WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS:
Several dry-country adapted mammals that don't occur in most Kenyan parks can be found here. The Reticulated giraffe has a more striking pattern than the common Masai giraffe. Beisa Oryx is particularly well adapted to arid conditions. The Gerenuk, with its elongated neck, is able to stand on its hind legs to reach sparse leaves. Both the common Burchell’s zebra and the bigger Grevy’s zebra are found alongside each other.
THE SAMBURU 5:
THE RETICULATED GIRAFFE
The reticulated giraffe makes its home in Somalia, southern Ethiopia, and northern Kenya. There are only about 8,500 left in the world. Shorter than the more common Masai giraffe, the reticulated giraffe’s spots are easily identifiable. They are shaped like polygons with straight, smooth sides, and are lighter brown in color.
GREVY’S ZEBRA
With only about 2,000 left in the wild, the Grevy’s zebra, which used to inhabit the plains of Somalia, Ethiopian, Djibouti, and Kenya are now confined to Southern Ethiopia and Northern Kenya. They are the largest of the wild equines and has a more mule-like appearance than the other zebra species. Their black and white stripes are narrow and close together, but their belly’s and base of the tail lack stripes – a characteristic unique to the Grevy’s zebra.
SOMALI OSTRICH
In 2014, the Somali Ostrich was declared a distinct species of ostrich, setting itself apart from the common ostrich.The large flightless bird is identified by its gray-blue neck and thighs. During the mating season, the blue on males becomes a bright blue. While its numbers are shrinking, it can still be found in the Horn of Africa.
BEISA ORYX
There are two subspecies of the beisa oryx – the common beisa oryx found throughout the Horn of Africa and north of the Tana River, and the fringe-eared oryx found south of the Tana River in southern Kenya and Tanzania. Its coat is gray with a white belly and legs separated by a stripe of black, and thin, straight horns that are found on both the males and females.
GERENUK
The gerenuk is an antelope with an exceptionally long giraffe-like neck. It feasts on leaves and shoots, flowers, fruits, and buds and can go its entire life without drinking water, enabling them to survive in dry desert areas and scrublands. Currently, there are around 95,000 gerenuks among four countries.
ACTIVITIES IN SAMBURU:
GAME DRIVES
The lush vegetation along the Ewaso Nyiro River attracts plenty of wildlife. There are several weird and wonderful wildlife species endemic to this area such as the gerenuk, oryx, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, and the endangered Grevy's zebra.
BIRDING
The park has over 450 bird species. The lesser kestrel and the Taita falcon are species of international conservation concern and they are both found in the reserve. Other endangered species found here are the African darter, great egret, white-headed vulture, martial eagle and the yellow-billed ox-pecker.
CULTURAL TOURS
Visit the local Samburu villages where you can get a chance to interact with the colorful Samburu people in their traditional setting and experience their culture. This is an excellent opportunity to purchase traditional Samburu souvenirs, art and collectables.