City
Johannesburg
🇿🇦 South Africa
Africa, South Africa 418 spp. recorded
Johannesburg, colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "the City of Gold", is the capital city of the province of Gauteng and the largest city in South Africa. Despite not being the country’s official judicial capital, it is the seat of the country's highest court, the Constitutional Court. Situated on the mineral-rich Witwatersrand, the city has long been at the epicentre of the international mineral and gold trade. Wikipedia
26.179° S 28.046° E
🦜 Nature
418 Species sighted
91,765 Verified sightings From 2019 to 2026
Nov Best month
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
LC
Giant bullfrog
Pyxicephalus adspersus
LC
Senegal Kassina
Kassina senegalensis
LC
Painted Reed Frog
Hyperolius marmoratus
LC
Natal sand frog
Tomopterna natalensis
📊 Most Spotted
🌙 Most active after dark
Recent sightings in Johannesburg
LIVEiNaturalistWhere to look
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
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OR Tambo International Airport
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Sunrock Guesthouse
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Kloofendal Municipal Nature Reserve
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Golden Harvest Park
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Johannesburg Botanical Gardens
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James and Ethel Gray Park
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Lonehill Park and Municipal Nature Reserve
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Journey's Inn Africa
Sighting Calendar
How many species you'd see in a day
43Jan
43Feb
41Mar
43Apr
37May
32Jun
32Jul
33Aug
39Sep
44Oct
46Nov
44Dec
🏙️ City
Essentials
Green cover
Medium
Protected land
0.3%
Protected sea
—
Protected areas
5
areasWildlife spots
12
spotsZoos & centres
2
placesClimate
Subtropical highland
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
ExcellentHow rich is the wildlife?
5.0
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds 653
🐒 Mammals 145
🦎 Reptiles 111
🐸 Amphibians 32
941 Total Species
679 Global average across 380 cities
42 Threatened 5 Endemic
🔭
Sighting
Very goodHow likely to see animals?
4.2
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
68% 📊
Coverage (121 species at ≥5% of 941 in the inventory)
13% 🔀
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%)
21 🏕️
Experience
Very goodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
3.8
Climate Mixed Medium
Green cover Medium Medium
Protected land & sea 0.3% land Low
Protected areas 5 High
Wildlife spots 12 High
Zoos & centres 2 High
What visitors say
Before you go
What animals can you see in Johannesburg?
418 species
Johannesburg's urban area has 418 recorded vertebrate species. The ones wildlife watchers report most often on a given day are Hadada (about 90%), Southern Masked Weaver (about 80%), Laughing Dove (about 80%), Common Bulbul (about 80%) and Cape Sparrow (about 80%). Among mammals, the most-seen is Rock Hyrax (about 20%); among reptiles, Montane Speckled Skink (about 40%); among amphibians, Common River Frog (about 20%).
When is the best time to see wildlife in Johannesburg?
July to May
In those months the city's 12 most-seen species average about 70% on a given day, against about 60% in June.
Can you see a Cape Sparrow in Johannesburg?
Yes
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Sparrow sighting in Johannesburg on a given day, based on 3,473 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is September (about 90%).
Can you see a Karoo Thrush in Johannesburg?
Yes
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Karoo Thrush sighting in Johannesburg on a given day, based on 2,724 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is September to March (about 70%).
Can you see a Southern Masked Weaver in Johannesburg?
Yes
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Masked Weaver sighting in Johannesburg on a given day, based on 3,497 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is August to December (about 90%).
Where in Johannesburg is wildlife easiest to see?
Delta Park
The spot where most wildlife watchers record their sightings is Delta Park (142 bird species recorded), followed by OR Tambo International Airport and Meyer's Farm. See them on the map.
Is Johannesburg good for wildlife watching?
4.4 out of 5
On the Wallace's Line Score, which rates each city against other cities, Johannesburg gets 4.4/5: 121st of 380 cities worldwide and 12th in Africa. 23 of its species are reported by about 40% or more of wildlife watchers on a given day.
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