City
Lusaka
🇿🇲 Zambia
Africa, Zambia 259 spp. recorded
Lusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is one of the fastest-developing cities in southern Africa. Lusaka is the centre of both commerce and government in Zambia and connects to the country's four main highways heading north, south, east, and west. Wikipedia
15.401° S 28.304° E
🦜 Nature
259 Species sighted
4,849 Verified sightings From 2019 to 2026
Apr Best month
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
LC
Impala
Aepyceros melampus
LC
Vervet Monkey
Chlorocebus pygerythrus
LC
Lesser Red Musk Shrew
Crocidura hirta
LC
Mohol Bushbaby
Galago moholi
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
LC
Red-lipped Snake
Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia
LC
Angola Dwarf Gecko
Lygodactylus angolensis
LC
Nile Monitor
Varanus niloticus
LC
Boulenger's Garter Snake
Elapsoidea boulengeri
LC
Chobe Dwarf Gecko
Lygodactylus chobiensis
LC
Olive Whip Snake
Psammophis mossambicus
LC
Cape Centipede-Eater
Aparallactus capensis
LC
Nile Crocodile
Crocodylus niloticus
📊 Most Spotted
LC
Common Squeaker
Arthroleptis stenodactylus
LC
Bocage's Tree Frog
Leptopelis bocagii
LC
Garman's Toad
Sclerophrys garmani
LC
Margined Reed Frog
Hyperolius marginatus
LC
Edible bullfrog
Pyxicephalus edulis
LC
Grey Foam-nest Treefrog
Chiromantis xerampelina
📊 Most Spotted
🌙 Most active after dark
LC
Common Squeaker
Arthroleptis stenodactylus
LC
Southern White-faced Owl
Ptilopsis granti
LC
Mohol Bushbaby
Galago moholi
LC
Garman's Toad
Sclerophrys garmani
LC
Edible bullfrog
Pyxicephalus edulis
LC
Spotted Eagle-Owl
Bubo africanus
Recent sightings in Lusaka
LIVEiNaturalistWhere to look
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Sighting Calendar
How many species you'd see in a day
27Jan
30Feb
26Mar
33Apr
32May
29Jun
31Jul
28Aug
29Sep
28Oct
26Nov
21Dec
🏙️ City
Essentials
Green cover
Medium
Protected land
3%
Protected sea
—
Protected areas
2
areasWildlife spots
1
spotsZoos & centres
0
placesClimate
Humid subtropical
World Heritage
No
Climate
Temp °C Rain mm
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
0.0 Excellent
Wallace's Line Score
How good is this city for seeing wildlife? 🦜
Biodiversity
ExcellentHow rich is the wildlife?
4.5
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds 601
🐒 Mammals 169
🦎 Reptiles 106
🐸 Amphibians 45
921 Total Species
679 Global average across 380 cities
30 Threatened 2 Endemic
🔭
Sighting
Very goodHow likely to see animals?
4.0
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% 📊
Coverage (109 species at ≥5% of 921 in the inventory)
12% 🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (10 bird, 2 reptile)
37% 🌟
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%)
14 🏕️
Experience
Very goodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
3.9
Climate Pleasant High
Green cover Medium Medium
Protected land & sea 3% land Medium
Protected areas 2 Medium
Wildlife spots 1 Low
Zoos & centres 0 Low
What visitors say
Before you go
What animals can you see in Lusaka?
259 species
Lusaka's urban area has 259 recorded vertebrate species. The ones wildlife watchers report most often on a given day are Common Bulbul (about 90%), Pied Crow (about 90%), Variable Sunbird (about 80%), Red-eyed Dove (about 80%) and Red-faced Mousebird (about 60%). Among reptiles, the most-seen is Wahlberg’s Striped Skink (about 60%); among amphibians, African Split-skin Toad (about 30%).
When is the best time to see wildlife in Lusaka?
May and July
In those months the city's 12 most-seen species average about 70% on a given day, against about 40% in December. Those are among Lusaka's driest months, with almost no rain against 210 mm in January.
Can you see a Wahlberg’s Striped Skink in Lusaka?
Yes
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Wahlberg’s Striped Skink sighting in Lusaka on a given day, based on 48 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is October (about 80%).
Can you see a Red-faced Mousebird in Lusaka?
Yes
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Red-faced Mousebird sighting in Lusaka on a given day, based on 172 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is July (about 80%).
Can you see a Variable Sunbird in Lusaka?
Yes
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Variable Sunbird sighting in Lusaka on a given day, based on 230 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is January and May–July (about 90%).
Is Lusaka good for wildlife watching?
4.2 out of 5
On the Wallace's Line Score, which rates each city against other cities, Lusaka gets 4.2/5: 181st of 380 cities worldwide and 21st in Africa. 16 of its species are reported by about 40% or more of wildlife watchers on a given day.
Nearest Cities
Nearest Parks
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