamps, rivers and areas close to the lake shore, and remain cool by staying in the water during most of the day. They are found in great numbers in Maasai Mara, but as well can be seen in Samburu national reserve.
5.Lion. (Panthera Leo).
Samburu national reserve is a home to 40 to 50 lions, the highest number are a decade according to a recent research conducted by Ewaso Lions Organizations. Individual lions(males) can hold huge territories ranging from 30 to 400 square kilometres. The lionesses (females) take the lead when it comes to hunting down the prey. From time to time the males will assist with a hunt, the prides here have a very loose structure and often break into smaller groups of a few females and their cubs.
6.Elephant. (Loxodonta Africana).
It is estimated that there are close to over 900 elephants n Samburu National Reserve and the surrounding conservancies that borders the reserve. The African elephant is an intelligent, socialable and familial animal, and despite the threat it attracts due to its ivory, the great news is that numbers are up in Samburu over the last couple of years. African Elephants are the world’s largest animals, weighing up to (6.6 tons).
7.Leopard. (Panthera pardus)
Samburu National reserve is a famous for the leopards residing in it; its ranked as the place with the highest chance of spotting them in Kenya. These elusive animals are nonetheless listed as vulnerable on the IUCN (International Union for Nature and Natural Resources) Red list because leopard population are threatened by the human encroachment and the habitat loss. Leopards are almost always hunt on their own and are by nature ‘shy’’ preferring to hunt at night.
8.African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer).
African Buffalo is regarded as one s of the more dangerous animals in kWest Africa not least due to their volatile and unpredictable nature, which is one of the reasons the African Buffalo has never been domesticated as is the case in Asia. Females protecting their young calves, and solitary rogue bulls, are the most aggressive, and having 800 kilograms of angry animal is no joke.
Both sexes have the distinctive curving horns which broaden and almost meet over the forehead, although those in females are fairly smaller. Buffalo are often found in herds of 100 or more and never stray too far from water, especially in dry season. These animals appear in great numbers in all major parks, with the exception of the Nairobi National Park. Her can be found in large numbers in Samburu National Reserve.
9.Anteleope. (Alcelaphinae)
One of the wild animals that most people would always associate with in East Africa, Antelopes are present in Samburu national reserve and Kenya generally in large numbers. There are three sub species, namely the Kirk’s Dik-Dik, Klipspringer, and the Oribi Antelope. Antelope are found on the arid regions with the bush or scrub cover and come in a variety of sizes and show true diversity and imagination with their head gear, they are the unsung beauties of the bush and the grassland.
