One of the reasons that makes the Samburu National Reserve unique, inside the Samburu Laikipia Ecosystem, is that you can observe animals that are not found elsewhere or that are very difficult to spot.
 
In particular, here is the Grevy zebra with its typical white and very thin black stripes, the reticulated giraffe with the particular spots of the mantle, the Somali Ostrich with the blue legs and neck, the gerenuk with its elongated neck that often is sighted standing on two legs while feeding from the bushes and the fringed-eared oryx, or East African oryx, with tawny hair; these animals are also known as the Samburu Special Five.
 
But in the reserve there are many other species both of mammals and birds.
 
The most common mammals easy to spot are: elephants present in large numbers, it is estimated that in the Samburu Laikipia Ecosystem there are more than 900, Grant gazelles, impalas, waterbucks, dik-diks, hippos, olive baboons, warthogs, lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffalos, hyenas, elands, jackals, klipspringer, mongooses and bats; in the reserve there are also wild dogs, but sightings are rare and difficult because these animals have a very large distribution area, within which they are constantly moving.
 
Unfortunately, in this area rhinos are no longer present due to hunting and poaching occurred in the past.
 
In the Reserve more than 450 species of birds have been recorded including: sunbirds, bee-eaters, kingfishers, woodpeckers, hornbills, barbets, whydahs, bishops, weavers, shrikes, fiscals, francolins, rollers, doves, starlings, oxpeckers, herons, egrets, Vulturine and Helmeted guineafowls, marabou storks, warblers, Kori bustards, Heuglin bustards, buff crested bustards, African darters, white-headed vultures, martial eagles, lesser kestrels, Taita falcons, pal-nut vultures, Egyptian vultures, lapped-faced vultures, Verreaux's eagle-owls, bateleurs, pygmy falcons, steppe eagles, Verreaux's eagles, secretary birds and many others.
 
Finally, in the Ngiro Ewaso river crocodiles of the Nile are present in large number, in the reserve there are also other reptiles such as the rare African spurred tortoise, a species at risk of extinction.
 
You can spot even the African Little Five, or the antlion, the buffalo weaver, the elephant shrew, the leopard tortoise and the rhinoceros beetle.

Samburu Special Five