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MKOMAZI NATIONAL PARK

TANZANIA
LOCALE

Area (SqKm):3,245
# Species:396
# Excl Vagrants:396
# Endemics:0
# Near Endemics:7
Species/100 SqKm:12.2
Habitat: Dry savanna, Acacia scrub

ABOUT THE BIRDING

Mkomazi National Park was established in 1951 as a game reserve and later converted to a national park to protect two endangered species, Black Rhinoceros and African Wild Dog. The Rhinos are kept in a fenced enclosure to protect them from poachers. Mkomazi is probably the best place in Tanzania to see African Wild Dogs. Mkomazi is basically an extension of Tsavo National Park in southern Kenya and has similar habitat, namely Acacia scrub and semi-arid savanna. It supports a good population of Elephant and other game animals, including Giraffe, Eland, Hartebeest, Plains Zebra, and Cape Buffalo. Notable mammals that are rare elsewhere in Tanzania are Gerenuk, an odd antelope with very long neck for reaching higher into bushes for forage, Lesser Kudu, and Oryx. Over 450 species of birds have been recorded in the reserve, including many Palearctic migrants. Of particular interest are dry country specialists not usually seen elsewhere in Tanzania such as Vulturine Guineafowl, White-headed Mousebird, Rosy-patched Bushshrike, Ashy Cisticola, Tiny Cisticola, Black-bellied Sunbird, and Fire-fronted Bishop, the latter an eruptive species that sometimes appears in large numbers after the rains.

LOCATION OF SITE

Mkomazi National Park is located on the Kenya-Tanzania border directly south of Tsavo National Park in Kenya. It's just off the main road between Arusha and 6 km from the town of Same. and the coast via Same. It's 142 km from Kilimanjaro Airport outside Arusha.