Lions are large cats native to Africa and India.
They are social species that live in groups called prides consisting of males, females, and their cubs.
Their habitat is usually Savannah grasslands and shrubs.
Since the early 90s, lion populations in Africa have reduced by 43%, and therefore they have been listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List.
Lions are sexually dimorphic; males have prominent manes and are usually larger than females.
Tree-Climbing Lions of Tanzania
Lions climbing trees is unusual, and this phenomenon only occurs in 2 national parks in the world: Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda and Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania.
In Lake Manyara National Park, lions spend most of their time on acacia trees, desert date trees, and sausage trees.
When on a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park, be on the lookout for these trees, as you might chance upon a pride of lions in one!
The lions also choose these large branch trees for their comfort.
The small cubs learn the art of tree climbing from the older lions.
These lions are not a different species nor do they have any differences from any other lions elsewhere; the only difference is their tree-climbing behavior.
While other lions in African national parks can sometimes climb trees, it is not very common.
Many theories attempt to explain why Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake Manyara lions climb trees, and some of the assumed reasons can be seen below:
- Sometimes, lions climb trees to escape from a charging buffalo herd or charging elephants.
- They climb trees to get better views of the surrounding areas and to easily spot prey grazing in the Savannah below.
- Their vantage point from the top of the trees offers a better view, especially when the Savannah grass is overly grown.
- Lions are also known to climb trees to find relief from extreme heat during the scorching Savannah summers.
- Climbing trees helps them escape from numerous irritating ground insects, especially during the rainy season when insects are breeding.
- Lions also climb trees to avoid wet grass after rains, as the grounds can become waterlogged and uncomfortable.
It is said that the tree-climbing skills of Lake Manyara lions are a result of behavioral adaptation, as none of the above speculations regarding why these lions climb trees have been definitively confirmed.
The tree-climbing lions descend from the trees during the night hours and only remain in the treetops during the daytime.
According to research, there are approximately 0.4 lions per square kilometer inhabiting Lake Manyara National Park.
In Lake Manyara National Park, lions primarily hunt buffalos, accounting for 62% of their kills, while impalas make up 12%, and zebras constitute 18% of their prey.
Buffaloes are abundant in Lake Manyara, and male buffalos are often targeted by lions because they tend to separate themselves from the herds, making them vulnerable to prides of lions.
Lake Manyara National Park
The tree-climbing lions of Tanzania are found in Lake Manyara National Park.
However, lions are not the only attraction at the park.
Here are some activities you can enjoy while visiting Lake Manyara National Park.
Game Drives
Lake Manyara National Park is renowned for its exotic wildlife.
Apart from its tree-climbing lions, the park is home to large herds of elephants, wildebeests, buffalos, zebras, impalas, leopards, klipspringers, warthogs, dik-diks, gazelles, bushbucks, hartebeests, reedbucks, and many other animals.
Birding
Lake Manyara is also a paradise for bird enthusiasts, with over 400 species of birds recorded in the park.
Some examples of birds found in the park include the spur-winged goose, black-faced sandgrouse, lilac-breasted roller, southern ground hornbill, Fischer’s sparrowhawk, greater flamingo, great white pelican, rufous-tailed weaver, saddle-billed stork, silvery-cheeked hornbill, African jacana, African fish eagle, Ayres hawk-eagle, crowned eagle, grey crowned crane, marabou stork, palm-nut vulture, pink-backed pelican, grey heron, African sacred ibis, pied avocet, little stint, hamerkop, crowned eagle, and lesser flamingo, among others.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Lake Manyara is during the dry season, which occurs from June to September and from December to February.
During the dry season, the vegetation is less dense, making it easier to spot wildlife.
Wildlife also congregates around permanent water points in the park during this time.
Other activities at Lake Manyara include boat cruises, nature guided walks, treetop canopy walks, night game drives, and much more.
Getting There
Lake Manyara National Park is located 126 kilometers from Arusha town.
Tourists can fly to Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam and then drive to Lake Manyara National Park.
Alternatively, they can fly to Kilimanjaro International Airport and then drive to the park.
Flights are also available from Serengeti National Park to Lake Manyara for those who have a combined Tanzania safari of the two national parks.
Featured in: Tanzania Attractions, Tanzania Information
