KnowKi

Learn the wildlife of national parks

Learn the wildlife of South Luangwa National Park

Zambia

478 species have research-grade observations inside South Luangwa 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.

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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. Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis116
  2. African Fish-Eagle Icthyophaga vocifer99
  3. White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bullockoides97
  4. African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus97
  5. Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudatus90
  6. Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis89
  7. Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca86
  8. White-crowned Lapwing Vanellus albiceps85
  9. Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri72
  10. Meves's Starling Lamprotornis mevesii70

Plants

  1. Sausage tree Kigelia africana41
  2. African baobab Adansonia digitata33
  3. Water Lettuce Pistia stratiotes18
  4. Mopane Colophospermum mopane12
  5. Mexican Poppy Argemone ochroleuca10
  6. Jackalberry Diospyros mespiliformis5
  7. Woolly Caperbush Capparis tomentosa5
  8. Ana tree Faidherbia albida5
  9. Tamarind Tamarindus indica4
  10. Lion's ear Leonotis nepetifolia4

Mammals

  1. Maasai Giraffe Giraffa tippelskirchi203
  2. Common Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius196
  3. African Savanna Elephant Loxodonta africana196
  4. Puku Kobus vardonii186
  5. Lion Panthera leo177
  6. Leopard Panthera pardus175
  7. Plains Zebra Equus quagga161
  8. Impala Aepyceros melampus119
  9. Yellow Baboon Papio cynocephalus119
  10. Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus113

Insects

  1. Southern Banded Groundling Brachythemis leucosticta11
  2. Dancing Amber Telchinia serena9
  3. Lucia Widow Palpopleura lucia7
  4. Red Basker Urothemis assignata7
  5. African Grass Blue Zizeeria knysna7
  6. Common Bluetail Ischnura senegalensis6
  7. African Veined White Pseudanaphaeis gidica6
  8. Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera5
  9. Broad Scarlet Crocothemis erythraea5
  10. Crimson-speckled Flunkey Utetheisa pulchella5

Spiders and kin

  1. Eastern Nomad Scorpion Hottentotta trilineatus3
  2. Gray Wall Jumping Spider Menemerus bivittatus2
  3. Common Garden Orbweb Spider Argiope australis1
  4. Usambara Baboon Tarantula Pterinochilus murinus1
  5. African Hermit Spider Nephilingis cruentata1
  6. Goldband Thyene Jumping Spider Thyene natalii1

Reptiles

  1. Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus129
  2. Nile Monitor Varanus niloticus38
  3. Flap-necked Chameleon Chamaeleo dilepis27
  4. Wahlberg’s Striped Skink Trachylepis wahlbergii13
  5. Spotted Bush Snake Philothamnus semivariegatus9
  6. Green Water Snake Philothamnus hoplogaster6
  7. Common Dwarf Gecko Lygodactylus capensis6
  8. Tropical House Gecko Hemidactylus mabouia6
  9. Southern African Python Python natalensis4
  10. Stripe-bellied Sand Snake Psammophis subtaeniatus3

Amphibians

  1. Grey Foam-nest Tree Frog Chiromantis xerampelina27
  2. Margined Reed Frog Hyperolius marginatus2
  3. African Red Toad Schismaderma carens1
  4. Red-Banded Rubber Frog Phrynomantis bifasciatus1
  5. African Clawed Frog Xenopus laevis1
  6. Müller's Clawed Frog Xenopus muelleri1
  7. Mozambique ridged frog Ptychadena mossambica1
  8. Anchieta's Ridged Frog Ptychadena anchietae1
  9. Giant African Bullfrog Pyxicephalus adspersus1

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.

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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.