Samburu National Reserve

Samburu National Reserve is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including many animals and birds. The reserve hosts an abundance of large game species native to Kenya's northern plains, such as gerenuk, Grevy's zebra, oryx, and reticulated giraffe, all of which thrive in the arid environment. Visitors can also spot the "big three" cats—lion, cheetah, and African leopard—alongside elephants, Cape buffalo, and hippopotamuses. Other commonly seen mammals include olive baboons, warthogs, Grant's gazelles, Kirk's dik-diks, impalas, and waterbucks. Black rhinoceroses, previously absent for 25 years due to heavy poaching, have been successfully reintroduced to the park. The reserve is also a haven for bird enthusiasts, boasting over 350 bird species. These include the grey-headed kingfisher, sunbirds, bee-eaters, Marabou stork, tawny eagle, Verreaux's eagle, bateleur, vulturine guineafowl, yellow-necked spurfowl, lilac-breasted roller, secretary bird, superb starling, northern red-billed hornbill, yellow-billed hornbill, and various vultures, including the palm-nut vulture. The Ewaso Ng'iro River, which runs through the reserve, is home to large numbers of Nile crocodiles basking along its banks. Since 2005, Samburu National Reserve has been recognized as part of a Lion Conservation Unit.