Known for its pristine beaches and rich culture, Zanzibar in Tanzania also offers nature lovers much to see in terms of discovering a fascinating array of wildlife. Here are some of the species you may encounter.
Land Mammals
One of the best known mammals here is the Zanzibar red colobus monkey which is an endemic species; it is found at the Jozani Forest Reserve which can be easily visited from resorts such as The Residence Zanzibar by Cenizaro. Other mammals of Zanzibar include the Sykes’ monkey, bush babies, the Pemba flying fox, Javan civet cat and Aders’s duiker.
Marine Mammals
The waters around the archipelago are also home to many dolphins; some Zanzibar resorts will help organise special cruises where one can see humpback and bottlenose dolphins. During specific monthly including July, and August, migrating humpback whales can also be seen here.
Avifauna
Over 200 bird species have been recorded providing birdwatchers much to look forward to; this includes seeing endemic bird species at Pemba Island home to the Pemba sunbird, Pemba green pigeon and Pemba scops owl. The sombre greenbul, greenshank and dimorphic egret are a few of the many other bird species in Zanzibar.
Reptiles
A variety of snake species can also be found in Zanzibar such as the olive marsh snake, eastern green mamba and African rock python. Also belonging to the reptile family, sea turtles (at Jozani Forest) and giant tortoises (on Prison Island) are a part of the local wildlife as well.
