Tanzania’s vast savannas, woodlands, and crater landscapes are home to a few of Africa’s most remarkable herbivores. These plant-eating animals play a vital role in maintaining the community by managing plants growth, distributing seeds, and supplying food for predators.
From huge elephants to speedy gazelles, here’s a better take a look at the herbivores we came across from our current safari to Tarangire National forest, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and Serengeti National Forest.
African Elephants: The Movers and Shakers
Image Credit: Jenn Coleman. The African elephant is the largest land animal and a keystone species in Tanzania’s parks. These giants are environment engineers, knocking down trees to produce clearings and digging water holes that benefit other animals. Tarangire National Park is specifically famous for its thick elephant population, with big herds roaming the baobab-dotted landscape.
Encounters with elephants in Tarangire was among the main aspects that led us to check out Tanzania in October. We chose a time at the end of the dry season when the elephants were gathering around the rivers in Tarangire. Obviously, we also wished to see whale sharks, so we had to wait on their go back to Mafia Island.
Giraffes: Towering Over the Bush
Picture Credit: Jenn Coleman. With their long necks and unique spotted coats, giraffes are a few of the most identifiable herbivores in Tanzania. They mostly feed on acacia trees, utilizing their long tongues to strip leaves from thorny branches. The Serengeti offers an ideal habitat for giraffes, where they move gracefully between forest and open plains. A group of giraffes is called a tower, and for some reason, the vast bulk of the towers we saw included 3 animals. Our guide stated that their social structure is as complex as elephants, with enormous towers forming at certain times of the year. Another fun fact we recognized is that there are no giraffes in the Ngorongoro Crater. The crater consists of every other animal, consisting of free-roaming black rhinos, however giraffes can’t make it down the high tracks that lead to the crater flooring.
Cape Buffalo: The Unpredictable Grazer
Image Credit: Jenn Coleman. Often found in large herds near water sources, Cape buffalo are known for their unforeseeable temper and powerful build. They can weigh approximately 2,000 pounds and have couple of natural predators, other than for lions. Ngorongoro Crater’s rich grasslands supply ample food for
these powerful herbivores, which can be seen indulging mud or resting under the shade of acacia trees. Like elephants, old male cape buffalo leave the protection of the herd to live out their days as lone bachelors, type of like irritated old guys. That example ends up being a lot more pertinent when they take shelter near the tented camps for security. More than simply irritated, coming across sleeping buffalo can be really unsafe, which is one of the reasons we had Massai warriors escort us around camp after dark.
Wildebeest: The Endless Migrators
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman. No herbivore is more associated with Tanzania’s vast landscapes than the wildebeest. Over a countless these antelope start the Great Migration each year, covering hundreds of miles searching for fresh grazing land. The calving season sees thousands of child wildebeest born in a brief span, creating a banquet for predators. Another dramatic moment of the Great Migration is when the herds cross over the Mara River in between Kenya and Tanzania.
We didn’t see the Great Migration, but the herds that live in the central Serengeti have a fascinating nighttime migration from the relative safety of the highlands to the fertile savannah. We woke to their gnus as they crossed in front of our tented camp and drove the massive herds on our early morning driving safari.
Zebras: The Serengeti’s Striped Travelers
Picture Credit: Jenn Coleman. Zebras are an essential part of the Great Migration, moving in massive herds together with wildebeest and gazelles.
Their black-and-white stripes are thought to puzzle predators and assist manage body temperature. Tarangire and the Serengeti are prime spots to witness these social herbivores grazing in the open plains. Every animal in the herd has a function, and our guide told us the zebra’s role was to lead. When our jeep split a line of animals crossing the dirt roads, the wildebeest would stop and await a zebra to cross initially before they would follow. Grant’s and Thomson’s Gazelles: Speed and Elegance Image Credit: Jenn Coleman. Both Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles prevail across Tanzania’s national forests. Thomson’s gazelles are smaller, with an unique black stripe along their sides, while Grant’s gazelles are
bigger and can go without water for extended periods. These stylish herbivores are typically seen darting throughout the plains, evading predators like cheetahs. As cute as the gazelles were, we still might enjoy it when the predators won. We saw a cheetah devore a whole gazelle in under ten minutes– not only the fastest runner but likewise the fastest eater. We also spent an afternoon with a leopard that captured two gazelles and dragged them over a mile to her tree. She was tired but didn’t eat until she returned with her cub.
Hippos: Grass-Loving River Dwellers
Picture Credit: Jenn Coleman. Though they invest most of their time in water, hippos are actually herbivores. They emerge from rivers and lakes at night to graze on turfs, sometimes traveling miles to find food.
The hippo swimming pools of Ngorongoro and Serengeti are prime spots to observe these massive animals throughout the day. The first thing you discover about a hippo pool is the odor. Hippos eat about 90 pounds of plant life every night. In the early mornings, they return in mass to their pools to absorb and poop their night’s work. Hippos have an incredible pooping routine where they support to the river bank, do their service, and swirl their tail like a propeller to clean up. It’s too charming to get too earned out.
Impala: The Leaping Masters
Picture Credit: Jenn Coleman. Impalas are one of the most agile herbivores in Tanzania, capable of jumping great distances to leave predators. They are often seen in blended herds, browsing on shrubs and grass in
the Serengeti and Tarangire. Their reddish-brown coats and lyre-shaped horns make them among the most striking antelopes in the area. We saw that impalas from two unique types of herds. A breeding herd had one and just one alpha male with as much as twenty or more females. A bachelor herd was just males without women. That was an especially randy lot of antelope.
Dik-Diks: The Tiny Bush Antelopes
Picture Credit: Jenn Coleman. Dik-diks are among the tiniest antelope species, standing just over a foot tall. They are shy, elusive herbivores that depend on their small size and speed to evade predators. Ngorongoro’s dense greenery provides exceptional cover for these small animals, which eat leaves, shoots, and fruit.
Dik Diks were easily our preferred antelope. Their diminutive size made them look almost like pets. They also mated for life in a tightly formed couple. We constantly saw them in pairs, and our guide said that frequently when one partner passed away, the other lost their will to live. Maybe unfortunate, but absolutely romantic.
The Vital Role of Tanzania’s Herbivores
Picture Credit: Jenn Coleman. Herbivores are the foundation of Tanzania’s environment, forming the landscape and supporting the delicate balance of predator-prey relationships. Whether they are moving wildebeest, towering giraffes, or tiny dik-diks, these plant-eaters help sustain the incredible biodiversity of Tarangire, Ngorongoro, and the Serengeti.
Our safari through these parks offered an exceptional opportunity to witness the beauty and variety of Tanzania’s herbivorous wildlife.
Hi! We are Jenn and Ed Coleman aka Coleman Concierge. In a nutshell, we are a Huntsville-based Gen X couple sharing our stories of amazing adventures through activity-driven transformational and experiential travel.