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Madikwe Animal and Plant Species

Explore all that this magical transition zone between the Kalahari thornveld and acacia bushveld has to offer. Marvel at the abundant bird- and wildlife. Make the most of the opportunity to observe the magnificent Big Five in their natural habitat. Madikwe is one of South Africa's largest game reserves, covering an area of 75,000 hectares, and home to 66 large mammal species and about 300 resident and migrant bird species. Please see the easy reference guide below of all the bird, mammal, tree and plant species you can expect to see in Madikwe Game Reserve.

  • icon Mammals Species
  • icon Birds Species
  • icon Tree Species
  • icon Grass Species
 
Scientific Name
Common Name
Thick Skinned Mammals
 Loxodonta africana  African Elephant                      
 Syncerus caffer  Cape Buffalo
 Hippopotamus amphibius  Hippopotamus
 Diceros bicornis  Black Rhinocerous
 Ceratotherium simum  White Rhinoceros
Carnivore Cats
 Felis silvestris lybica
 African Wild Cat
 Caracal caracal  Caracal
 Acinonyx jubatus  Cheetah
 Panthera pardus  Leopard
 Panthera leo  Lion
 Leptailurus serval  Serval
Dog Like
 Proteles cristatus  Aardwolf
 Otocyon megalotis  Bat-eared fox
 Canis mesomelas  Black-backed Jackal
 Parahyaena brunnea  Brown Hyaena
 Crocuta crocuta  Spotted Hyaena
 Vulpes chama  Cape Fox
 Lycaon pictus  Wild Dog
Miscellaneous
 Civettictis civetta  African Civet
 Mungos mungo  Banded Mongoose
 Helogale parvula  Dwarf Mongoose
 Paracynictis selous  Selous' Mongoose
 Galerella sanguinea  Slender Mongoose
 Cynictis penicillata  Yellow Mongoose
 Aonyx capensis  Cape Clawless Otter
 Mellivora capensis  Honey Badger
 Genetta tigrina  Large-spotted Genet
 Ictonyx striatus  Striped Polecat
 Poecilogale albinucha  Striped Weasel/Snake
Antelope
 Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi
 Blesbok
 Connochaetes taurinus  Blue Wildebeest
 Tragelaphus scriptus  Bushbuck
 Sylvicapra grimmia  Common Duiker
 Tragelaphus oryx  Eland
 Oryx gazella  Gemsbok
 Aepyceros melampus  Impala
 Oreotragus oreotragus  Klipspringer
 Tragelaphus strepsiceros  Kudu
 Redunca fulvorufula  Mountain Reedbuck
 Alcelaphus buselaphus  Red Hartebeest
 Antidorcas m. marsupialis
 Springbok
 Raphicerus campestris  Steenbok
 Damaliscus lunatus  Tsessebe
 Kobus ellipsiprymnus  Waterbuck
Pigs
 Potamochoerus larvatus  Bushpig
 Phacochoerus africanus  Warthog
Primates
 Papio cynocephalus ursinus
 Chacma baboon
 Galago moholi  Lesser Bushbaby
 Chlorocebus aethiops  Vervet monkey
Other Large Mammals
 Orycteropus afer  Aardvark / Antbear
 Equus burchelli  Burchell's Zebra
 Manis temminckii  Cape Pangolin
 Procavia capensis  Rock Hyrax/Dassie
 Heterohyrax brucei  Yellow-spotted Rock
Rabbits and Hares
 Lepus saxatilis  Scrub hare
 Lepus capensis  Cape hare
 Pronolagus randensis  Jameson's red rock
Other Smaller Mammals
 Hystrix africaeaustralis  Porcupine
 Pedetes capensis  Springhare
 Xerus inauris  Ground squirrel
 Paraxerus cepapi  Tree squirrel

 
C = Common
U = Uncommon
 
Status Common Name
C  Ostrich
C  Little Grebe (Dabchick)
C  Pinkbacked Pelican
C  Whitebreasted Cormorant
C  Reed Cormorant
C  Darter
U  Grey Heron
C  Blackheaded Heron
U  Goliath Heron
U  Purple Heron
C  Little Egret
U  Yellowbilled Egret
U  Black Egret
C  Cattle Egret
U  Squacco Heron
U  Greenbacked Heron
C  Dwarf Bittern
C  Hamerkop
C  White Stork
U  Black Stork
C  Abdim’s Stork
U  Marabou Stork
C  Yellowbilled Stork
C  Sacred Ibis
U  Glossy Ibis
C  Hadeda Ibis
C  African Spoonbill
C  Whitefaced Duck
U  Fulvous Duck
C  Egyptian Goose
U  South African Shelduck
C  Yellowbilled Duck
C  African Black Duck
C  Hottebtot Teal
C  Redbilled Teal
U  Cape Shovellor
C  Southern Pochard
U  Comb Duck (Knobbilled Duck)
C  Spurwinged Goose
U  Maccoa Duck
C  Secretarybird
U  Cape Vulture
C  African Whitebacked Vulture (Whitebacked Vulture)
C  Lappetfaced Vulture
C  Whiteheaded Vulture
C  Yellow billed Kite
C  Black Kite
C  Blackshouldered Kite
U  Black Eagle
C  Tawny Eagle
C  Steppe Eagle
C  Wahlberg’s Eagle
U  Booted Eagle
C  African Hawk Eagle
C  Martial Eagle
C  Brown Snake Eagle
U  Blackchested Snake Eagle (Blackbreasted Snake Eagle)
U  Bateleur Eagle
C  African Fish Eagle
C  Steppe Buzzard
C  Lizard Buzzard
C  Ovambo Sparrowhawk
U  Little Sparrowhawha
U  Shikra Goshawk (Little Banded Goshawk)
C  Gabar Goshawk
C  Pale Chanting Goshawk
U  African Marsh Harrier
C  Montagu’s Harrier
C  Pallid
C  African Harrier Hawk (Gymnogene)
U  Peregrine Falcon
U  Lanner Falcon
U  European Hobby
C  Western Redfooted Kestrel
C  Amur Redfooted Falcon (Eastern Redfooted Kestrel)
C  Rock Kestrel
U  Greater Kestrel
C  Lesser Kestrel
U  Coqui Francolin
C  Crested Francolin
C  Natal Francolin
C  Swainson’s Spurfowl (Swainso’s Francolin)
C  Common Quail
U  Harlequin Quail
C  Helmeted Guineafowl
U  Kurrichane Buttonquail
U  African Rail
C  Corncrake
C  Black Crack
C  Baillon’s Crack
U  Purple Gallinule
U  Common Moorhen
U  Lesser Moorhen
C  Redknobbed Coot
C  African Finfoot
C  Kori Bustard
C  Redcrested Korhaan
U  Northern  Black Korhaan
C  Old World Painted Snipe
C  Common Ringed Plover
C  Kittlitz’s Plover
C  Threebanded Plover
C  Crowned Lapwing (Crowned Plover)
C  Blacksmith Lapwing (Blacksmith Plover)
C  Wattled Lapwing (Wattled Plover)
C  Common Sandpiper
C  Wood Sandpiper
C  Marsh Sandpiper
C  Common Greenshank
U  Curlew Sandpiper
U  Little Stilt
C  Ruff
C  Blackwinged Stilt
C  Spotted Thicknee (Potted Dikkop)
U  Temminck’s Courser
U  Doublebanded Courser
U  Bronzewinged Courser
U  Blackwinged Pratincole
U  Whitewinged Tern
C  Namaqua Sandgrouse
C  Burchell’s Sandgrouse
U  Yellowthroated Sandgrouse
U  Doublebanded Sandgrouse
C  Speckled Pigeon (Rameron Pigeon)
C  African Olive Pigeon (Rameron Pigeon)
C  Redeyed Dove
C  Cape Turtle Dove
C  Laughing Dove
C  Namaqua Dove
C  Greenspotted Dove
U  African Green Pigeon
C  Meyer’s Parrot
C  Go-Away Bird (Grey Lourie)
U  Common Cuckoo (Eurasian Cuckoo)
C  African Cuckoo
C  Redchested Cuckoo
C  Black Cuckoo
C  Great Spotted Cuckoo
C  Striped Cuckoo
C  Jacobin Cuckoo
C  Klaas’s Cuckoo
C  Diderik Cuckoo
C  Burchell’s Coucal
C  Barn Owl
U  Marsh Owl
C  Scops Owl
C  Whitefaced Scops Owl (Whitefaced Owl)
C  Pearlspotted Owlet (Pearlspotted Owl)
C  Spotted Eagle Owl
C  Vereaux’s Eagle Owl (Giant Eagle Owl)
U  European Nightjar
U  Fierynecked Nightjar
C  Rufouscheeked Nightjar
C  Freckled Nightjar
C  African Black Swift
U  Common Swift (European Swift)
C  Whiterumped Swift
C  Little Swift
C  Alpine Swift
C  Palm Swift
U  Whitebacked Mousebird
C  Redfaced Mousebird
C  Pied Kingfisher
C  Giant Kingfisher
C  Malachite Kingfisher
C  Woodland Kingfisher
C  Brownhooded Kingfisher
C  Striped Kingfisher
C  European Bee-eater
U  Bluecheeked Bee-eater
C  Carmine Bee-eater
C  Little Bee-eater
U  Swallowtailed Bee-eater
C  European Roller
C  Lilacbreaster Roller
C  Purple Roller
C  African Hoopoe
C  Redbilled Hoopoe
C  Common Scimitarbilled Hornbill (Greater Scimiter Hoepoe)
C  Grey Hornbill
C  Redbilled Hornbill
C  Southern Yellow billed Hornbill
C  Blackcollared Barbet
C  Acacia Pied Barbet
C  Yellowfronted Tinker Barbet
C  Crested Barbet
C  Greater Honeyguide
U  Lesser Honeyguide
C  Brownbacked Honeybird (Sharpbilled Honeyguide)
C  Bennett’s Woodpecker
C  Goldentailed Woodpecker
C  Cardinal Woodpecker
C  Bearded Woodpecker
C  Monotonous Lark
C  Rufousnaped Lark
C  Flappet Lark
C  Sabota Lark
C  Dusky Lark
C  Redcapped Lark
U  Pinkbilled Lark
C  Chestnutbacked Sparrowlark (Chestnutbacked finchlark)
C  Greybacked Sparrowlark (Greybacked Finchlark)
C  Barn Swallow
C  Whitethroated Swallow
C  Pearlbreasted Swallow
C  Redbreasted Swallow
C  Greater Striped Swallow
C  Lesser Striped Swallow
C  South African Cliff Swallow
C  Rock Martin
C  House Martin
C  Sand Martin
C  Brownthroated Martin
U  Black Cuckooshrike
C  Forktailed Drongo
C  European Golden Oriole
C  Blackheaded Oriole
C  Black Crow
C  Pied Crow
C  Ashy Tit
C  Southern Black Tit
U  Cape Penduline Tit
C  Arrowmarked Babbler
C  Pied Babbler
C  Darkcapped Bulbul (Blackeyed Bulbul)
C  Kurrichane Thrush
C  Olive Thrush
C  Groundscraper  Thrush
C  Cape Rockthrush
U  Shorttoed Rockthrush
U  Capped Wheatear
C  Familiar Chat
U  Mocking Chat
C  Southern Anteating Chat (Anteating Chat)
C  Stonechat
U  Whitethroated Robin Chat (Whitethroated Robin)
C  Whitebrowed Scrub Robin (Whitebrowed Robin)
C  Kalahari Scrub Robin (Kalahari Robin)
C  Garden Warbler
C  Whitethroat
C  Chestnutvented Titbabbler
C  Icterine Warbler
U  Olivetree Warbler
C  Great Reed Warbler
C  African Marsh Warbler
U  European Marsh Warbler
C  European Sedge Warbler
C  African Sedge Warbler
C  Willow Warbler
U  Barthroated Apallis
C  Longbilled Crombec
C  Yellowbllied Eremomela
U  Burntnecked Eremomela
C  Greybacked Bleating Warbler
C  African Barred Warbler
C  Zitting Cisticola (Fantailed Cisticola)
C  Desert Cisticola
C  Tinkling Cisticola
C  Rattling Cisticola
C  Lazy Cisticola
C  Neddicky
C  Tawnyflanked Prinia
C  Blackchested Prinia
C  Spotted Flycatcher
U  Greytit Flycatcher (Fantailed Flycatcher)
C  Southern Black Flycatcher
C  Marico Flycatcher
C  Fiscal Flycatcher
C  African Pipit (African Pipit)
C  Longbilled Pipit
U  Buffy Pipit
C  Bushveld Pipit
C  Lesser Grey Shrike
C  Common Fiscal Shrike
C  Redbacked Shrike
C  MagpieShrike (Afrcan Longtailed Shrike)
C  Southern Boubou
C  Crimsonbreasted Shrike
C  Blackbacked Puffback
C  Brubru
C  Browncrowned Tchagra
C  Blackcrowned Tchagra
C  Greyheaded Bush Shrike
C  White Helmetshrike
C  Whitecrowned Shrike
C  Wattled Starling
C  Violetback Starling (Plumcoloured Starling)
C  Burchell’s Starling
C  Cape Glossy Starling (Glossy Starling)
C  Redwinged Starling
C  Redbilled Oxpecker
C  Marico Sunbird
C  Whitebellied Sunbird
C  Amethyst Sunbird (African Black Sunbird)
C  Cape White-eye
C  Redbilled Buffalo Weaver
C  Whitebrowed Sparrowweaver
C  House Sparrow
C  Great Sparrow
C  Cape Sparrow
C  Greyheaded Sparrow
C  Yellowthroated Petronia (African Yellowthroated Sparrow)
C  Scalyfeathered Finch
C  Masked Weaver
C  Redheaded Weaver
C  Redbilled Quelea
C  Golden Bishop
C  Whitewinged Widow Bird
C  Greenwinged Pytilia (Melba Finch)
U  Jameson’s Firefinch
C  Blue Waxbill
C  Violeteared Waxbill
C  Common Waxbill
C  Blackfaced Waxbill
C  Quail Finch
U  Cutthroat Finch
C  Redheaded Finch
C  Pintailed Whydah
C  Shafttailed Whydah
C  Longtailed Paradise Whydah (Paradise Whydah)
C  Dusky Indigo Bird (Black Widowfinch)
U  Purple Indigo Bird (Purple Windowfinch)
C  Village Indigo Bird (Steelblue Windowfinch)
C  Yelloweyed Canary
C  Blackthroated Canary
C  Streakyheaded Seedeater (Streakyhead Canary)
C  Goldenbreasted Bunting
C  Cape Bunting
C  Cinnamon Breasted Bunting
U  Larklike Bunting

 
Common Name Scientific Name
 Shepard’s tree  Boscia albitrunca
 Camel thorn  Acacia eriloba
 Sweet thorn  Acacia karroo
 Black thorn  Acacia mellifera
 Umbrella thorn  Acacia tortillis
 Blue thorn  Acacia erubescens
 Sickle bush  Dichrostachys cinerea
 Weeping wattle  Peltrophorum africanum
 Lavender Feverberry  Croton gratissimus
 Tamboti  Spirostachys Africana
 Marula  Sclerocarya  birrea
 Buffalo thorn  Ziziphus mucronata
 Red Ivory  Berchemia zeyheri
 River bushwillow  Combretum erythrophyllum
 Leadwood  Combretum imberbe
 Black monkey thorn  Acacia burkei
 Brandy bush  - - -
 Maidens flower  - - -
 Sandpaper raisen  Grewia flavescen
 Silver raisin  - - -
 Knob thorn  Acacia nigrescens
 Common hook thorn  Acacia caffra
 Scented thorn  Acacia nilotica
 River thorn  Acacia robusta
 Stink shepard's tree  Boscia foetida
 Red bushwillow  Combretum apiculatum
 Russet bushwillow  Combretum hereroense
 Rock combretum  Combretum moggii
 Velvet bushwillow  Combretum molle
 Large-fruited bushwillow  Combretum zeyheri
 Jackalberry  Diospyros mespiliformis
 Common wild pear  Dombeya rotundifolia
 Magic guarri  Euclea divinorum
 Large-leaved rock fig  Ficus abutilifolia
 Red-leaved rock fig  Ficus ingens
 White berry bush  Flueggea virosa
 Bushveld gardenia  Gardenia volkensii
 Common spike thorn  Gymnosporia buxifolia
 Transvaal red milkwood  Mimusops zeyheri
 Cork bush  Mundulea sericea
 Wild olive  Olea europaea
 Yellow pomegranate  Rhigozum obovatum
 Silver clusterleaf  Terminalia sericea
 Pipe stem  Vitex rhemanii
 Sourplum  Ximenia caffra caffra

 
Common Name Scientific Name
 Turpentine grass  Cymbopogon excavates
 Thatching grass  Hyparrhenia hirta
 Spear grass  Heteropogon contortus
 Wool grass  Anthephoria pubescens
 Cats Tail grass  Perotis patens
 Blue Buffalo grass  Cenchrus cilaris
 Natal Red Top  Melinis repens
 Love grass  Eragrotstis curvula
 Guinea grass  Panicum maximum
 Couch grass  Cynodon dactylon

What sets us Apart !

MALARIA FREE
Ideal for family or small groups
Rich biodiversity of game
Large elephant population
Over 350 bird species
Effortless road and air access

Why Book With Us

Personal inter-action
Lodges with high standards
Stay in control of your booking
Most special deals by far
Secure payment process (SSL)
South African based
Superior knowledge
Expert advice
No booking fees

Madikwe Entry Fees

Once-off payment
Paid directly by clients
Rebuilding and Recovery levy
  - R115
pppn (optional)
Gate Entry Fees
  - R180
per Adults per STAY
  - R 80  per Child  (3-9 yrs)
Guest Conservation Contribution (GCC)
  -  R190 per Adults per DAY
  -  R  95 per Child  (2-12 yrs)
• Bed Levy
  - ZAR 10 pppn from age 1 year old    
SUBJECT to change without notice,
Guests GCC are payable at the lodges and
will be added to guests' bills
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Once-off payment
Paid directly by clients
Flight Entry
  - R240 per Adult  
  - R150 per Child (3-9 yrs)  
SUBJECT to change without notice
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