The wildlife of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...

is mostly located in remote or rugged terrain in the national parks and private wildlife ranches; it is spread over the landscapes of miombo woodlands and thorny acacia

Acacia

Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...

 or kopje. The prominent wild fauna members which inhabit this landscape are not only the "Big Five" – buffalo

African Buffalo

The African buffalo, affalo, nyati, Mbogo or Cape buffalo is a large African bovine. It is not closely related to the slightly larger wild Asian water buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear...

, elephant

Elephant

Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...

, leopard

Leopard

The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...

, lion

Lion

The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...

 and rhino

Rhino

Rhino is a colloquial abbreviation of rhinoceros"Rhino" may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Rhino , a character from the Marvel Comics universe and sometime-foe of Spider-Man...

 – but also antelopes, zebras and giraffes.

The introduction of the Wildlife Conservation Act of 1960 resulted in checking the loss of wildlife in Zimbabwe, since the 1960s. In the 1990s, it became one of the leading countries in Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

 in wildlife conservation and management with a reported income generation US$ 300 million per year from the protected areas of the state, rural community run wildlife management areas and private game ranches and reserves. The Parks and Wildlife Board consisting of 12 members is responsible for this activity and deciding on policy issues under the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Management.

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority under the Board has the onerous task of overseeing the activities related to 10 national parks, nine recreational parks, four botanical gardens, four safari areas, and three sanctuaries. These areas are collectively called the Wildlife Estate which covers an area about 47000 km² (18,146.8 sq mi), which is equivalent to 12.5% of the total land area of the country.

However, reports of National Geographic News

National Geographic Society

The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...

 indicate a disturbing trend of decimation of wildlife in Zimbabwe as result of “national economic meltdown” leading to overexploitation

Overexploitation

Overexploitation, also called overharvesting, refers to harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns. Sustained overexploitation can lead to the destruction of the resource...

 of the wildlife resources to meet the finances of the nation.

Legal codes

The Wildlife Conservation Authority initially protected and preserved wildlife in Zimbabwe as "king's game", which was changed to total state control subsequently. However, this created difficulties to the local population who were entirely dependent on the forests for their survival, as they were excluded from using indigenous wildlife resources and also gradually excluded from almost one-half of the country's land base. This seriously affected the sustainable exploitation of the wildlife resources as local people resorted to illegal poaching. However, in the 1960 the economic awareness created a policy shift in managing the wild life in the country when the Wildlife Conservation Act was introduced. This was followed by the Parks and Wildlife Act of 1975, which enabled the land owners "the right to manage wildlife for their own benefit, thus providing an economic rationale to reinforce the scientific, aesthetic and moral justifications for wildlife conservation." The Parks and Wildlife Act of 1975 has been amended and consolidated in 1982 in which certain animals to be protected have been listed. Taking off animals has been prohibited except under special permit issued by the minister for scientific or educational purposes or for captive breeding of falcons, live export, and re-stocking, wildlife management or defence of property. Provision also includes taking of indigenous plants, hunting of animals and regulation of fishing. Detailed regulations have been issued to the Act.

Wildlife estate

The Wildlife Estate includes ten national parks: the Chimanimani National Park (including the Eland Sanctuary), Chizarira National Park

Chizarira National Park

Chizarira National Park lies in Northern Zimbabwe. At , it is one of the larger National Parks, and also one of the least known because of its isolated situation on the Zambezi Escarpment. It has good wildlife populations and some majestic scenery....

, the Gonarezhou National Park

Gonarezhou National Park

Gonarezhou National Park is a National Park located in south-eastern Zimbabwe. It is situated in a relatively remote corner of Masvingo Province, south of Chimanimani along the Mozambique border. The park is a lowveld region of baobabs, scrublands and sandstone cliffs...

, the Hwange National Park

Hwange National Park

Hwange National Park is the largest game reserve in Zimbabwe. The park lies in the west, on the main road between Bulawayo and the widely noted Victoria Falls.It was founded around 1928 by a 22-year-old game ranger, Ted Davidson...

, the Kazuma Pan National Park

Kazuma Pan National Park

Kazuma Pan National Park is situated in Zimbabwe's extreme north-western corner.The Park lies on the Botswana border a short distance north-west of Hwange National Park. Some 77,345 acres in area, it provides one of Zimbabwe's few areas of plains scenery, with good visibility and sparse but...

, the Mana Pools National Park, the Matusadona National Park

Matusadona National Park

Matusadona is a game reserve park in northern Zimbabwe. The park takes its name from the local Matuzviadonha Hills and is a stunning combination of flat plains and rugged mountain country. The meaning of “Matuzviadonha” is “falling dung” - which was probably a comment on the sight of elephants...

, the Matobo National Park

Matobo National Park

The Matobo National Park forms the core of the Matobo or Matopos Hills, an area of granite kopjes and wooded valleys commencing some 35 kilometres south of Bulawayo, southern Zimbabwe...

, the Nyanga National Park

Nyanga National Park

Nyanga National Park lies in the north of Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands. One of the first national parks to be declared in the country, it contains the highest land in Zimbabwe, with green hills and perennial rivers. Most of its terrain consists of rolling downland, sometimes lightly wooded, lying...

, and Victoria Falls National Park

Victoria Falls National Park

Open to visitors throughout the year, the Victoria Falls National Park in north-western Zimbabwe protects the south and east bank of the Zambezi River in the area of the world-famous Victoria Falls...

 and Zambezi National Park

Lower Zambezi National Park

The Lower Zambezi National Park lies on the north bank of the Zambezi River in south eastern Zambia. Until 1983 when the area was declared a national park the area was the private game reserve of Zambia's president. This has resulted in the park being protected from the ravages of mass tourism and...

s.

Chimanimani National Park

Chimanimani National Park borders Mozambique in the southernmost area of the Eastern Highlands. It is a mountainous terrain with peak heights of 2436 metres (7,992.1 ft) and is the source of many streams and springs enriching the beauty of the park with natural falls such as in the Bridal Veil Falls in the Eland Sanctuary. spectacular views of the Pork Pie mountain range

Mountain range

A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...

 and the Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls, Bridalveil Falls or Bridalveil Fall is a frequently-used name for waterfalls that observers fancy resemble a bride's veil:-Australia:*Bridal Veil Falls , Blue Mountains National Park, New South Wales-Canada:...

, which plunges 50 metres (164 ft) down into a base about 10 m wide. The virgin forest cover is dense of the moist evergreen type. It is approachable only by trekking along hill tracks. It is 150 kilometres (93.2 mi) from the Mutare town. It has many wild life fauna such as eland

Taurotragus

Taurotragus, commonly called Eland, is a genus of antelopes of the African savannah, containing two species: the Common Eland and the Giant Eland...

, sable

Sable

The sable is a species of marten which inhabits forest environments, primarily in Russia from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, in northern Mongolia and China and on Hokkaidō in Japan. Its range in the wild originally extended through European Russia to Poland and Scandinavia...

, bushbuck

Bushbuck

The bushbuck is the most widespread antelope in Sub-Saharan Africa, and is found in rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaics and bush savannaforest and woodland. Recently, genetic studies have shown that the bushbuck, is in fact a complex of two geographically and phenotypically...

, blue duiker

Blue Duiker

Blue Duiker is a small forest dwelling duiker found in the Central Africa and southern South Africa.Blue Duikers stand around 35 centimetres tall at the shoulder and weigh 4 kilograms.They are the smallest of the antelope family. Blue Duikers have a brown coat with a slight blue tinge – hence...

, klipspringer

Klipspringer

The Klipspringer, Oreotragus oreotragus, is a small species of African antelope.-Name:The word klipspringer literally means "rock jumper" in Afrikaans/Dutch...

 and also Spotted Leopard, apart from butterflies

Butterfly

A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...

, bird

Bird

Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...

s, snake

Snake

Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...

s and shy cat

Cat

The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...

s.

Chizarira National Park

Chizarira National Park

Chizarira National Park

Chizarira National Park lies in Northern Zimbabwe. At , it is one of the larger National Parks, and also one of the least known because of its isolated situation on the Zambezi Escarpment. It has good wildlife populations and some majestic scenery....

 located in northwestern Zimbabwe covers a virgin forest land of area of 192000 hectares (474,441.9 acre); ‘Chizarira’ means.” "great barrier". Though it is one of the largest parks, its location is in the remote Zambezi Escarpment and has some of the best scenic vistas provided by its valleys, gorges, plateaus and flood plains. It abounds in large game fauna of elephant, lion, leopard and buffalo. Its bird species are the big five birds namely, the African Broadbill

African Broadbill

The African Broadbill, Smithornis capensis, is a species of bird in the Eurylaimidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria,...

, Livingstone's Flycatcher

Livingstone's Flycatcher

The Livingstone's Flycatcher is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family.It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....

, Yellow-spotted Nicator, Emerald Cuckoo

African Emerald Cuckoo

The African Emerald Cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea,...

, apart from Angolan Pitta and the Taita Falcon

Taita Falcon

The Taita Falcon is one of the smallest falcons in the Southern African Sub-region. It was first described from the Taita Hills of Kenya from which it derives its name. It is spread throughout the eastern portion of subsaharan Africa but is mostly found in Kenya...

.

Gonarezhou National Park

Gonarezhou National Park

Gonarezhou National Park

Gonarezhou National Park is a National Park located in south-eastern Zimbabwe. It is situated in a relatively remote corner of Masvingo Province, south of Chimanimani along the Mozambique border. The park is a lowveld region of baobabs, scrublands and sandstone cliffs...

, encompassing an area of about 5000 km² (1,930.5 sq mi), in southeastern Zimbabwe is in a remote region along the Mozambique border and is the second largest such park in the country; the first largest park is the Hwange National Park. ‘Gonarezhou’ in Shona

Shona language

Shona is a Bantu language, native to the Shona people of Zimbabwe and southern Zambia; the term is also used to identify peoples who speak one of the Shona language dialects: Zezuru, Karanga, Manyika, Ndau and Korekore...

 means "elephant

Elephant

Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...

's tusk" (which the herbalists used to store their medicines) and it also means "Place of many Elephants." The park’s habitat consists of baobab

Baobab

Adansonia is a genus of eight species of tree, six native to Madagascar, one native to mainland Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and one to Australia. The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that island....

s, scrub lands and sandstone cliffs in the lowveld

Veld

The term Veld refers primarily to the wide open rural spaces of South Africa or southern Africa and in particular to certain flatter areas or districts covered in grass or low scrub...

 region. The park is of very large size, in a rugged terrain, and hence remains unaffected by human interference. The park is within the ambit of the transboundary part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park

Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park

Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park is a 35,000 km² peace park that is in the process of being formed. It will link the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, Kruger National Park in South Africa, Gonarezhou National Park, Manjinji Pan Sanctuary and Malipati Safari Area in Zimbabwe, as well as the...

, a peace park

Peace Park

Peace Park may refer to:*Peace park, another name for a transboundary protected area*Santiphap Park, Bangkok, also known as Peace Park*Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, a park in Hiroshima, Japan dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to be nuclear bombed* Peace Park , a...

 that links Gonarezhou with the Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers and extends from north to south and from east to west.To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is...

 in South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

 and the Limpopo National Park

Limpopo National Park

The Limpopo National Park was born when the status of Coutada 16 Wildlife Utilisation Area in Gaza Province, Mozambique, was changed from a hunting concession to a protected area....

 in Mozambique

Mozambique

Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...

. Animals move freely between the three sanctuaries. The park's rich wild life consists of 500 species of birds, 147 species of mammals, more than 116 species of reptiles, 34 species of frogs and 49 species of fish. The park's rivers and pools have some unique species of aqua fauna such as the Zambezi Shark, Freshwater Goby, Black Bream

Black bream

Black bream may refer to:* One of two porgies in the genus Acanthopagrus.**Southern black bream, Acanthopagrus butcheri**Yellowfin bream, Acanthopagrus australis* Galjoen, Dichistius capensis* Black drummer, Girella elevata....

 and the turquoise killifish.

Hwange National Park

The Hwange National Park

Hwange National Park

Hwange National Park is the largest game reserve in Zimbabwe. The park lies in the west, on the main road between Bulawayo and the widely noted Victoria Falls.It was founded around 1928 by a 22-year-old game ranger, Ted Davidson...

 (formerly Wankie) established in 1929 with an area of 14650 km² (5,656.4 sq mi) is the largest park and game reserve in Zimbabwe in the northwest corner of the country. The park lies on the main road between Bulawayo

Bulawayo

Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...

 and the widely noted Victoria Falls. In the 19th century it was the hunting ground of the Ndebele warrior-king Mzilikazi and it is named after the local Nhanzwa chief. The park is close to the edge of the Kalahari desert, a region with little water and very sparse, xerophile

Xerophile

Xerophiles are extremophilic organisms that can grow and reproduce in conditions with a low availability of water, also known as water activity. Water activity is a measure of the amount of water within a substrate that an organism can use to support sexual growth. Xerophiles are often said to...

 vegetation. While the park abounds in elephant population (one of the largest in the world), it also hosts 100 mammal species, including 19 large herbivores and eight large carnivores and 400 bird species; Zimbabwe's specially protected animals are all found here. Gemsbok

Gemsbok

The gemsbok or gemsbuck is a large antelope in the Oryx genus. It is native to the arid regions of southern Africa, but formerly some authorities included the East African Oryx as a subspecies...

, Brown hyena

Hyena

Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...

 and African wild dog

African Wild Dog

Lycaon pictus is a large canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded areas. It is variously called the African wild dog, African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, spotted dog, or ornate wolf...

s occur in fairly large numbers (the population of African wild dog

African Wild Dog

Lycaon pictus is a large canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded areas. It is variously called the African wild dog, African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, spotted dog, or ornate wolf...

s is stated to be of one of the largest surviving groups in Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

 now). The very large elephant population has been a matter of concern since, during drought years, they are a burden on the ecological balance of the region. Elephant culling has been done to restrict the population of elephants to 13,000 (less than 1 per km²); against the recommended population of 35,000 – 40,000 animals (0.6 per km²) for the country as a whole. Apart from culling the other suggested option to keep the elephant population under check is sterilization. Conservationists covering this area have also expressed concern at the large "deforestation, poaching and unsustainable resource exploitation" that is occurring in this national park attributed to political and economic instability in the country.

Kazuma Pan National Park

Kazuma Pan National Park

Kazuma Pan National Park

Kazuma Pan National Park is situated in Zimbabwe's extreme north-western corner.The Park lies on the Botswana border a short distance north-west of Hwange National Park. Some 77,345 acres in area, it provides one of Zimbabwe's few areas of plains scenery, with good visibility and sparse but...

 covers an area of 31300 hectares (77,343.9 acre) and is located in the northwest corner of Zimbabwe, between Kazungula and Hwange National Parks, and south-west of Victoria Falls. Basically, it was developed as a safe haven for the animals during the hunting season, as it formed an extension of the Matetsi Safari Area. It has a series of depressions, which enriches the ground water which is then pumped during the dry season. It has the largest concentration of about 2,000 buffaloes and also elephants and rhinos. Other species of wildlife seen here are: lion, leopard, giraffe, zebra, gemsbok

Gemsbok

The gemsbok or gemsbuck is a large antelope in the Oryx genus. It is native to the arid regions of southern Africa, but formerly some authorities included the East African Oryx as a subspecies...

, Roan Antelope

Roan Antelope

The Roan Antelope is a savanna antelope found in West, Central, East Africa and Southern Africa.Roan Antelope stand about a metre and half at the shoulder and weigh around 250 kilograms. Named for the "roan' colour , they have a lighter underbelly, white eyebrows and cheeks and a black face,...

, sable

Sable

The sable is a species of marten which inhabits forest environments, primarily in Russia from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, in northern Mongolia and China and on Hokkaidō in Japan. Its range in the wild originally extended through European Russia to Poland and Scandinavia...

, tsessebe, eland

Taurotragus

Taurotragus, commonly called Eland, is a genus of antelopes of the African savannah, containing two species: the Common Eland and the Giant Eland...

 and reedbuck

Reedbuck

Reedbuck is a common name for African antelopes from the genus Redunca. These species are:* Southern Reedbuck, Redunca arundinum* Mountain Reedbuck, Redunca fulvorufula* Bohor Reedbuck, Redunca redunca...

. The oribi

Oribi

Oribi are graceful slender-legged, long-necked small antelope found in grassland almost throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.-Description:...

, a small antelope, an endemic species, is rarely sighted in the depressions where a large variety of water birds such as stork

Stork

Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the biological order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families....

s, crowned crane

Crowned Crane

Crowned Crane may refer to:*Black Crowned Crane *Grey Crowned Crane *Red-crowned Crane or Japanese Crane...

s, stilt

Stilt

Stilt is a common name for several species of birds in the family Recurvirostridae, which also includes those known as avocets. They are found in brackish or saline wetlands in warm or hot climates....

s, cormorant

Cormorant

The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :...

s, duck

Duck

Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...

s and kingfisher

Kingfisher

Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...

s are also seen making it an attractive bird-watching site.

Mana Pools National Park

The Mana Pools National Park, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, extending over an area of 2196 km² (847.9 sq mi) (as part of the 10500 km² (4,054.1 sq mi) Parks and Wildlife Estate that stretches the Kariba Dam

Kariba Dam

The Kariba Dam is a hydroelectric dam in the Kariba Gorge of the Zambezi river basin between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is one of the largest dams in the world, standing tall and long.- Construction :...

 in the west to the Mozambique border in the east) is in the region of the lower Zambezi River in Zimbabwe where the flood plain turns into a broad expanse of lakes after each rainy season. As the lakes gradually dry up and recede, the region attracts many large animals in search of water, making it one of Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

's most renowned game-viewing regions. In Shona language

Shona language

Shona is a Bantu language, native to the Shona people of Zimbabwe and southern Zambia; the term is also used to identify peoples who speak one of the Shona language dialects: Zezuru, Karanga, Manyika, Ndau and Korekore...

, ‘Mana’ means “four” referring to the four large permanent pools formed by the meandering ox-bow lakes of the middle Zambezi River. Dande Safari Area (532 km² (205.4 sq mi)) established in 1968, and the Urungwe Safari Area (2870 km² (1,108.1 sq mi)) established in 1976 are contiguous to this park. The park’s habitat consists of islands, sandbanks and pools, flanked by forests of mahogany, wild figs, ebonies and baobabs. Alluvial deposits along the Zambezi have winterthorn with more diverse woodlands with species of Kigelia africana and Trichelia emetica on the top alluvial layers. The park has the country’s biggest concentration of hippopotamus

Hippopotamus

The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...

es and crocodile

Crocodile

A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...

s (Nile crocodiles in particular) and large dry season mammal populations of elephant

Elephant

Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...

 and buffalo

African Buffalo

The African buffalo, affalo, nyati, Mbogo or Cape buffalo is a large African bovine. It is not closely related to the slightly larger wild Asian water buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear...

. Spotted hyena

Spotted Hyena

The spotted hyena also known as laughing hyena, is a carnivorous mammal of the family Hyaenidae, of which it is the largest extant member. Though the species' prehistoric range included Eurasia extending from Atlantic Europe to China, it now only occurs in all of Africa south of the Sahara save...

, honey badger, warthog

Warthog

The Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...

, bushpig

Bushpig

The bushpig, Potamochoerus larvatus, is a member of the pig family and lives in forests, woodland, riverine vegetation and reedbeds in East and Southern Africa. Probably introduced populations are also present in Madagascar and the Comoros archipelago. Bushpigs are mainly nocturnal. There are...

, plains zebra

Plains Zebra

The plains zebra , also known as the common zebra or Burchell's zebra, is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. It ranges from the south of Ethiopia through East Africa to as far south as Angola and eastern South Africa...

 and many species of antelope are found here. Bird life consists of 380 species which includes Nyasa lovebird, yellow-spotted nicator

Yellow-spotted Nicator

The Western Nicator is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.-Distribution:It is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia,...

, rock pratincole

Rock Pratincole

The Rock Pratincole is a species of bird in the Glareolidae family.-Distribution and habitat:It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea,...

, banded snake-eagle and Livingstone's flycatcher

Livingstone's Flycatcher

The Livingstone's Flycatcher is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family.It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....

.

Matusadona National Park

Matusadona National Park

Matusadona National Park

Matusadona is a game reserve park in northern Zimbabwe. The park takes its name from the local Matuzviadonha Hills and is a stunning combination of flat plains and rugged mountain country. The meaning of “Matuzviadonha” is “falling dung” - which was probably a comment on the sight of elephants...

, a game reserve in 1963, was declared a national park in 1975 covering an area of 1400 km² (540.5 sq mi). It is bounded on the south by the Omay communal, on the north by the Matusadona lake, on the east by Sanyati Gorge and with the Ume River forming the east and west boundaries. It has three ecological zones namely, the lake and shoreline grassland forming the first zone, the Zambezi Valley floor made up of a mass of thick jesse

Jesse

Jesse, Eshai or Yishai, is the father of the David, who became the king of the Israelites. His son David is sometimes called simply "Son of Jesse" ....

 and mopane woodland (with sparse grass cover) as the second zone and; the Escarpment area of Julbernadia and Brachystegia woodlands constituting the third zone.

Black rhino, elephants and buffalo inhabit the park. Other species include night ape, honey badger, civet

Civet

The family Viverridae is made up of around 30 species of medium-sized mammal, including all of the genets, the binturong, most of the civets, and the two African linsangs....

, small spotted genet, slender mongoose

Slender Mongoose

The Slender Mongoose , also known as the Black-tipped Mongoose or the Black-tailed Mongoose, is a very common species of mongoose.-Range and habitat:...

, banded mongoose

Banded Mongoose

The Banded Mongoose is a mongoose commonly found in the central and eastern parts of Africa. It lives in savannas, open forests and grasslands and feeds primarily on beetles and millipedes. Mongooses use various types of dens for shelter including termite mounds...

, spotted hyaena, wild cat

Wild cat

The wildcat is a small cat with several subspecies and a very broad distribution, found throughout most of Africa, Europe, and southwest and central Asia into India, China, and Mongolia. It is a hunter of small mammals, birds, and other creatures of a similar or smaller size. Sometimes included is...

, lion

Lion

The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...

, leopard

Leopard

The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...

, yellow spotted dassie, black rhinoceros

Black Rhinoceros

The Black Rhinoceros or Hook-lipped Rhinoceros , is a species of rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Angola...

, zebra

Zebra

Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...

, warthog

Warthog

The Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...

, common duiker

Common Duiker

The Common Duiker, Sylvicapra grimmia, also known as the Grey or Bush Duiker, is a small antelope with small horns found in west, central, east, and southern Africa- essentially everywhere in Africa south of the Sahara, excluding the horn of Africa and the rainforests of the central and western...

, grysbok

Grysbok

A grysbok is a type of African antelope. The term can refer to either:* Sharpe's or Northern Grysbok, found in southeastern Africa; or* Cape or Southern Grysbok, found in the Cape region of South Africa....

, klipspringer

Klipspringer

The Klipspringer, Oreotragus oreotragus, is a small species of African antelope.-Name:The word klipspringer literally means "rock jumper" in Afrikaans/Dutch...

, waterbuck

Waterbuck

The Waterbuck is a large antelope found widely in Sub-Saharan Africa.Waterbuck stand at the shoulder. Males weigh and females . Their coats are reddish brown in colour and become progressively darker with age; they have a white 'bib' under their throats and white on their rumps...

, bushbuck

Bushbuck

The bushbuck is the most widespread antelope in Sub-Saharan Africa, and is found in rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaics and bush savannaforest and woodland. Recently, genetic studies have shown that the bushbuck, is in fact a complex of two geographically and phenotypically...

, scrub hare

Scrub Hare

The Scrub Hare, Lepus saxatilis, is a species of hare found in South Africa, parts of central Africa, and Namibia. It is found at about 1 - 2 km above sea level. Its dorsal fur is gray and black, while its ventral fur is white. It has a black and white tail, while it has lighter fur around its...

, porcupine

Porcupine

Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...

, vervet monkey

Vervet Monkey

The vervet monkey , or simply vervet, is an Old World monkey of the family Cercopithecidae native to Africa. The term "vervet" is also used to refer to all the members of the genus Chlorocebus....

, chacma baboon

Chacma Baboon

The Chacma baboon , also known as the Cape baboon, is, like all other baboons, from the Old World monkey family. With a body length of up to 115 cm and a weight from 15 to 31 kg, it is among the largest and heaviest baboon species. The Chacma is generally dark brown to gray in color,...

, side-striped jackal

Side-striped Jackal

The side-striped jackal is a species of jackal, native to central and southern Africa. Unlike its cousin, the smaller black-backed jackal, which dwells in open plains, the side-striped jackal primarily dwells in woodland and scrub areas....

, hippopotamus

Hippopotamus

The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...

, roan antelope

Roan Antelope

The Roan Antelope is a savanna antelope found in West, Central, East Africa and Southern Africa.Roan Antelope stand about a metre and half at the shoulder and weigh around 250 kilograms. Named for the "roan' colour , they have a lighter underbelly, white eyebrows and cheeks and a black face,...

, kudu

Kudu

The kudus are two species of antelope of the genus Tragelaphus:*Lesser Kudu, Tragelaphus imberbis*Greater Kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros- Etymology :...

 and bush squirrel, African Clawless Otter

African Clawless Otter

The African clawless otter , also known as the cape clawless otter or groot otter, is the second largest freshwater species of otter. African clawless otters are found near permanent bodies of water in savannah and lowland forest areas...

, white-tailed mongoose

White-tailed Mongoose

The White-tailed Mongoose is the largest species of mongoose. It is the only member of the genus Ichneumia.-Range and Habitat:...

, reedbuck

Reedbuck

Reedbuck is a common name for African antelopes from the genus Redunca. These species are:* Southern Reedbuck, Redunca arundinum* Mountain Reedbuck, Redunca fulvorufula* Bohor Reedbuck, Redunca redunca...

, sable antelope

Sable Antelope

The Sable Antelope is an antelope which inhabits wooded savannah in East Africa south of Kenya, and in Southern Africa.-Subspecies:There are four subspecies:* H. n. niger which is considered low risk conservation dependent...

, eland

Taurotragus

Taurotragus, commonly called Eland, is a genus of antelopes of the African savannah, containing two species: the Common Eland and the Giant Eland...

, civet

Civet

The family Viverridae is made up of around 30 species of medium-sized mammal, including all of the genets, the binturong, most of the civets, and the two African linsangs....

, rusty spotted genet, caracal

Caracal

The caracal is a fiercely territorial medium-sized cat ranging over Western Asia, South Asia and Africa.The word caracal comes from the Turkish word "karakulak", meaning "black ear". In North India and Pakistan, the caracal is locally known as syahgosh or shyahgosh, which is a Persian term...

 and bush pig; sighted on rarely are wild dog

Wild dog

Wild dog is a term broadly applied to canines which are either not domesticated or not owned. It may also refer to:* Feral dogs, domestic dogs living as wild animals....

, cheetah

Cheetah

The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...

, roan

Roan

Roan may refer to:*a roan, a valley that curves upward.*Battle of Roan's Tan Yard, an action during the American Civil War*John Roan school, a comprehensive secondary school in Blackheath, South-East London...

 and pangolin

Pangolin

A pangolin , also scaly anteater or Trenggiling, is a mammal of the order Pholidota. There is only one extant family and one genus of pangolins, comprising eight species. There are also a number of extinct taxa. Pangolins have large keratin scales covering their skin and are the only mammals with...

.

Matobo National Park

The Matobo National Park

Matobo National Park

The Matobo National Park forms the core of the Matobo or Matopos Hills, an area of granite kopjes and wooded valleys commencing some 35 kilometres south of Bulawayo, southern Zimbabwe...

 is part of the UNESCO Matubo Hills, became a national park covering an area of 44500 hectares (109,961.8 acre) which was established in 1953. It has an exclusive "Intensive Protection Zone" to protect the large population of Black

Black Rhinoceros

The Black Rhinoceros or Hook-lipped Rhinoceros , is a species of rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Angola...

 and White Rhinoceros

White Rhinoceros

The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros is one of the five species of rhinoceros that still exist. It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species...

. The name Matobo means "bald heads" and was selected by the Matabeleland

Matabeleland

Modern day Matabeleland is a region in Zimbabwe divided into three provinces: Matabeleland North, Bulawayo and Matabeleland South. These provinces are in the west and south-west of Zimbabwe, between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers. The region is named after its inhabitants, the Ndebele people...

 king Mzilikazi

Mzilikazi

Mzilikazi , also sometimes called Mosilikatze, was a Southern African king who founded the Matabele kingdom , Matabeleland, in what became Rhodesia and is now Zimbabwe. He was born the son of Matshobana near Mkuze, Zululand and died at Ingama, Matabeleland...

 whose grave lies in the Matobo Hills close to the park.

Matobo Hills includes a range of domes, spires and balancing rock formations created erosion and weathering within a granite plateau

Plateau

In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...

. It has diverse species of vegetation, including examples of mopane

Mopane

The mopane or mopani tree grows in hot, dry, low-lying areas, in elevation, in the far northern parts of southern Africa, into South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Angola and Malawi. The tree only occurs in Africa and is the only species in genus Colophospermum...

, Acacia

Acacia

Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...

, Brachystegia

Brachystegia

Brachystegia is a genus of tree of the sub-family Caesalpinioideae that is native to tropical Africa. Trees of the genus are commonly known as Miombo, and are the predominant tree in the Miombo woodlands of central and southern Africa.-Species:...

, Ficus

Ficus

Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...

, Azanza, Ziziphus

Ziziphus

Ziziphus is a genus of about 40 species of spiny shrubs and small trees in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, distributed in the warm-temperate and subtropical regions throughout the world. The leaves are alternate, entire, with three prominent basal veins, and long; some species are deciduous,...

, Strychnos

Strychnos

Strychnos is a genus of flowering plants, belonging to family Loganiaceae . The genus includes about 190 species of trees and lianas, distributed around the world's tropics....

and Terminalia

Terminalia (plant)

Terminalia is a genus of large trees of the flowering plant family Combretaceae, comprising around 100 species distributed in tropical regions of the world. This genus gets it name from Latin terminus, referring to the fact that the leaves appear at the very tips of the shoots.Trees of this genus...

. Along with rhinoceros, the park supports also a large number of animal species, including zebra

Zebra

Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...

, wildebeest

Wildebeest

The wildebeest , also called the gnu is an antelope of the genus Connochaetes. It is a hooved mammal...

, giraffe

Giraffe

The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...

, kudu

Kudu

The kudus are two species of antelope of the genus Tragelaphus:*Lesser Kudu, Tragelaphus imberbis*Greater Kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros- Etymology :...

, eland

Taurotragus

Taurotragus, commonly called Eland, is a genus of antelopes of the African savannah, containing two species: the Common Eland and the Giant Eland...

, Sable Antelope

Sable Antelope

The Sable Antelope is an antelope which inhabits wooded savannah in East Africa south of Kenya, and in Southern Africa.-Subspecies:There are four subspecies:* H. n. niger which is considered low risk conservation dependent...

, klipspringer

Klipspringer

The Klipspringer, Oreotragus oreotragus, is a small species of African antelope.-Name:The word klipspringer literally means "rock jumper" in Afrikaans/Dutch...

, leopard

Leopard

The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...

, hyena

Hyena

Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...

, cheetah

Cheetah

The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...

, hippo

Hippo

A hippo or hippopotamus is either of two species of large African mammal which live mainly in and near water:* Hippopotamus* Pygmy HippopotamusHippo may also refer to:-Given names:...

, warthog

Warthog

The Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...

, rock dassies, waterbuck

Waterbuck

The Waterbuck is a large antelope found widely in Sub-Saharan Africa.Waterbuck stand at the shoulder. Males weigh and females . Their coats are reddish brown in colour and become progressively darker with age; they have a white 'bib' under their throats and white on their rumps...

, wildcat

Wildcat

Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...

, springhare

Springhare

The springhare , or springhaas, is not actually a hare, but a member of the order Rodentia. It is one of a number of species in the genus Pedetes, and is native to southern Africa. Synonyms are P. caffer or P...

, common duiker

Common Duiker

The Common Duiker, Sylvicapra grimmia, also known as the Grey or Bush Duiker, is a small antelope with small horns found in west, central, east, and southern Africa- essentially everywhere in Africa south of the Sahara, excluding the horn of Africa and the rainforests of the central and western...

, crocodile

Crocodile

A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...

s, baboon

Baboon

Baboons are African and Arabian Old World monkeys belonging to the genus Papio, part of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. There are five species, which are some of the largest non-hominoid members of the primate order; only the mandrill and the drill are larger...

s and monkey

Monkey

A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...

s. The park is also rich in bird life, including Black Eagle

Black Eagle

The Black Eagle is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae, and is the only member of the genus Ictinaetus. They soar over forests in the hilly regions of tropical Asia and hunt mammals and birds, particularly at their nests...

, African Fish Eagle

African Fish Eagle

The African Fish Eagle or – to distinguish it from the true fish eagles , the African Sea Eagle – is a large species of eagle that is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa wherever large bodies of open water occur that have an abundant food supply. As a result of its large range, it is known in many...

, Martial Eagle

Martial Eagle

The Martial Eagle , is a very large eagle found in open and semi-open habitats of sub-Saharan Africa. It is the only member of the genus Polemaetus.-Description:...

, Secretarybird, Pied Crow

Pied Crow

The Pied Crow is a widely distributed African bird species in the crow genus.Structurally, the Pied Crow is better thought of as a small crow-sized Raven, especially as it can hybridise with the Somali Crow where their ranges meet in the Horn of Africa...

, Egyptian Goose

Egyptian Goose

The Egyptian Goose is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae, and is the only extant member of the genus Alopochen...

, francolin

Francolin

Francolins are birds that traditionally have been placed in the genus Francolinus, but now commonly are divided into multiple genera , although some of the major taxonomic listing sources have yet to divide them. They are members of the pheasant family, Phasianidae...

, and weavers. Fish species in the park include bass

Bass (fish)

Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...

, bottle fish, bream, catfish

Catfish

Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...

 and robustus

Robustus

Robustus, robust in Latin, may refer to:* Atheris squamiger robustus, a subspecies in the species Atheris squamigera, the green bush viper, variable bush viper or leaf viper, a venomous viper species found in west and central Africa...

. The park has a number of dams such as the Maleme Dam, the Mthselele Dam, the Toghwana Dam, the Mesilume Dam, which are all communal camp sites.

Nyanga National Park

The Nyanga National Park

Nyanga National Park

Nyanga National Park lies in the north of Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands. One of the first national parks to be declared in the country, it contains the highest land in Zimbabwe, with green hills and perennial rivers. Most of its terrain consists of rolling downland, sometimes lightly wooded, lying...

 in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe located at about 268 kilometres (166.5 mi) from Harare (connected by a black topped road) is made up of rolling green hills terrain with perennial rivers which spread through the 47000 hectares (116,139.4 acre) Park. The park lies between 1800 metres (5,905.5 ft) and 2593 metres (8,507.2 ft) elevation and has salubrious mountain climate. It is rich in flora and fauna. The faunal species seen in the park are the waterbuck, wildebeest, kudu, zebra, impala, sables and eland. The rivers in the park have fresh water fish such as the Nyanga trout. The visitor attractions in the park are: The Mount Nyangani (2593m), the Nyangombe Falls, Mutarazi Falls, Pungwe Gorge & Falls, Nyamuziwa Falls, Nyangwe & Chawomera Forts and the Trout Hatchery near Purdon Dam.

Victoria Falls and Zambezi National Park

The Victoria Falls and Zambezi National Park, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site are located on the western edge of Zimbabwe; the two together cover an area of 56000 hectares (138,378.9 acre) bounded by the Zambezi River, which borders with Zambia

Zambia

Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....

. The Falls and the Pa National Park are on the southern bank of the Zambezi River. The Victoria Falls, one of seven natural wonders of the world, is 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) wide, cascades 70–108 m (229.7–354.3 ) into the gorge and is formed by five different "falls", out of which four are in Zimbabwe. The catchment area of the falls is made up of rainforest

Rainforest

Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...

s with rich and unique species of flora and fauna. The flora consists of species of fig, mahogany and date palm. An attraction is the large baobab tree near the Falls which is 16 m in diameter and 20 metres (65.6 ft) tall. The notable wildlife in the parks consists of elephants, lions, buffalos, leopards and white rhinoceros apart from herds of sable antelope, eland, zebra, giraffe, kudu, waterbuck and impala. The Zambezi River is rich in fish fauna such as bream and fighting tigerfish

Tigerfish

Tigerfish is the common name for a variety of species from several different families of fish, usually on account of their colouration or otherwise fearsome appearance and teeth.- Alestiidae :...

.

Vegetation

The vegetation or flora type is generally uniform in Zimbabwe. Bushveld or thorny acacia savanna and miombo or dry open woodland dominate the central and western plateau. In the south and southeast, which are dry lowlands, thorny scrub and baobabs are extensive. Cactus

Cactus

A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...

-like euphorbias (similar to pipe organs), 30 species of aloes

Aloes

Aloe may refer:*Aloe, a genus of succulent plants, which includes several species:**Aloe arborescens**Aloe aristata**Aloe camperi**Aloe dichotoma**Aloe ngobitensis**Aloe vera**Aloe wildii*Aloe Ridge Game Reserve, in Gauteng, South Africa...

, wildflowers, profusion of jacarandas, and succulent tropical flowers and palms are some of the plant species commonly seen in the country.

The dominant woody species noted in the Northwest Matebeleland, the Sebungwe region, in the Zambezi River Valley and in Gonarezhou National Park are: C. mopane, B. plurijuga, Guibourtia coleosperma

Guibourtia coleosperma

Guibourtia coleosperma, aka African Rosewood, Large False Mopane, Rhodesian Copalwood, Machibi, is a species of Guibourtia in the family Fabaceae. It is a large evergreen tree found in open woodland and occurring almost exclusively on Kalahari Sand....

, Pterocarpus angolensis and Acacia

Acacia

Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...

 species, Julbernadia globiflora, Brachystegia boehmii

Brachystegia boehmii

Brachystegia boehmii is a tree native to eastern and southern Africa. It forms and an important component of miombo woodland. This particular species of Brachystegia occurs as far southwest as Botswana. Common names are Mfuti and Prince of Wales feathers.-Uses:The wood is medium reddish brown,...

, Erythrophleum africanum, P. angolensis, B. africana, Kirkia acuminata, Adansonia digitata

Adansonia digitata

Adansonia digitata is the most widespread of the Adansonia species on the African continent, found in the hot, dry savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa. It also grows, having spread secondary to cultivation, in populated areas...

, Screrocarya birrea, B. massaiensis, D. condylocarpon, T. sericea and Combretum

Combretum

The bushwillows or combretums, Combretum, make up the type genus of the family Combretaceae. The genus comprises about 370 species of trees and shrubs, roughly 300 of which are native to tropical and southern Africa, about 5 to Madagascar, some 25 to tropical Asia and approximately 40 to tropical...

 species. Brachystegia allenii, J. globiflora, C. apiculatum, Terminali stuhlmannii, and Acacia tortlis, Grewia spp., Terminalia prunioides, S. birrea, Commiphora spp., A. nigrescence, A. digitata, and T. sericea.

Flora

Some of the floral; species of Zimbabwe are: Conyza sumatrensis

Conyza sumatrensis

Conyza sumatrensis is an annual herb native to North America but naturalised worldwide.In certain countries the plant has started to exhibit resistance to herbicides....

, Hesperantha coccinea

Hesperantha coccinea

Hesperantha coccinea is a flowering plant in the family Iridaceae, native to South Africa and Zimbabwe....

 ((River Lily) and Strychnos spinosa. Flame lily (Gloriosa genus). It grows profusely throughout the country and hence is designated as the national flower of Zimbabwe. It is a climbing lily which reaches heights of 8 ft and has bright red and yellow petals.

Mammals

The mammal species reported in the entire wildlife of Zimbabwe (in national parks and reserves) including carnivores, bats, rodents and reptiles in that order are: African bush elephant

African Bush Elephant

The African Bush Elephant or African Savanna Elephant is the larger of the two species of African elephant. Both it and the African Forest Elephant have usually been classified as a single species, known simply as the African Elephant...

 (Loxodonta africana), African palm civet

African Palm Civet

The African palm civet , also known as the two-spotted palm civet, is a small mammal, with short legs, small ears, a body resembling a cat, and a long lithe tail as long as its body. Adults usually weigh . It is native to the forests of eastern Africa, where it usually inhabits trees...

 (Nandinia binotata), black duiker

Black Duiker

Black duiker is a forest dwelling duiker found in the southern parts of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Benin and Nigeria....

 (Cephalophus niger), Burchell's zebra

Burchell's Zebra

Burchell's Zebra is a southern subspecies of the Plains Zebra.-Range:Formerly Burchell's zebra ranged north of the Vaal/Orange river system, extending northwest via southern Botswana to Etosha and the Kaokoveld, southeast to Swaziland and Kwazulu-Natal...

 (Equus burchellii), mbarapi (Hippotragus niger), suni

Suni

Suni is a very small species of antelope. It occurs in south-east Africa in dense underbrush.Suni are around 12-17 inches high at the shoulder and weigh 10-12 pounds . They are usually reddish brown, darker on their back than their sides and legs. The belly, chin, throat and insides of legs are...

 (Neotragus moschatus), white rhinoceros

White Rhinoceros

The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros is one of the five species of rhinoceros that still exist. It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species...

 (Ceratotherium simum), striped bush squirrel

Striped Bush Squirrel

The Striped Bush Squirrel is a species of rodent in the Sciuridae family. It is found in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are moist savanna and plantations....

 (Paraxerus flavovittis), southern African hedgehog

Southern African Hedgehog

The Southern African Hedgehog is a species of mammal in the Erinaceidae family. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.-Physical description:...

 (Atelerix frontalis), yellow-backed duiker

Yellow-backed Duiker

The Yellow-backed Duiker , is an antelope found in central and western Africa. They have the widest range of any duiker in the genus Cephalophus....

 (Cephalophus silvicultor), meerkat

Meerkat

The meerkat or suricate, Suricata suricatta, is a small mammal belonging to the mongoose family. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan"...

 (Suricata suricatta), yellow baboon

Yellow Baboon

The yellow baboon is a baboon from the Old World monkey family.Cynocephalus literally means "dog-head" in Greek due to the shape of its muzzle and head. It has a slim body with long arms and legs and a yellowish-brown hair. It resembles the Chacma baboon but is smaller and its muzzle is not as...

 (Papio cynocephalus), Blue Duiker

Blue Duiker

Blue Duiker is a small forest dwelling duiker found in the Central Africa and southern South Africa.Blue Duikers stand around 35 centimetres tall at the shoulder and weigh 4 kilograms.They are the smallest of the antelope family. Blue Duikers have a brown coat with a slight blue tinge – hence...

 (Philantomba monticola), southern reedbuck

Southern Reedbuck

The Southern Reedbuck, Rietbok or Common Reedbuck is a diurnal antelope typically found in southern Africa.It was first described by Pieter Boddaert, a Dutch physician and naturalist, in 1785...

 (Redunca arundinum), Sharpe's grysbok (Raphicerus sharpei), spotted hyena

Spotted Hyena

The spotted hyena also known as laughing hyena, is a carnivorous mammal of the family Hyaenidae, of which it is the largest extant member. Though the species' prehistoric range included Eurasia extending from Atlantic Europe to China, it now only occurs in all of Africa south of the Sahara save...

 (Crocuta crocuta), black-footed cat

Black-footed Cat

The black-footed cat is the smallest African cat, and is endemic in the south west arid zone of the southern African subregion. It is one of the lesser studied African carnivores, and has been listed as Vulnerable by IUCN since 2002....

 (Felis nigripes), striped polecat

Striped Polecat

The Striped Polecat is a member of the Mustelidae family which somewhat resembles a skunk. It is found in savannahs and open country in sub-saharan Africa excluding the Congo basin and west Africa.Like other polecats, this carnivore is nocturnal...

 (Ictonyx striatus), serval

Serval

The serval , Leptailurus serval or Caracal serval, known in Afrikaans as Tierboskat, "tiger-forest-cat", is a medium-sized African wild cat. DNA studies have shown that the serval is closely related to the African golden cat and the caracal...

 (Leptailurus serval), African wild dog

African Wild Dog

Lycaon pictus is a large canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded areas. It is variously called the African wild dog, African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, spotted dog, or ornate wolf...

 (Lycaon pictus), black-backed jackal

Black-backed Jackal

The black-backed jackal , also known as the silver-backed or red jackal, is a species of jackal which inhabits two areas of the African continent separated by roughly 900 km. One region includes the southern-most tip of the continent, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe...

 (Canis mesomelas), large slit-faced bat

Large Slit-Faced Bat

The Large Slit-Faced Bat is a species of slit-faced bat with a broad distribution in forest and savanna habitats. N. marica , is the available name for the southern savanna species if it is recognized as distinct from this species.-References:* Mickleburgh, S., Hutson, A., Bergmans, W. & Fahr, J....

 (Nycteris grandis), lesser woolly bat

Lesser Woolly Bat

The Lesser Woolly Bat is a species of vesper bat in the Vespertilionidae family.It is found in Botswana, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.Its...

 (Kerivoula lanosa), Cape horseshoe bat

Cape Horseshoe Bat

The Cape Horseshoe Bat is a species of bat in the Rhinolophidae family. It is endemic to South Africa. Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, caves, and subterranean habitats . It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:* Jacobs, D., Cotterill, F.W. & Taylor, P. 2004. ...

 (Rhinolophus capensis), Blasius's horseshoe bat

Blasius's Horseshoe Bat

Blasius's Horseshoe Bat is a species of bat in the Rhinolophidae family found throughout large parts of the Mediterranean, Middle East and Northern Africa.-Physical appearance:...

 (Rhinolophus blasii), little free-tailed bat

Little Free-tailed Bat

The Little Free-tailed Bat is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,...

 (Chaerephon pumilus), eastern rock elephant shrew

Eastern Rock Elephant Shrew

The Eastern Rock Elephant Shrew or Eastern Rock Sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the Macroscelididae family. It is found in Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland and rocky areas....

 (Elephantulus myurus), short-snouted elephant shrew

Short-snouted Elephant Shrew

The Short-snouted Elephant Shrew or Short-snouted Sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the Macroscelididae family. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe...

 (Elephantulus brachyrhynchus), yellow mongoose

Yellow Mongoose

The Yellow Mongoose , sometimes referred to as the Red Meerkat, is a small mammal averaging about 1 lb in weight and about 20 in in length...

 (Cynictis penicillata), gray climbing mouse

Gray Climbing Mouse

The Gray Climbing Mouse is a species of rodent in the Nesomyidae family.It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.Its natural...

 (Dendromus melanotis), pouched mouse (Saccostomus campestris) and Twig snake

Twig snake

The twig or bird snakes of the genus Thelotornis are a group of back-fanged, colubrid snakes in the family Colubridae. All species have a slender and elongated profile, a long tail, narrow head and pointed snout. The eyes of each species have horizontal pupils, shaped like keyholes, which gives...

 (Thelotornis kirtlandii).

Aqua fauna

Aqua fauna species reported are the pike characid (Hepsetus odoe

Hepsetus odoe

The Hepsetus odoe, also known as the African pike or Kafue pike, is a predatory fish, and the only living member of the Family Hepsetidae.-Anatomy and Morphology:...

) and African bullfrog

African Bullfrog

The African Bullfrog is a species of frog in the Ranidae family. It is also known as the Pixie frog due to its Latin name....

 (Pyxicephalus adspersus). Fish species particularly noted in the Mana Pools National Park are tigerfish

Tigerfish

Tigerfish is the common name for a variety of species from several different families of fish, usually on account of their colouration or otherwise fearsome appearance and teeth.- Alestiidae :...

, bream, vundu

Vundu

The vundu is a catfish found in the African countries of Niger, Senegal, Egypt, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Zambia. It is also called the cur, lenda, or certa....

, nkupi, chessa, cornish jack

Cornish jack

The Cornish jack, Mormyrops anguilloides, is a species of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae, native to quiet waters in much of Sub-Saharan Africa. The largest species in its family, the Cornish jack is a nocturnal group hunter of smaller fishes, using electricity to locate its prey and...

 and lungfish

Lungfish

Lungfish are freshwater fish belonging to the Subclass Dipnoi. Lungfish are best known for retaining characteristics primitive within the Osteichthyes, including the ability to breathe air, and structures primitive within Sarcopterygii, including the presence of lobed fins with a well-developed...

.

Birds

The bird life in Zimbabwe consists of 685 species which included 10 globally threatened species and two introduced species.
The species found are of several families namely; one of Struthionidae (Ostrich

Ostrich

The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...

 Struthio camelus, 19 of Anatidae

Anatidae

Anatidae is the biological family of birds that includes ducks, geese and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica and on most of the world's islands and island groups...

 (one neatly threatened, Maccoa Duck

Maccoa Duck

The Maccoa Duck is a small long African stiff-tailed duck.Adult males have a chestnut body, a blue bill and a black head...

 Oxyura maccoa), two of Numididae, 11 of Phasianidae

Phasianidae

The Phasianidae is a family of birds which consists of the pheasants and partridges, including the junglefowl , Old World Quail, francolins, monals and peafowl. The family is a large one, and is occasionally broken up into two subfamilies, the Phasianinae, and the Perdicinae...

, three of Podicipedidae, two of Phoenicopteridae (including one threatened species of Lesser Flamingo

Lesser Flamingo

The Lesser Flamingo is a species in the flamingo family of birds that resides in Africa and in southern Asia...

 Phoenicopterus minor) , eight Ciconiidae, two of Phalacrocoracidae, one of Anhingidae (African Darter

African Darter

The African Darter , sometimes called the Snakebird, is a water bird of sub-Saharan Africa.-Taxonomy:The African Darter is a member of the darter family, Anhingidae, and is closely related to American , Oriental , and Australian Darters.-Description:The male is mainly glossy...

 Anhinga rufa), two of Pelecanidae, one of Scopidae (Hamerkop Scopus umbretta), 19 of Ardeidae (includes one Slaty Egret

Slaty Egret

The Slaty Egret, Egretta vinaceigula, is a small, dark egret. It breeds in Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique. It is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds applies...

 Egretta vinaceigula, Vulnerable and one enedangered species of Madagascar Pond-Heron

Madagascar Pond-heron

The Malagasy Pond Heron , also known as the Madagascar Pond Heron, is a species of heron in the Ardeidae family. It is found in Angola, Bahamas, Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mayotte, Mozambique, Rwanda, Réunion, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania,...

 Ardeola idae), One of Scopidae (Hamerkop Scopus umbretta, two Pelecanidae, two of Phalacrocoracidae, one of Anhingidae (Darter

Darter

The darters or snakebirds are mainly tropical waterbirds in the family Anhingidae. There are four living species, three of which are very common and widespread while the fourth is rarer and classified as near-threatened by the IUCN. The term "snakebird" is usually used without any additions to...

 Anhinga melanogaster, 13 of Falconidae

Falconidae

The falcons and caracaras are around 60 species of diurnal birds of prey that make up the family Falconidae. The family is divided into two subfamiles, Polyborinae, which includes the caracaras and forest falcons, and Falconinae, the falcons, kestrels and falconets.-Description:Falcons and...

 (including Lesser Kestrel

Lesser Kestrel

The Lesser Kestrel is a small falcon. This species breeds from the Mediterranean across southern central Asia to China and Mongolia. It is a summer migrant, wintering in Africa and Pakistan and sometimes even to India and Iraq. It is rare north of its breeding range, and declining in its European...

 Falco naumann Vulnerable species, three near threatened species namely, Red-footed Falcon

Red-footed Falcon

The Red-footed Falcon , formerly Western Red-footed Falcon, is a bird of prey. It belongs to the family Falconidae, the falcons. This bird is found in eastern Europe and Asia although its numbers are dwindling rapidly due to habitat loss and hunting. It is migratory, wintering in Africa...

 Falco vespertinus, Sooty Falcon

Sooty Falcon

The Sooty Falcon is a medium-sized falcon breeding from northeastern Africa to the southern Persian Gulf region. It belongs to the hobby group, a rather close-knit number of similar falcons often considered a subgenus Hypotriorchis...

 Falco concolor and Taita Falcon

Taita Falcon

The Taita Falcon is one of the smallest falcons in the Southern African Sub-region. It was first described from the Taita Hills of Kenya from which it derives its name. It is spread throughout the eastern portion of subsaharan Africa but is mostly found in Kenya...

 Falco fasciinucha), 49 of Accipitridae

Accipitridae

The Accipitridae, one of the two major families within the order Accipitriformes , are a family of small to large birds with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet. They feed on a range of prey items from insects to medium-sized mammals, with a number feeding on carrion and a...

 (including one endangered species Egyptian Vulture

Egyptian Vulture

The Egyptian Vulture is a small Old World vulture, found widely distributed from southwestern Europe and northern Africa to southern Asia. It is the only living member of the genus Neophron. It has sometimes also been known as the White Scavenger Vulture or Pharaoh's Chicken...

 Neophron percnopterus, two vulnerable species namely, Cape Griffon Gyps coprotheres and White-headed Vulture

White-headed Vulture

The White-headed Vulture is an Old World vulture endemic to Africa. It has a pink beak and a white crest, and the featherless areas on its head are pale. Its has dark brown upper parts and black tail feathers. The feathers on its lower parts and legs are white. It has a wing span of 2 m and spends...

 Trigonoceps occipitalis and three near threatened species namely, African White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus, Southern Banded Snake-Eagle

Southern Banded Snake-eagle

The Southern Banded Snake Eagle or Fasciated Snake Eagle is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is found in Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe....

 Circaetus fasciolatus and Pallid Harrier

Pallid Harrier

The Pale or Pallid Harrier is a migratory bird of prey of the harrier family. It breeds in southern parts of eastern Europe and central Asia and winters mainly in India and southeast Asia...

 Circus macrourus), five of Otididae (including one near threatened species Denham's Bustard Neotis denhami), 18 of Rallidae

Rallidae

The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small to medium-sized birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and the family also includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules...

 (includes one endangered species White-winged Flufftail

White-winged Flufftail

The White-winged Flufftail is a very rare African bird in the Rallidae family. Its scientific name honours South African ornithologist Thomas Ayres.-Description:...

 Sarothrura ayresi and near threatened species Corncrake Crex crex), one of Heliornithidae

Heliornithidae

The Heliornithidae are a small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet like those of grebes and coots. The family overall are known as finfoots, although one species is known as a Sungrebe. The family is composed of three species in three genera.-Description:Finfoots resemble...

 (African Finfoot

African Finfoot

The African Finfoot is an aquatic bird inhabiting the rivers and lakes of western, central, and southern Africa.-Description:...

 Podica senegalensis species), two of Gruidae (including vulnerable species Wattled Crane

Wattled Crane

The Wattled Crane, Bugeranus carunculatus is a large bird found in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. It is monotypical for its genus.At a height of up to , it is the largest crane in Africa and is the second tallest species of crane, after the Sarus Crane. The wingspan is , the length is...

 Bugeranus carunculatus), two of Turnicidae, two of Burhinidae, two of Recurvirostridae

Recurvirostridae

Recurvirostridae is a family of birds in the wader suborder Charadrii. It contains two distinct groups of birds, the avocets and the stilts .-Description and diet:...

, 18 of Charadriidae

Charadriidae

The bird family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings, about 64 to 66 species in all.- Morphology :They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings, but most species of lapwing may have more rounded wings...

 (including one near threatened species Chestnut-banded Plover

Chestnut-banded Plover

The Chestnut-banded Plover is a species of bird in the Charadriidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....

 Charadrius pallidus), one of Rostratulidae (Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis species), two of Jacanidae, 24 of Scolopacidae

Scolopacidae

The sandpipers are a large family, Scolopacidae, of waders or shorebirds. They include many species called sandpipers, as well as those called by names such as curlew and snipe. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil...

 (including three nearly threatened species, Great Snipe

Great Snipe

The Great Snipe, Gallinago media is a small stocky wader in the genus Gallinago.This bird's breeding habitat is marshes and wet meadows with short vegetation in north-eastern Europe including north-western Russia. Great Snipes are migratory, wintering in Africa...

 Gallinago media, Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

The Black-tailed Godwit, Limosa limosa, is a large, long-legged, long-billed shorebird first described by Carolus Linnaeus in 1758. It is a member of the Limosa genus, the godwits...

 Limosa limosa and Eurasian Curlew

Eurasian Curlew

The Eurasian Curlew, Numenius arquata, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia...

 Numenius arquata), five of Glareolidae

Glareolidae

Glareolidae is a family of birds in the wader suborder Charadri. It contains two distinct groups, the pratincoles and the coursers. The coursers include the atypical Egyptian Plover, Pluvianus aegyptius, which has sometimes been placed in its own family...

 (including one near threatened species Black-winged Pratincole

Black-winged Pratincole

The Black-winged Pratincole, Glareola nordmanni, is a wader in the pratincole bird family, Glareolidae.Their most unusual feature of the pratincoles is that although classed as waders they typically hunt their insect prey on the wing like swallows, although they can also feed on the...

 Glareola nordmanni), nine Laridae (including one near threatened species African Skimmer

African Skimmer

The African Skimmer is a skimmer that lives in Senegal to northern Congo River and southern Nile Valley, southern Tanzania to the Zambezi Valley, and then to Natal and Angola.- Appearance :...

 Rynchops flavirostris), four Pteroclididae, 14 of Columbidae (including one introduced species Rock Dove Columba livia), four of Psittacidae (including one threatened species Nyasa Lovebird Agapornis lilianae), five of Musophagidae, 18 of Cuculidae, two of Tytonidae

Tytonidae

Barn-owls are one of the two families of owls, the other being the true owls, Strigidae. They are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs with powerful talons...

, 10 of Strigidae, seven of Caprimulgidae, 11 of Apodidae, two of Coliidae, one of Trogonidae (Narina's Trogon Apaloderma narina species), five of Coraciidae (including one near threatened species European Roller

European Roller

The European Roller, Coracias garrulus, is the only member of the roller family of birds to breed in Europe. Its overall range extends into the Middle East and Central Asia and Morocco....

 Coracias garrulus), nine of Alcedinidae, eight of Meropidae, one of Upupidae (Common Hoopoe Upupa epops species), two of Phoeniculidae, eight of Bucerotidae, one of Bucorvidae (Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri species), seven of Ramphastidae, six of Indicatoridae, seven of Picidae

Picidae

The woodpeckers, piculets and wrynecks are a family, Picidae, of near-passerine birds. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia and New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions...

, one of Eurylaimidae (African Broadbill

African Broadbill

The African Broadbill, Smithornis capensis, is a species of bird in the Eurylaimidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria,...

 Smithornis capensis species), one of Pittidae (African Pitta

African Pitta

The African Pitta, Pitta angolensis, is a species of bird in the Pittidae family.It is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique,...

 Pitta angolensis species), six of Platysteiridae, three of Prionopidae, 16 of Malaconotidae, three of Campephagidae, five of Laniidae, four of Oriolidae, two of Dicruridae, three of Monarchidae, three of Corvidae, two of Nicatoridae, 12 of Alaudidae (including near threatened species Latakoo Lark

Latakoo Lark

The Latakoo Lark or Melodious Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family, that is currently threatened by habitat loss.- Range and population :...

 Mirafra cheniana), 18 of Hirundinidae (including one vulnerable species Blue Swallow

Blue Swallow

Blue Swallow is a 2005 South Korean film based on the true story of Park Kyung-won, an early Korean female pilot. The film became controversial when Park's alleged pro-Japanese activities came to light...

 Hirundo atrocaerulea), three of Stenostiridae

Stenostiridae

Stenostiridae, or the Fairy Flycatchers, is a family of small passerine birds proposed as a result of recent discoveries in molecular systematics . They are commonly referred to as stenostirid warblers....

, five of Paridae, two of Remizidae, one of Certhiidae (Spotted Creeper

Spotted Creeper

The Spotted Creeper is a small passerine bird, which is the only member of the subfamily Salpornithinae of the treecreeper family Certhiidae. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa and northern India in open deciduous forest and mango groves...

 Salpornis spilonotus species), nine of Pycnonotidae, two of Phylloscopidae

Phylloscopidae

Phylloscopidae is a newly described family of small insectivorous birds formerly placed in the Old World warbler family. Its members occur in Eurasia, ranging into Wallacea and Africa...

, 11 of Acrocephalidae

Acrocephalidae

Acrocephalidae is a family of oscine passerine birds, in the superfamily Sylvioidea....

, three of Megaluridae

Megaluridae

Locustellidae is a newly recognized family of small insectivorous songbirds , formerly placed in the Old World warbler "wastebin" family. It contains the grass-warblers, grassbirds, and the Bradypterus "bush-warblers". These birds occur mainly in Eurasia, Africa, and the Australian region...

, 31 of Cisticolidae

Cisticolidae

The Cisticolidae family of small passerine birds is a group of about 110 warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are often included within the Old World warbler family Sylviidae....

, nine of Sylviidae

Sylviidae

Sylviidae is a family of passerine birds that was part of an assemblage known as the Old World warblers. The family was formerly a wastebin taxon with over 400 species of bird in over 70 genera. The family was poorly defined with many characteristics shared with other families...

, one of Promeropidae (Gurney's Sugarbird

Gurney's Sugarbird

The Gurney's Sugarbird is a species of bird in the Promeropidae family.It is found in Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe....

 Promerops gurneyi species), one of Hyliotidae (Southern Hyliota

Southern Hyliota

The Southern Hyliota is a species of Old World warbler in the Sylviidae family.It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....

 Hyliota australis species), 31 of Muscicapidae (including one vulnerable species Swynnerton's Robin

Swynnerton's Robin

Swynnerton's Robin is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Swynnertonia.It is found in Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe....

 Swynnertonia swynnertoni), five of Turdidae, three of Timaliidae, one of Zosteropidae (African Yellow White-eye

African Yellow White-eye

The African Yellow White-eye is a species of bird in the Zosteropidae family.-Taxonomy:The taxa stenocricotus from Central Africa and kirki from the Comoros, by most authorities considered subspecies of the African Yellow White-eye, are occasionally considered separate species, the Cameroon Green...

 Zosterops senegalensis species), 10 of Sturnidae, two of Buphagidae, 16 of Nectariniidae (including one near threatened species Plain-backed Sunbird

Plain-backed Sunbird

The Plain-backed Sunbird, Anthreptes reichenowi, is a sunbird. The sunbirds are a group of very small Old World passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Flight is fast and direct on their short wings...

 Anthreptes reichenowi), 19 of Motacillidae

Motacillidae

The Motacillidae are a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. There are around 65 species in 6 genera and they include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. The longclaws are entirely restricted to the Afrotropics, and the wagtails are predominately found in Europe, Africa and...

, five of Emberizidae

Emberizidae

The Emberizidae are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with a distinctively shaped bill.In Europe, most species are called buntings. In North America, most of the species in this family are known as sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the sparrows, the...

, eight of Fringillidae, five of Passeridae, 24 of Ploceidae, 25 of Estrildidae and nine of Viduidae.

Some the prominent bird species reported by the website of University of Michigan Museum of Zoology are; common swift

Common Swift

The Common Swift is a small bird, superficially similar to the Barn Swallow or House Martin. It is, however, completely unrelated to those passerine species, since swifts are in the separate order Apodiformes...

 (Apus apus), Kori bustard

Kori Bustard

The Kori Bustard is a large bird native to Africa. It is a member of the bustard family. It may be the heaviest bird capable of flight....

 (Ardeotis kori), Grey Crowned Crane

Grey Crowned Crane

The Grey Crowned Crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although it nests in somewhat wetter habitats. This animal does not migrate....

 (Balearica regulorum), pied kingfisher

Pied Kingfisher

The Pied Kingfisher is a water kingfisher and is found widely distributed across Africa and Asia. Their black and white plumage, crest and the habit of hovering over clear lakes and rivers before diving for fish makes it distinctive. Males have a double band across the breast while females have a...

 (Ceryle rudis), great spotted cuckoo

Great Spotted Cuckoo

The Great Spotted Cuckoo is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes, which also includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals....

 (Clamator glandarius), South African galago

Mohol Bushbaby

The mohol bushbaby is a species of primate in the Galagidae family. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.Surprisingly, breeding populations of this species are to be...

 (Galago moholi), Nycteris grandis, martial eagle

Martial Eagle

The Martial Eagle , is a very large eagle found in open and semi-open habitats of sub-Saharan Africa. It is the only member of the genus Polemaetus.-Description:...

 (Polemaetus bellicosus), yellow-fronted canary

Yellow-fronted Canary

The Yellow-fronted Canary is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is known elsewhere and in aviculture as the Green Singing Finch....

 (Serinus mozambicus), Swynnertonia swynnertoni and black-rumped buttonquail (Turnix hottentottus). One-third of the world’s eagle species are reported from the Matobo National Park. Buff-spotted Flufftail

Buff-spotted Flufftail

The Buff-spotted Flufftail is a species of bird in the Rallidae family.It is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone,...

 and Stripe-cheeked Bulbuls are seen across the country. Bateleur

Bateleur

The Bateleur is a medium-sized eagle in the bird family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as buzzards, kites and harriers...

 eagle

Eagle

Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...

 is the only member of the genus Terathopius and probably the origin of the "Zimbabwe bird

Zimbabwe Bird

The stone-carved Zimbabwe Bird is a national emblem of Zimbabwe, appearing on the national flags and coats of arms of both Zimbabwe and Rhodesia, as well as on banknotes and coins...

", national emblem of Zimbabwe.