KnowKi

Learn the wildlife of national parks

Learn the wildlife of Hwange National Park

Zimbabwe

789 species have research-grade observations inside Hwange National Park on iNaturalist. KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos, so you know what you're looking at before you go.

Start this trip in KnowKi →
Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill Tockus leucomelas110
  2. Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudatus105
  3. White-browed Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser mahali80
  4. Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus armatus64
  5. Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax55
  6. Cape Starling Lamprotornis nitens55
  7. Gray Crowned-Crane Balearica regulorum48
  8. Common Ostrich Struthio camelus47
  9. Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri47
  10. Cape Turtle Dove Streptopelia capicola46

Plants

  1. Mopane Colophospermum mopane12
  2. Camel Thorn Vachellia erioloba11
  3. Savanna Devilclaw Harpagophytum zeyheri9
  4. Large Devilthorn Dicerocaryum eriocarpum8
  5. Bloodlily Scadoxus multiflorus7
  6. African baobab Adansonia digitata7
  7. Hairy Spindlepod Cleome hirta7
  8. Puncture vine Tribulus terrestris5
  9. Makalani Palm Hyphaene petersiana5
  10. Dragon's-head Lily Gladiolus dalenii5

Mammals

  1. African Savanna Elephant Loxodonta africana275
  2. Plains Zebra Equus quagga178
  3. Southern Giraffe Giraffa giraffa166
  4. Lion Panthera leo111
  5. Greater Kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros103
  6. Chacma Baboon Papio ursinus103
  7. Impala Aepyceros melampus90
  8. Steenbok Raphicerus campestris76
  9. Common Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius73
  10. Black-backed Jackal Lupulella mesomelas67

Insects

  1. Guineafowl Butterfly Hamanumida daedalus20
  2. Southern Banded Groundling Brachythemis leucosticta11
  3. African Joker Byblia anvatara9
  4. Dancing Amber Telchinia serena9
  5. Creamstriped Owl Cyligramma latona8
  6. Orange-winged Dropwing Trithemis kirbyi7
  7. Convolvulus Hawkmoth Agrius convolvuli7
  8. Broad-bordered Grass Yellow Eurema brigitta7
  9. Sundowner moth Sphingomorpha chlorea7
  10. Painted Emperor Charaxes saturnus6

Spiders and kin

  1. Eastern Nomad Scorpion Hottentotta trilineatus15
  2. Robust Burrowing Scorpion Opistophthalmus carinatus7
  3. Hyllus treleaveni6
  4. Tree Docile Scorpion Opisthacanthus asper6
  5. Rough Thicktail Scorpion Parabuthus raudus6
  6. Orange Lesser-Thicktail Scorpion Uroplectes planimanus5
  7. Mozambique Rock Scorpion Hadogenes granulatus4
  8. Kalahari Burrowing Scorpion Opistophthalmus wahlbergii3
  9. Fort Hall Baboon Spider Pterinochilus lugardi3
  10. Afroneutria erythrochelis3

Reptiles

  1. Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus78
  2. Leopard Tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis34
  3. Wahlberg’s Striped Skink Trachylepis wahlbergii28
  4. Nile Monitor Varanus niloticus24
  5. Rainbow Skink Trachylepis margaritifer24
  6. Common Giant Plated Lizard Matobosaurus validus20
  7. Chobe Dwarf Gecko Lygodactylus chobiensis18
  8. Helmeted Turtle Pelomedusa subrufa13
  9. Flap-necked Chameleon Chamaeleo dilepis8
  10. Fischer's Thick-toed Gecko Chondrodactylus laevigatus7

Amphibians

  1. Grey Foam-nest Tree Frog Chiromantis xerampelina14
  2. Edible bullfrog Pyxicephalus edulis6
  3. Senegal Running Frog Kassina senegalensis5
  4. Mottled Shovel-nosed Frog Hemisus marmoratus4
  5. Red-Banded Rubber Frog Phrynomantis bifasciatus4
  6. Garman's Toad Sclerophrys garmani4
  7. Natal Puddle Frog Phrynobatrachus natalensis3
  8. Ornate frog Hildebrandtia ornata3
  9. African Red Toad Schismaderma carens1
  10. Bocage's Tree Frog Leptopelis bocagii1

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

Start this trip in KnowKi →

Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. Parks outside the U.S. are from the World Database on Protected Areas (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN, Protected Planet). KnowKi is not affiliated with the National Park Service or any park's managers. Free, with no ads, no account, and no purchases.