Kenya Wildlife Lookalikes: Zebras, Giraffes And Flamingos

Most safari brochures skip over this. Kenya has two zebra species, three giraffe species, and two flamingo species. All living wild and visible on a well-planned trip. Some are thriving. Some are down to their last few thousand. All of them are worth knowing before you go. Here is how to tell them apart.

The Two Zebras

Kenya has two zebra species and they share the same parks in the north. Most people never notice the difference. Despite looking similar, the two species are as genetically distant as a horse is from a donkey.

Grevy's Zebra

The rarer one. Tall, long-legged, with narrow stripes packed so tightly that they look handmade. The belly is completely white with no stripes crossing underneath. The ears are enormous and rounded, almost like a mule. Considered an endangered species, only around 3,000 remain in the wild. Kenya holds 90% of the global population, a testament to the country's conservation efforts. They thrive in dry, semi-arid woody vegetation.

Where to see it : Samburu , Buffalo springs , Ol Pejeta.

Plain Zebra

The one you've seen in every safari picture. Broader stripes, smaller ears, stockier build. Stripes wrap all the way under the belly. With a population of around 250,000 in Kenya, they are found in most parks. Mostly they prefer savannah, grasslands, woodlands and require frequent access to water. They are more social than Grevy's and prefer to move in close-knit herds.

Where to see it : Masai Mara, Amboseli , Tsavo , Nakuru , Samburu .

The Three Giraffes

The tallest living mammals on earth, giraffes are often seen browsing in trees across Kenya's parks. But what if we told you there are three different giraffes species you could spot on a single Kenya safari?

Masai Giraffe

The most common ones, from dark brown to orange patches with jagged , uneven edges like torn pieces of leather scattered across a cream background. The patches fades towards the lower leg but never disappear completely.With only around 40,000 remaining in the wild, they are considered a vulnerable species.

Where to see it : Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo East & West, Naivasha .

Reticulated Giraffe

The most striking of the three. Large, bold patches in rich chestnut-red with narrow, sharp white lines forming a perfect geometric shape which looks like a net. The pattern stays crisp and defined all the way to the hoof. With roughly 16,000 remaining in the wild, they are also considered a vulnerable species. Found almost exclusively in Northern parks of Kenya.

Where to see it : Samburu , Buffalo Springs & rarely spotted in Tsavo East.

Rothschild's Giraffe

The rarest of the three. Patches are paler and less defined than the other two. The giveaway is the lower legs - almost completely white, giving the impression as the giraffe is wearing cream stockings. Also has up to five ossicones (horns) instead of two, though the extras are subtle. Surviving in Kenya only through active conservation and translocation.
Only around 2,000 of them left in the wild making them an endangered species.

Where to see it : Lake Nakuru, Ol Pejeta, Giraffe centre (Nairobi)

The Two Flamingos

Kenya's Rift Valley lakes turn pink every year. But on closer inspection there are two different species of flamingos co-existing peacefully in the same ecosystem.

Lesser Flamingos

Lesser flamingos make up roughly 90–95% of all flamingos seen on Kenya's lakes. They are smaller, deeper pink and move in tightly packed flocks and are highly nomadic - migrating constantly in search of highly alkaline waterbodies which is necessary for their diet. Their population is estimated about 2-3 million, yet they are classified as Near Threatened due to rapid decline in recent decades.

Where to see it : Lake Nakuru, Lake Amboseli ( During wetter season )

Greater Flamingos

Greater Flamingos are the largest flamingo species in the world and the most widespread. In Kenya they share the soda lakes with lesser flamingos but are far fewer in number, typically making up only 5–10%. They are taller and paler than lesser flamingos and often feed in deeper water. Unlike lesser which feed primarily on algae, these birds also consume small insects and worms. They are less nomadic, as they can survive in both alkaline and freshwater bodies.

Where to see it : Lake Nakuru, Lake Amboseli ( During wetter season )