On the western coast of Africa, Senegal has a tropical climate, three major rivers, and dry grassland. This mixed environment is the perfect habitat for animals native to this region, which include the great white pelican, flamingo, zebra, giraffe, leopard, and banded white mongoose.
National Animal of Senegal
The lion is the national animal of this country. A lion appears on the Senegalese flag, and the national football team is named the Lions. Sadly, lions are among Senegal’s most endangered animals. Most of Senegal’s few remaining lions live at the 3500-acre Niokolo-Koba National Park.
Where To Find The Top Wildlife in Senegal
Most animals here live in one of the country’s six major national parks. Niokolo-Koba National Park is home to many Senegalese animals, including the Senegal hartebeest, green monkey, Guinean gerbil, and the Senegal one-striped grass mouse.
Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary is a protected nesting site for many exotic birds, including the marbled duck, black-crowned crane, Sudan golden sparrow, and red-throated bee-eater.
The Most Dangerous Animals In this country
- Hippopotamus: Hippos are the deadliest land animal in Africa. They kill more people in Senegal than lions or crocodiles. Under Senegalese law, it is illegal to kill one except in self-defense.
- Mosquito: This tiny, deadly insect is one of the most dangerous animals in this country. Mosquito-born malaria is one of the top 10 causes of death in Senegal.
Endangered and Extinct Animals in Senegal
Senegal’s endangered animals include the dama gazelle. At one time, huge herds of dama gazelles roamed the grasslands. Loss of habitat, hunting, and predators have reduced their population to a few hundred.
Extinct animals in this country include the scimitar-horned oryx, which is extinct in the wild but currently breeding in captivity.
Senegal is home to many rare, exotic animals. Efforts to protect Senegalese animals have created several national parks, and these are the best places to see the animals of this country.
Below you can find a complete list of Senegalese animals. We currently track 139 animals in Senegal and are adding more every day!
Senegalese Animals
Aardvark
Can move 2ft of soil in just 15 seconds!
African Civet
Secretes up to 4g of musk every week!
African Palm Civet
Solitary but gathers in groups!
Ant
First evolved 100 million years ago!
Antelope
Renew their horns every year!
Barb
There are over 2,000 known species!
Barn Owl
Found everywhere around the world!
Bat
Detects prey using echolocation!
Beetle
There are more than 350,000 different species
Bichir
The bichir species is more than 400 million years old
Bird
Not all birds are able to fly!
Black Widow Spider
They typically prey on insects!
Bongo
Long and heavy spiralled horns!
Bumblebee
The most common species of bee!
Bush Baby
In a series of leaps, this creature can cover almost 30 feet of distance in just a few seconds.
Butterfly
There are thought to be up 20,000 species!
Cat
First domesticated by the Ancient Egyptians!
Caterpillar
The larvae of a moth or butterfly!
Catfish
There are nearly 3,000 different species!
Centipede
There are about 3,000 documented species!
Chameleon
There are more than 160 different species!
Cheetah
The fastest land mammal in the world!
Chicken
First domesticated more than 10,000 years ago!
Cichlid
There are more than 2 000 known species!
Cockroach
Dated to be around 300 million years old!
Common Buzzard
The most common raptor in the UK!
Cow
There are nearly 1.5 million worldwide!
Crab
There are 93 different crab groups
Crab Spider
Crab Spiders can mimic ants or bird droppings
Crane
Many are critically endangered species!
Crocodile
Have changed little in 200 million years!
Desert Locust
Solitary locusts are grey while gregarious locusts are yellow with stripes.
Dog
First domesticated in South-East Asia!
Donkey
First domesticated 5,000 years ago!
Dragonfly
It's larvae are carnivorous!
Duck
Rows of tiny plates line their teeth!
Earwig
There are nearly 2,000 different species!
Eel
Eels can be a mere few inches long to 13 feet!
Elephant
Spends around 22 hours a day eating!
Elephant Shrew
Found exclusively on the African continent!
Falcon
The fastest creatures on the planet!
Flamingo
Sleeps on just one leg!
Fly
There are more than 240,000 different species!
Fox
There are 12 different species in the world!
Frog
There are around 7,000 different species!
Fruit Bat
Among the largest bats in the world
Gecko
There are thought to be over 2,000 species!
Gerbil
Originally known as the Desert Rat!
Glass Lizard
Can grow up to 4ft long!
Glow Worm
Found inhabiting dense woodland and caves!
Goat
Most closely related to the Sheep!
Golden Oriole
Migrates between Europe and Asia!
Grasshopper
There are 11,000 known species!
Green Bee-Eater
Mainly eats honeybees!
Guinea Fowl
Found in a vairety of African habitats!
Hamster
Able to run as quickly backwards as forwards!
Hare
Can reach speeds of over 40 mph!
Hedgehog
Thought to be one of the oldest mammals on Earth!
Heron
Inhabits wetlands around the world!
Hippopotamus
Has pink anti-bacterial sweat!
Honey Badger
One of earth's bravest creatures!
Honey Bee
There are only 8 recognized species!
Hoopoe
Stunning bird with a stinky way to deter predators!
Horse
Has evolved over 50 million years!
Horsefly
Horseflies have been seen performing Immelmann turns, much like fighter jets.
Human
Thought to have orignated 200,000 years ago!
Huntsman Spider
Some huntsman spiders have an interesting way of moving around. Some cartwheel while others do handsprings or backflips.
Hyena
There are four different species!
Ibis
Found in swamps, marshes and wetlands!
Insects
There are an estimated 30 million species!
Jackal
Can maintain speeds of 16 km/h!
Jerboa
Tiny rodent with a kangaroo-like jump!
Kingfisher
Inhabits wetlands and woodlands worldwide!
Ladybug
There are more than 5,000 species worldwide!
Leopard
Spends much of the time high in the trees!
Liger
The offspring of a lion and tiger parents!
Lizard
There are around 5,000 different species!
Locust
Each locust can eat its weight in plants each day.
Magpie
They are found across Europe, Asia and Africa!
Mayfly
There are 2,500 known species worldwide!
Millipede
Some species have a poisonous bite!
Mole
Primarily hunts and feeds on Earthworms!
Mongoose
Range in size from just 1 to 3 foot!
Mongrel
Has characteristics of two or more breeds!
Monitor Lizard
Some species are thought to carry a weak venom!
Monkey
There are around 260 known species!
Moorhen
Feeds on aquatic insects and water-spiders!
Moth
There are 250,000 different species!
Mouse
Found on every continent on Earth!
Mule
The offspring of a horse and donkey parents!
Nightingale
Named more than 1,000 years ago!
Nile Crocodile
When a female Nile crocodile’s hatchlings are in danger, she may hide them in a special pouch inside her throat.
No See Ums
There are more than 5,000 species.
Otter
There are 13 different species worldwide
Parrot
Can live for up to 100 years!
Patas Monkey
The fastest species of primate in the world!
Peregrine Falcon
Fastest animal on Earth
Pheasant
Females lay between 8 and 12 eggs per clutch!
Pigeon
They can find their way back to their nests from up to 1300 miles away.
Quail
Inhabits woodland and forest areas worldwide!
Rabbit
There are more than 50 different species!
Rat
Omnivores that eat anything!
Rhinoceros
It's horns are made from keratin!
River Turtle
Inhabits freshwater habitats around the world!
Robin
There are more than 45 species in Australia alone!
Rock Hyrax
Actually related to Elephants and Manatees!
Rodents
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.
Scorpion
There are around 2,000 known species!
Seahorse
Males give birth to up to 1,000 offspring!
Senegal Parrot
As a pet, the Senegal parrot is capable of "talking" to its owner
Serval
Can leap more than 1 meter into the air!
Sheep
Around 35 million in the English countryside!
Shrimp
There are 2,000 different species worldwide!
Skink Lizard
Some skinks lay eggs in some habitats while giving birth to skinklets in other habitats.
Snail
There are nearly 1,000 different species!
Snake
There are around 3,000 known species worldwide
Sparrow
There are 140 different species!
Squirrel
Small rodents found in woodlands worldwide!
Stick Insect
There are more than 3,000 different species!
Striped Hyena
The striped hyenas usually mark their territories with the help of the scent gland secretions from their anal pouch.
Sulcata Tortoise
Some cultures in Africa believe the sulcata tortoise is an intermediary between the people and their ancestors and gods.
Swan
Populations have been affected by pollution!
Termite
Their mounds can be up to 9 meters tall!
Thrush
The American robin is called the robin because its red breast reminded European settlers of the robin back in the old country.
Tortoise
Can live until they are more than 150 years old!
Tree Frog
Found in warmer jungles and forests!
Tsetse Fly
Tsetse flies are large biting flies that live in the tropical regions of Africa.
Vulture
There are 30 different species worldwide!
Warthog
Has two sets of tusks on it's face!
Wasp
There are around 75,000 recognised species!
Water Buffalo
Has been domesticated for thousands of years!
Wolf Spider
Carnivorous arachnid that hunts its prey.
Woodlouse
Actually a crustacean, not an insect!
Woodpecker
There are 200 different species!
Zebra
Stripe patterns are unique to each individual!
Zebu
There are around 75 different species!
Zonkey
The offspring of Zebra and Donkey parents!
Zorse
The offspring of a Zebra and Horse parents!
Senegalese Animals List
- Aardvark
- African Civet
- African Palm Civet
- Ant
- Antelope
- Barb
- Barn Owl
- Bat
- Beetle
- Bichir
- Bird
- Black Widow Spider
- Bongo
- Bumblebee
- Bush Baby
- Butterfly
- Cat
- Caterpillar
- Catfish
- Centipede
- Chameleon
- Cheetah
- Chicken
- Cichlid
- Cockroach
- Common Buzzard
- Cow
- Crab
- Crab Spider
- Crane
- Crocodile
- Desert Locust
- Dog
- Donkey
- Dormouse
- Dragonfly
- Duck
- Earwig
- Eel
- Elephant
- Elephant Shrew
- Falcon
- Flamingo
- Fly
- Fox
- Frog
- Fruit Bat
- Gecko
- Gerbil
- Glass Lizard
- Glow Worm
- Goat
- Golden Oriole
- Grasshopper
- Green Bee-Eater
- Guinea Fowl
- Hamster
- Hare
- Hedgehog
- Heron
- Hippopotamus
- Honey Badger
- Honey Bee
- Hoopoe
- Horse
- Horsefly
- Human
- Huntsman Spider
- Hyena
- Ibis
- Insects
- Jackal
- Jerboa
- Kingfisher
- Ladybug
- Leopard
- Liger
- Lizard
- Locust
- Magpie
- Mayfly
- Millipede
- Mole
- Mongoose
- Mongrel
- Monitor Lizard
- Monkey
- Moorhen
- Moth
- Mouse
- Mule
- Nightingale
- Nile Crocodile
- No See Ums
- Otter
- Parrot
- Patas Monkey
- Peregrine Falcon
- Pheasant
- Pigeon
- Quail
- Rabbit
- Rat
- Rhinoceros
- River Turtle
- Robin
- Rock Hyrax
- Rodents
- Scorpion
- Seahorse
- Senegal Parrot
- Serval
- Sheep
- Shrimp
- Skink Lizard
- Snail
- Snake
- Sparrow
- Squirrel
- Stick Insect
- Striped Hyena
- Sulcata Tortoise
- Swan
- Termite
- Thrush
- Tortoise
- Tree Frog
- Tsetse Fly
- Vulture
- Warthog
- Wasp
- Water Buffalo
- Wolf Spider
- Woodlouse
- Woodpecker
- Zebra
- Zebu
- Zonkey
- Zorse
