Below you can find a complete list of Ivory Coast animals. We currently track 251 animals in Cote d’Ivoire and are adding more every day!
Cote d’Ivoire or the Ivory Coast is found in West Africa. It’s bordered to the south by the Atlantic Ocean, to the west by Liberia and Guinea, to the north by Mali and Burkina Faso, and to the east by Ghana. Though these other countries have unique and abundant wildlife, the Ivory Coast has the greatest biodiversity in all of West Africa. It contains 702 species of birds, 223 species of mammals, 125 species of reptiles, 111 species of fish, and 38 types of amphibians. It also has nine national wildlife parks to protect these animals.
The Official National Animal of Cote d’Ivoire
The national animal of the Ivory Coast is the elephant. The country’s coat of arms features an elephant’s head, and the country itself is named for the ivory that was taken, and still is taken, from the elephant. Because of this, ironically, the elephant is endangered and extinct from many of its traditional habitats on the African continent.
Where To Find The Top Wild Animals in Cote d’Ivoire
The Ivory Coast has nine national parks.
- They are Assagny National Park, which is found on the coast and was established in 1981.
- Abokouamekro National Park is the home of the white rhino and other species that were extirpated from the country.
- Banco National Park encloses a rainforest, grasslands, and savannas.
- Comoé National Park has a variety of habitats, including areas of tropical rainforest, forest islands, and savannas that are homes to a multiplicity of wildlife.
- Ivory Coast also has Îles Ehotilés National Park, which is, as its name says, a group of islands in Aby Lagoon that’s home to birds such as the western reef heron and whistling duck and mammals such as manatees, bush pigs, and spotted-necked otters.
- Marahoué National Park, founded in 1968, still exists but is in a bit of trouble, as much of it has been deforested. It used to be the home of chimpanzees, but now these primates appear to be extinct in this habitat.
- The good news is that Mont Péko National Park has a good number of chimpanzees.
- Mont Sângbé National Park has a variety of primates, including chimps and monkeys, including the Diana monkey and the king colobus. It’s also home to oribi, waterbucks and duikers, and the endangered slender-snouted crocodile.
- Taï National Park is home to endangered animals such as leopards, chimps and the pygmy hippopotamus. Birds found there include the Sierra Leone Prinia, the Green-tailed bristlebill, and the rufous fishing owl. There are also amphibians, reptiles, and insects such as dragonflies and scarab beetles.
The Most Dangerous Animals In Cote d’Ivoire Today
- African buffalo — When it comes to dangerous Ivoirean beasts, the African buffalo is pre-eminent. Every year at least 200 people are gored or trampled to death by the buffalo. A wounded buffalo will lie in wait to take revenge on a hunter and recruit members of its herd to help. It’s not called the “Widowmaker” for nothing.
- Hippopotamus — Hippos kill at least 500 people every year and some believe they kill as many as 3000. One popular way is to upend boats on the rivers. The occupants are then killed outright by the hippo or drown.
- Nile crocodile — The Nile crocodile is unique among these dangerous animals in that it actually hunts humans for provender. Between 175 and 469 of them are killed by Nile crocodiles yearly.
- Elephant — Elephants can be dangerous, especially males in musth. About 500 people a year are killed by elephants. The shrinking of their habitat has made elephants even more aggressive.
Endangered Animals In Cote d’Ivoire
Despite the efforts placed into protecting the animals of the Ivory Coast, some are still endangered, and a few may be on the brink of going extinct, at least in their traditional habitat. Endangered animals include:
- Red colobus monkey. This monkey is endangered.
- Chimpanzee. The chimpanzee, the primate most closely related to humans, is also endangered.
- Hooded vulture. This vulture with its naked, bright red face is critically endangered.
- Atlantic humpback dolphin. This dolphin who swims off the Cote d’Ivoire’s coastline is critically endangered thanks to being accidentally caught in gill nets, habitat loss, pollution and climate change.
- Home’s hinge-back tortoise. This tortoise is considered vulnerable.
Ivory Coast Animals
Can move 2ft of soil in just 15 seconds!
Secretes up to 4g of musk every week!
Both male and female African elephants have tusks. In Asian elephants, only the males have tusks.
African fish eagles belong to the genus of sea eagles
The first image of an African golden cat was captured in the wild in Gabon in 2002.
When a grey parrot named Yosuke got lost, it was reunited with its owner after giving the owner's name and address.
The males raise the young
Solitary but gathers in groups!
Despite its name, actually originated from Africa and the Middle East
First evolved 100 million years ago!
Renew their horns every year!
They are so named because they "march" in armies of worms from one crop to another in search of food
Banana cinnamon ball pythons came from combining the banana and cinnamon genes.
People spin clothing and fishing nets out of these spiders’ silk.
There are over 1768 known species!
Found everywhere around the world!
Older offspring help care for new hatchlings.
Detects prey using echolocation!
Bed bugs feed for 4-12 minutes.
Rock paintings of bees date back 15,000 years
There are more than 350,000 different species
The bichir species is more than 400 million years old
Not all birds are able to fly!
The biscuit beetle form a symbiotic relationship with yeast
They typically prey on insects!
Long and heavy spiralled horns!
These snakes have been introduced to all continents, except Antarctica!
“Mild-Mannered Minimonsters”
Females glue egg cases to furniture
Can live its entire life indoors
"They look like you owe them money."
The most common species of bee!
In a series of leaps, this creature can cover almost 30 feet of distance in just a few seconds.
Bush vipers are predators, sinking their fangs into prey while dangling from a tree limb
There are thought to be up 17,500 species!
Some species' babies use their hooked or scraper-like teeth to peel off and eat their mother's skin
Has 20 different muscles in it's ears!
Carpenter ants can lift up to seven times their own weight with their teeth!
The Carpet Viper probably bites and kills more people than any other species of snake.
May have been domesticated up to 10,000 years ago.
The larvae of a moth or butterfly!
There are nearly 3,000 different species!
There are about 3,000 documented species!
There are more than 160 different species!
First domesticated more than 10,000 years ago!
Has 32 teeth including fang-like canines!
There are more than 2 000 known species!
Dated to be around 300 million years old!
Pupae are able to undergo diapause to survive poor fruit yield years and winter.
The most common raptor in the UK!
The common furniture beetle feeds exclusively on wood
House spiders have the ability to eat most insects in a home.
They can fly 35 mph and dive 150 feet below water.
Cosmic caterpillars have spots on their back that look like eyes to scare off predators.
There are nearly 1.5 billion worldwide!
There are 93 different crab groups
Crab Spiders can mimic ants or bird droppings
Many are critically endangered species!
Male crickets can produce sounds by rubbing their wings together
Have changed little in 200 million years!
Crocodylomorphs include extinct ancient species as well as 26 living species today.
A group of these birds is called a Murder.
Desert ghost ball pythons are even more beautiful when they're bred with another type like enchi ball pythons.
Solitary locusts are grey while gregarious locusts are yellow with stripes.
First domesticated in South-East Asia!
Dog ticks feed on dogs and other mammals
First domesticated 5,000 years ago!
Found in Europe, Africa and Asia!
It's larvae are carnivorous!
Rows of tiny plates line their teeth!
The dung beetle can push objects many times its own weight
Digs burrows in river banks to rest!
Has exceptional eyesight!
They are hermaphrodites, which means they have male and female organs
There are nearly 2,000 different species!
Eels can be a mere few inches long to 13 feet!
A duck species that resembles a goose when flying
The electric catfish can discharge an electric shock up to 450 volts
Spends around 22 hours a day eating!
Found exclusively on the African continent!
The fastest creatures on the planet!
False spiders actually prey on black widow spiders and other hazardous spiders
The fiddler crab gets its name from the motion the males make with their over-sized claw during the mating ritual.
The fire ball python morph is known for its rich golden and reddish-brown coloration.
The firefly produces some of the most efficient light in the world
Adult fleas can jump up to 7 inches in the air
There are more than 240,000 different species!
Only 12 species are considered "true foxes"
Freeway ball pythons come from breeding yellow belly and asphalt ball pythons.
There are around 7,000 different species!
Among the largest bats in the world
Fruit flies are among the most common research animals in the world
Named for the Arabic word for love poems
There are thought to be over 2,000 species!
Originally known as the Desert Rat!
The most common type of urban roach
The biggest snail species on land!
Found inhabiting dense woodland and caves!
Males form large mating swarms at dusk
Most closely related to the Sheep!
Migrates between Europe and Asia!
Goliath beetles are the largest beetles in the world, and they can carry objects several times their weight.
There are 11,000 known species!
Green mambas are fast, and can travel up to 7 miles per hour.
Found in a vairety of African habitats!
One of the most invasive species in the world
Able to run as quickly backwards as forwards!
Can reach speeds of over 50 mph!
Unlike other animals that move towards the water source, hartebeests move to more arid locations after rainfall.
Many hawk moth caterpillars eat toxins from plants, but don’t sequester them the way milkweed butterflies do. Most toxins are excreted.
Thought to be one of the oldest mammals on Earth!
Inhabits wetlands around the world!
Has pink anti-bacterial sweat!
One of earth's bravest creatures!
There are only 8 recognized species!
Stunning bird with a stinky way to deter predators!
Has evolved over 50 million years!
Horseflies have been seen performing Immelmann turns, much like fighter jets.
Thought to have orignated 200,000 years ago!
Some huntsman spiders have an interesting way of moving around. Some cartwheel while others do handsprings or backflips.
There are four different species!
Found in swamps, marshes and wetlands!
There are an estimated 30 million species!
The jacana has the ability to swim underwater
One of the biggest species in the Caranx genus
Can maintain speeds of 16 km/h!
Some can jump 50 times the length of their bodies
Killer clown ball pythons can cost several thousand dollars.
Inhabits wetlands and woodlands worldwide!
There are more than 5,000 species worldwide!
The first two lavender albino ball pythons were wild-hatched and imported from Africa.
Spends much of the time high in the trees!
The lesser jacana is nomadic, often moving in search of temporary wetland habitats.
The offspring of a lion and tiger parents!
Lives in small groups called prides!
There are around 5,000 different species!
Each locust can eat its weight in plants each day.
Will only live in wet areas
They are found across Europe, Asia and Africa!
The marabou stork does not have a voice box.
There are 2,500 known species worldwide!
They have a symbiotic relationship with ants.
Some species have a poisonous bite!
Instead of the typically banded or ‘alien head’ patterning of most ball python morphs, the Mojave morph’s patterning is characterized by lots of large, circular splotches with small, dark brown dots in their centers.
Primarily hunts and feeds on Earthworms!
Range in size from just 1 to 3 foot!
Has characteristics of two or more breeds!
Some species are thought to carry a weak venom!
There are around 260 known species!
Feeds on aquatic insects and water-spiders!
Only the female mosquito actually sucks blood
There are 250,000 different species!
Found on every continent on Earth!
The offspring of a horse and donkey parents!
Nematodes range in size from 1/10 of an inch to 28 feet long
Named more than 1,000 years ago!
Unlike other reptiles, the male Nile crocodile will stay with a female to guard their nest of eggs.
The Nile monitor is the world's fourth-largest lizard!
There are more than 5,000 species.
Northern pintails migrate at night with speeds reaching 48 miles per hour!
Olive baboons will sometimes form strong friendships with each other
The "Orange Dream" name came from the idea that the morph would make its first breeder a million dollars.
Females are about four times the size of males
Males oribis spend most of their time patrolling the borders of their territories; they can do this about 16 times an hour! However, 27% of their day is spent grazing.
The tradition of hiding your face with a napkin or towel while eating this bird was begun by a priest who was a friend of the great French gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin.
There are 13 different species worldwide
The owl can rotate its head some 270 degrees
The panda pied ball python morph is a combination of the piebald and black pastel traits.
Bad eyesight, but great sense of smell
Monk parakeets are the only parakeets that actually build nests. They’re also the only parakeets to nest in great colonies.
Can live for up to 100 years!
The fastest species of primate in the world!
Females lay between 8 and 12 eggs per clutch!
They can find their way back to their nests from up to 1300 miles away.
The mantis can turn its head 180 degrees.
Spends more time on land than in water!
Inhabits woodland and forest areas worldwide!
There are more than 300 different species!
Omnivores that eat anything!
Is the most populous bird in the world
They build their nests off the ground in tree holes, cavities, stone walls, and roofs
It's horns are made from keratin!
Inhabits freshwater habitats around the world!
There are more than 45 species in Australia alone!
Actually related to Elephants and Manatees!
The capybara, the world’s largest rodent, likes to be in and around bodies of water. Because of this, the Catholic Church in South America decided that it was a fish, and people were allowed to eat it during Lent and First Fridays.
Will mate with the entire flock!
Ferrets were used during the Revolutionary War to keep down the rat population.
The sand crab burrows beneath the sand with its tail
Savannah monitors are one of the most popular lizards in captivity.
There are around 2,000 known species!
The sea eagle tends to mate for life with a single partner
Males give birth to up to 1,000 offspring!
As a pet, the Senegal parrot is capable of "talking" to its owner
Can leap more than 1 meter into the air!
Around 35 million in the English countryside!
The spinal column of the shrew Scutisorex somereni is so strong and reinforced that it can support the weight of an adult human.
There are 2,000 different species worldwide!
Some skinks lay eggs in some habitats while giving birth to skinklets in other habitats.
They glide around on one foot, which is aided by the slime they produce
Has up to 45 eggs per egg case
There are nearly 1,000 different species!
There are around 4,000 known species worldwide
There are 140 different species!
They prey on spiders to feed their larvae or they parasitize other spider wasps.
Spitting cobras are types of cobras that can spit venom at predators and prey.
Small rodents found in woodlands worldwide!
There are more than 3,000 different species!
Because of their unique venom delivery system, stiletto snakes are almost impossible to hold safely in the usual way (with fingers behind the head) without being bitten.
They can’t sing like other birds.
Sunset ball pythons are bred with several other morphs to get designer colors.
Populations have been affected by pollution!
Tarantula hawks are excellent pollinators, especially for milkweed.
Their mounds can be up to 9 meters tall!
The skate with the biggest spines!
The American robin is called the robin because its red breast reminded European settlers of the robin back in the old country.
They inject hosts with a chemical that stops them from feeling the pain of the bite
The adult tiger beetle is one of the fastest land insects in the world
Can live until they are more than 150 years old!
Found in warmer jungles and forests!
Tsetse flies are large biting flies that live in the tropical regions of Africa.
Their name means “banana-eater,” but they rarely ever eat bananas.
Some species of aquatic turtles can get up to 70 percent of their oxygen through their butt.
Vinegaroons can spray 19 times before the glands are depleted
Vipers are one of the most widespread groups of snakes and inhabit most
There are 30 different species worldwide!
Has two sets of tusks on it's face!
There are around 75,000 recognised species!
Has been domesticated for thousands of years!
There are two different types of white ferrets!
Carnivorous arachnid that hunts its prey.
This animal can roll up into a ball
There are 200 different species!
The yellow belly gene is co-dominant and doesn't completely override other genes.
Stripe patterns are unique to each individual!
There are around 75 different species!
The offspring of Zebra and Donkey parents!
The offspring of a Zebra and Horse parents!
Ivory Coast Animals List
About the Author
AZ Animals is a growing team of animals experts, researchers, farmers, conservationists, writers, editors, and -- of course -- pet owners who have come together to help you better understand the animal kingdom and how we interact.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What animals live in Ivory Coast?
The Ivory Coast is one of the most diverse places in the world when it comes to wildlife. Among the mammals that live in its wildlife reserves and parks are chimpanzees, monkeys and baboons, zebras, leopards, African buffaloes, warthogs and antelopes. Birds include pigeons, herons, flamingos and storks. Insects include moths such as Amerila leucoptera, preying mantises such as Junodia lameyi and leaf beetles such as Pachnephorus gardinii. Reptiles include various species of lizards, including chameleons, as well as snakes and crocodilians such as the dwarf crocodile. Whales and dolphins are found offshore. Freshwater fish include the African butter catfish, the West African lungfish and the fourspine leaffish, whose conservation status is near threatened.
The Ivory Coast has an abundance of amphibians such as the Oban toad, the African giant toad, the savanna Banana frog and the four-striped tree-folding frog. Some amphibians may be extinct or extirpated from the Ivory Coast, including the Nigeria banana frog, the Namibia banana frog, the lime reed frog and the Egyptian toad.
Are there lions in the Cote d’Ivoire?
There are lions in the Cote d’Ivoire, but they are considered to be vulnerable.
Are there snakes in Ivory Coast?
There are many species of snakes in the Ivory Coast. They include the spotted bush snake, milk snakes, pythons, mambas, horned vipers and a unique snake called Polemon neuwiedi, or the Ivory Coast snake eater. Snakes are found in many habitats, including woodlands and the rainforest.
Does Ivory Coast have elephants?
The elephant whose tusks gave the country its name can be found in the Ivory Coast.
Does Ivory Coast have rhinos?
The southern white rhino has been introduced into the Ivory Coast. It isn’t actually white but gets its name from the Dutch “weit” which means wide. This describes the animal’s square lip and not its color. It is a different species from the black rhino.