City
Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
Africa, Egypt 195 spp. recorded
Cairo is the capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate. The city is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world, and the Middle East. Areas of what would become Cairo were inhabited from pre-dynastic and early-dynastic ancient Egypt c. Wikipedia
30.019° N 31.275° E
🦜 Nature
195 Species sighted
8,663 Verified sightings From 2019 to 2026
Apr Best month
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
EN
European Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
LC
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
Dromedary Camel
Camelus dromedarius
LC
Cairo Spiny Mouse
Acomys cahirinus
LC
Brown Rat
Rattus norvegicus
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
LC
African Chameleon
Chamaeleo africanus
LC
Ocellated Bronze Skink
Chalcides ocellatus
LC
Ringed Wall Gecko
Tarentola annularis
LC
Khorat Blind Snake
Indotyphlops braminus
LC
Rough-tailed Gecko
Cyrtopodion scabrum
LC
Flowered Whip Snake
Platyceps florulentus
LC
Forskal Sand Snake
Psammophis schokari
LC
Cairo Blind Snake
Myriopholis cairi
LC
Sinai Fan-fingered Gecko
Ptyodactylus guttatus
📊 Most Spotted
🌙 Most active after dark
LC
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
LC
Rough-tailed Gecko
Cyrtopodion scabrum
LC
Little Owl
Athene noctua
LC
Common Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchos
LC
Sardinian Warbler
Curruca melanocephala
LC
European Serin
Serinus serinus
Recent sightings in Cairo
LIVEiNaturalistWhere to look
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
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Pyramids of Giza / أهرامات الجيزة
-
River Nile Boat Ride at Maadi
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The Egyptian Museum (المتحف المصري)
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Marriott Mena House
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River Nile at Zamalek (الزمالك)--East Bank
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Mosque of Muhammad Ali and Surrounding Area / جامع محمد علي
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Gezira Island (الجزيرة)
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International Airport
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Al Azhar Park (حديقة الأزهر)
-
Rosetta Nile and Islands at Al Qnatir ElKhiyraya القناطر الخيرية
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Saqqara Pyramids
-
Canal near Dawlat Hanem Restaurant
Sighting Calendar
How many species you'd see in a day
29Jan
23Feb
19Mar
29Apr
23May
24Jun
24Jul
24Aug
28Sep
24Oct
25Nov
23Dec
🏙️ City
Essentials
Green cover
Low
Protected land
0.5%
Protected sea
—
Protected areas
2
areasWildlife spots
12
spotsZoos & centres
2
placesClimate
Hot desert
Climate
Temp °C Rain mm
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Zoos & rescue centres
0.0 Excellent
Wallace's Line Score
How good is this city for seeing wildlife? 🦜
Biodiversity
GoodHow rich is the wildlife?
3.1
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds 320
🐒 Mammals 75
🦎 Reptiles 74
🐸 Amphibians 10
479 Total Species
679 Global average across 380 cities
21 Threatened 0 Endemic
🔭
Sighting
Very goodHow likely to see animals?
4.2
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
71% 📊
Coverage (85 species at ≥5% of 479 in the inventory)
18% 🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (12 bird)
0% 🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
2 ⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
17 🏕️
Experience
GoodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
3.3
Climate Mixed Medium
Green cover Low Low
Protected land & sea 0.5% land Low
Protected areas 2 Medium
Wildlife spots 12 High
Zoos & centres 2 High
What visitors say
Before you go
What animals can you see in Cairo?
195 species
Cairo's urban area has 195 recorded vertebrate species. The ones wildlife watchers report most often on a given day are Hooded Crow (about 90%), Laughing Dove (about 90%), House Sparrow (about 90%), Barn Swallow (about 80%) and Rock Pigeon (about 80%). Among mammals, the most-seen is Least Weasel (about 30%); among reptiles, African Five-lined Skink (about 40%); among amphibians, Egyptian Toad (about 20%).
When is the best time to see wildlife in Cairo?
January and June
In those months the city's 12 most-seen species average about 80% on a given day, against about 60% in March.
Can you see an African Five-lined Skink in Cairo?
Yes
About 40% of wildlife watchers report an African Five-lined Skink sighting in Cairo on a given day, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is August (about 60%).
Can you see a Hooded Crow in Cairo?
Yes
About 90% of wildlife watchers report a Hooded Crow sighting in Cairo on a given day, based on 693 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is June and October (over 90%).
Can you see a Common Bulbul in Cairo?
Yes
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Common Bulbul sighting in Cairo on a given day, based on 374 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is May (about 90%).
Where in Cairo is wildlife easiest to see?
Pyramids of Giza / أهرامات الجيزة
The spot where most wildlife watchers record their sightings is Pyramids of Giza / أهرامات الجيزة (50 bird species recorded), followed by River Nile Boat Ride at Maadi and The Egyptian Museum (المتحف المصري). See them on the map.
Is Cairo good for wildlife watching?
3.9 out of 5
On the Wallace's Line Score, which rates each city against other cities, Cairo gets 3.9/5: 247th of 380 cities worldwide and 27th in Africa. 22 of its species are reported by about 40% or more of wildlife watchers on a given day.
Nearest Cities
Nearest Parks
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Nearest Zoos & Centres
Sources: urban area GHSL Urban Centre Database R2024A, European Commission JRC (CC BY 4.0) · protected land WDPA, UNEP-WCMC & IUCN (via GHSL) · climate NASA POWER · wildlife GBIF.org citizen-science data