THE SAMBURU SPECIAL FIVE

Travel to the Samburu National Reserve to see the Samburu ‘special five’ with Origins Safaris.

Known for more than just its big herds of elephant, prides of lion and leopard, Samburuland has its own ‘Special Five’ lurking in the dry bush: Grevy’s zebra, long-necked gerenuk, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich and Beisa oryx. Head out on a game drive in search of these unique creatures, some of which are found nowhere else in Africa, and explore the reserve.

Wild, rugged and enticingly empty (of tourists that is, not wildlife) Samburu National Reserve is a place of baked red earth, extraordinary vegetation and unsurpassed beauty. Cleaved in half by the Ewaso Nyiro river, there’s more water around than you might think, given the stark landscape, and the ribbons of green that hug the winding waterway attract elephant, buffalo and zebra. Look a little bit harder and you’ll find lion reposing in the shade of the golden tamarinds and leopard darting amongst the acacias. This is a desert wilderness that is absolutely worth discovering, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

The Samburu National Reserve is a special place. Located on the edge of Northern Kenya’s arid savannahs, it stands on its own for the rare and diverse game. You won’t find a more diverse concentration of wildlife anywhere else.

The Reticulated Giraffe

The reticulated giraffe makes its home in Somalia, southern Ethiopia, and northern Kenya. There are only about 8,500 left in the world. Shorter than the more common Masai giraffe, the reticulated giraffe’s spots are easily identifiable. They are shaped like polygons with straight, smooth sides, and are lighter brown in color.

Grevy’s Zebra

With only about 2,000 left in the wild, the Grevy’s zebra, which used to inhabit the plains of Somalia, Ethiopian, Djibouti, and Kenya are now confined to Southern Ethiopia and Northern Kenya. They are the largest of the wild equines and has a more mule-like appearance than the other zebra species. Their black and white stripes are narrow and close together, but their belly’s and base of the tail lack stripes – a characteristic unique to the Grevy’s zebra.

Somali Ostrich

In 2014, the Somali Ostrich was declared a distinct species of ostrich, setting itself apart from the common ostrich.The large flightless bird is identified by its gray-blue neck and thighs. During the mating season, the blue on males becomes a bright blue. While its numbers are shrinking, it can still be found in the Horn of Africa.

Beisa Oryx

There are two subspecies of the beisa oryx – the common beisa oryx found throughout the Horn of Africa and north of the Tana River, and the fringe-eared oryx found south of the Tana River in southern Kenya and Tanzania. Its coat is gray with a white belly and legs separated by a stripe of black, and thin, straight horns that are found on both the males and females.

Gerenuk

The gerenuk is an antelope with an exceptionally long giraffe-like neck. It feasts on leaves and shoots, flowers, fruits, and buds and can go its entire life without drinking water, enabling them to survive in dry desert areas and scrublands. Currently, there are around 95,000 gerenuks among four countries.

About Origins Safaris

At Origins Safaris we are passionate about wildlife, cultural heritage, adventure and exploration. We customize each and every safari to your personal requirements and expectations, ensuring an exclusive, unique and authentic experience every time.

Origins Safaris is a family business, founded in 1963 by Don and Margaret Turner. It is managed today by two subsequent generations of the family, and predominantly by Don’s son, Steve. We are so much more than just a travel broker – our years of experience, professionalism and reliability means that we go the all important extra mile, to make sure your dream safari is safe, memorable, educational and most of all great fun. We are renowned for our meticulous safari planning from start to finish, and the highest standards of natural history interpretation.

To make a safari to northern Kenya to seek out the Samburu special five your next Origins Safaris journey, contact us on https://www.originsafaris.com for more information and pertinent itinerary advice.

Origins Safaris – Authentic African Experiences Since 1963.