Nocturnal Animals To Look For At Night On A Kenya Safari

Nocturnal Animals To Look For At Night On A Kenya Safari

The vast savannahs, acacia woodlands and riverine forests in Kenya turn into a new world upon the setting of the sun, providing a special Kenya safari adventure experience to people who want to get the adrenaline rush of night game drives. Whereas daytime safaris are usually characterised by the presence of the famous Big Five and plains game in the African sun, night safaris in Kenya bring to light the activities of the elusive night animals that many tourists rarely get to see.

The Reason Why Night Safaris In Kenya Are Special

Kenya night safaris enable you to see the wild in a different light as you get to see animals which are not exposed in the daytime. Guides use red-filtered spotlights to follow and expose the nightlife of Kenya’s wildlife without disturbing it much. The night drives are offered in the privately owned conservancies and in some national reserves, which include Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and the conservancies surrounding the Masai Mara.

African Civet

The African civet is one of the nocturnal animals that can be observed during the Kenya safari. It is a cat-like mammal that has a very impressive black and white coat and a mane-like fur that grows down the back of the animal. Civets are insectivores, although they also eat small vertebrates, fruits and carrion. They can be found close to riverine and thickets, and they move slowly in search of food by using their good sense of smell.

The Aardvark

Catching a glimpse of an aardvark is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that many wildlife lovers would love to tick off their bucket lists during a night safari in Kenya. Aardvarks are timid underground-burrowing mammals, having a pig-like snout, large ears, and an effective digging power, by which they subsist upon termites and ants. These nocturnal animals are only active at night and are spotted roaming the savannah with their nose to the ground sniffing after insect colonies. The Laikipia region and the private conservancies offer the best opportunity to view aardvarks since they allow night drives.

Genets

Genets are small, lean carnivores; they are long-tailed with black rings on their tails, and they have beautiful spots on them. One can often observe these agile climbers in night drives, running across tracks or up trees on the hunt for insects, rodents and birds. The common ones are the small-spotted genet and the large-spotted genet, which make your Kenya night safari more lively.

Porcupines

Kenya also has the largest species of porcupine, called the crested porcupine, that can be spotted easily in the night game drive as it searches for roots, barks, and fallen fruits. Porcupines are known by their long, sharp quills, which make clanking sounds when the animal feels threatened; they are interesting animals to watch during the night. During your Kenya night safari, you can observe them as they waddle across the road or as they dig in the undergrowth.

Bush Babies

The galagos (bush babies) are small primates that have large reflective eyes that enable them to see very well in the darkness. They possess long tails and strong hind limbs, which enable them to jump between trees in their quest for insects and fruits. Their unique sounds and their abrupt movements in the trees are frequently pointed out during night safaris in Kenya, especially in those regions which have thick forests.

Hyenas

Though hyenas may be observed during the daytime, they are quite active at night, where they scavenge and hunt in the darkness. The most prevalent species, which can be found in Kenya in large numbers, is the spotted hyena, which is a social animal and can be heard giving whoops and giggles. Night drives also provide an opportunity to see hyenas hunting or scavenging on a carcass, which gives an insight into the fact that they are both predators and scavengers in the Kenyan ecosystem.

Serval Cats

The serval cat is a medium-sized, sleek cat with long legs, enormous ears and golden fur adorned with black spots and stripes. Servals are night predators, and they use their good sense of hearing to find rodents, frogs, and insects in the grasslands. A night safari in Kenya is a special experience as you may see a serval stalking across the tall grass, displaying the precise hunting abilities of the cat and its smooth manoeuvres.

Lesser Galago

Other than the Bush babies, you can also find the lesser galago, which is a smaller, yet very agile primate, capable of long jumps between branches. They are one of the most easily spotted night animals because their eyes shine in torchlight, and their high-pitched calls are usually heard throughout the night.

Spring Hares

Spring hares are sometimes confused with small kangaroos because of their long back legs and the way they hop. These rodents are nocturnal and feed on grasses and roots; they come out of their burrows at night. They are widely observed in Kenya at night when driving along the open grasslands as they hop away when illuminated by car lights.

Owls And Nightjars

During a night safari in Kenya, birdwatching involves the discovery of nocturnal species of birds, including owls and nightjars. There are a variety of owls found in Kenya, like the Verreaux eagle-owl and the African scops owl, which can be observed sitting quietly in trees as they search for their prey, which are rodents and insects. The nightjars, whose feathers are camouflaged, are also common and you find them sitting on the road or flying low, catching insects on the fl,y, and this is another reason to find your night safari more interesting.

How to Have A Good Night Safari In Kenya

Wear warm clothes because the temperature at night may be very low in Kenyan conservancies. Bring a camera that has a low-light lens (just in case you are allowed to bring one), and use a minimum flash to avoid interrupting wildlife. Follow the instructions of your guide and keep silent to have more opportunities to see some elusive nocturnal animals.

Night safaris are usually available in conservancies because night drives are not permitted in Kenya national parks, and thus, you should plan your itinerary to incorporate destinations where this can be done. A Kenya safari with a night drive is best done in conservancies such as Ol Pejeta, Lewa and the Mara North Conservancy.

Conclusion: Feel The Magic Of The Kenyan Nightlife

Are you prepared to see the nightlife of Kenya? Take a Kenya safari and have a night game drive to have the feel of the African wilderness under the stars, and learn the secret lives of the animals that dominate the night.