Animals in Mali
White backed Vulture
Gyps africanus
Mali has no official national animal, but the vulture is the one tied to its state symbols. Since 1973 the national seal has shown a legendary vulture from Malian folklore flying above the Great Mosque of Djenné, although some people read the bird as a dove of peace.
View details→Wildlife in Mali
Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa and one of the largest on the continent, covering about 1.24 million square kilometers. Its more than 20 million people live mostly in the south and along the Niger River, around the capital, Bamako, and the old river towns of Ségou and Mopti, while the north is open Sahara with only scattered oases and camps. From south to north the land changes from wooded savanna and rocky hills near Guinea to the dry grasslands of the Sahel and then to sand dunes and stony plains. In the middle, the Niger spreads out into the Inner Niger Delta, a vast floodplain of channels, lakes and marshes. Rain falls mostly from June to September, and the flood reaches its peak in the delta a few months later.
The river shaped Malian life. Bozo fishers work its waters, Fulani herders follow the flood with their cattle, and farmers grow millet and rice on the wet ground it leaves behind. Great trading cities grew along it, and Timbuktu, Djenné and the Bandiagara Escarpment, land of the Dogon, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Inner Niger Delta is protected as a wetland of international importance, and in the Gourma region, south of the river bend, local communities and rangers protect a herd of desert elephants that has suffered heavily from poaching since conflict spread in 2012.
That conflict has also brought tourism almost to a halt, and visits to the north and the Dogon country are now rare. Wildlife follows these contrasts: apes and big cats in the southwestern hills, antelopes and hyenas in the savanna, elephants crossing the Sahel, desert foxes and camels in the Sahara, and hippos, manatees and huge flocks of waterbirds in the delta.
Most Dangerous Animals in Mali
In Mali, the danger from wild animals falls mostly on the people who depend on the river and the land for a living, and very little on visitors. Hippos are the most dangerous. They live in the Niger and the channels of its inner delta, the same waters where Bozo fishers set their nets from narrow wooden canoes, and a hippo that feels threatened can overturn a boat or bite with enough force to kill. Hippos also leave the water at night to graze, and they can damage rice fields along the banks.
Elephants bring a different kind of conflict. As the Gourma herd follows its long migration, it shares water holes and pasture with herders and their cattle, and in dry years competition for the few remaining pools grows tense. At the same time, the elephants themselves are the ones most at risk: poachers killed more than 160 of them between 2012 and 2015.
Hyenas and big cats are now scarce in most of the country, but hyenas still take goats, sheep and calves in rural areas, and leopards sometimes raid livestock near the southern forests. Buffalo and apes live in remote, protected areas and are rarely met. Attacks on people by any of these animals are uncommon.
Top 10 Animals in Mali
Mali's most famous animals are spread across very different worlds, from forested hills to open desert, and each needs its own trip. The best known are the desert elephants of the Gourma. Every year they walk a circuit of about 450 kilometers through the Sahel, the longest known elephant migration in the world, spending the dry months around Lake Banzena and moving south toward Burkina Faso when the rains come. A 2015 aerial count found only 253 of them.
In the far southwest, near the border with Guinea, the wooded hills of the Bafing hold some of the most northerly apes in Africa, and big cats such as leopards still hunt in the quieter forests. The Boucle du Baoulé, northwest of Bamako, is a national park of open savanna, with antelopes, warthogs and buffalo in its grasslands, and hyenas that roam at night.
The Niger River and its inner delta are home to hippos, which live in small groups in the deeper channels, and to rare manatees. Further north, desert foxes and wild cats hunt among the dunes, and camels carry goods and people between the oases. The cool dry season, from about November to February, is the most comfortable time to look for them.
African Elephant
Loxodonta africana
Mali's desert elephants of the Gourma, south of the Niger River bend, are the northernmost elephants in Africa and the only clearly savanna population left in West Africa. A few hundred survive, making a circular migration of some 500 to 600 kilometers between lakes such as Banzena and Gossi and the border with Burkina Faso, following water through the Sahel. Poaching linked to armed conflict has killed many since 2015. IUCN status: Endangered.
Buffalo
Syncerus caffer
In Mali, African buffaloes are found in the southwestern regions, particularly within the Boucle du Baoulé National Park and surrounding areas near the Senegal River basin. They favor gallery forests and wooded savannas where water is accessible. Populations here are relatively small and face pressure from habitat loss and poaching. Their presence is considered a marker of ecosystem health in this part of West Africa. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Chimpanzee
Pan troglodytes
Mali's chimpanzees live in the Bafing region of the southwest, near the borders with Guinea and Senegal, one of the hottest and driest places where the species survives. They depend on gallery forests along rivers and on scattered water holes. About 2,000 were estimated in the Bafing Faunal Reserve in 2013, but armed groups later forced rangers out, and their current numbers are unknown. IUCN status: Endangered.
Fennec Fox
Vulpes zerda
In Mali, the fennec fox lives in the Saharan north, in the sandy plains and dunes of the Azawad, around the Adrar des Ifoghas and toward Taoudenni. It shares this vast desert with Tuareg herders and their dromedaries, and it forages at night across the sand, using its sharp hearing to find insects and small animals. The south of its range ends where the Sahara meets the Sahel. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus amphibius
In Mali, hippos live along the Niger River, especially in the Inner Niger Delta, a vast floodplain that swells each rainy season, and in rivers of the southwest near Senegal and Guinea. They depend on the yearly floods for water and grazing land. Hunting, drought and the spread of farming and fishing have reduced them greatly over recent decades. They share the delta with African manatees and huge flocks of birds. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Spotted Hyena
Crocuta crocuta
In Mali, spotted hyenas live in small, scattered numbers in the savannas of the south and southwest, toward the borders with Guinea and Senegal, and they become rare further north in the Sahel. Most large wildlife has been heavily reduced by hunting, drought and the spread of farming and herding, and insecurity makes surveys difficult. They share this land with warthogs, kob and striped hyenas. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Leopard
Panthera pardus
In Mali, leopards survive in small, scattered numbers in the south and southwest, in the wooded savannas and rocky hills near the borders with Guinea, Senegal and Burkina Faso. They are rarely seen, and there have been few surveys, so their numbers are unknown. Hunting, livestock grazing and the loss of wild prey have pushed them out of most of the country, and insecurity limits conservation work. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Warthog
Phacochoerus africanus
In Mali, warthogs live in the Sudanian and Sahel savannas of the south and west, with reserves such as the Boucle du Baoulé and Fina among their last strongholds. Hunting and farming have pushed them out of much of the country, and outside these areas they are now scarce. Family groups gather near water during the dry season, when grass is short. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Dromedary Camel
Camelus dromedarius
The dromedary camel is a desert mammal with one hump that stores fat, able to walk long distances with little water while carrying loads.
Caracal
Caracal caracal
In Mali, the caracal ranges across the Sahel belt and the drier savanna zones to the south, where sparse vegetation and rocky outcrops provide suitable hunting ground. It targets birds, rodents, and small mammals, often hunting during twilight and at night. Desertification and the expansion of farming communities put increasing pressure on its habitat. The IUCN lists the caracal as Least Concern across its global range.
Serval
Leptailurus serval
In Mali, servals are limited to the wetter south and southwest, where Sudanian savanna, river valleys and seasonal wetlands along the Niger and Senegal river systems keep enough tall grass and rodents. They are absent from the dry north. They hunt mostly at dusk and at night, finding prey by sound. Data are scarce, and farming and grass fires shrink their habitat. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Striped Hyena
Hyaena hyaena
In Mali, striped hyenas are found in the Sahel and the dry north, where sparse scrub, rocky outcrops and dry riverbeds give them shelter, and they are rarer in the wetter south, where spotted hyenas live. They play an important role as scavengers in landscapes where large predators have almost disappeared. Drought, hunting and insecurity have reduced them, and wildlife monitoring is very limited. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Honey Badger
Mellivora capensis
In Mali the honey badger lives mainly in the Sahelian and Sudanian savannas of the south and center, where cover and prey are more plentiful, and it becomes rare toward the Sahara. It is a solitary, wide ranging hunter that digs for rodents and insects and raids beehives when it can. Drought, desertification and the spread of farming and herding reduce its habitat. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Common Genet
Genetta genetta
In Mali the common genet lives in the Sudanian and Sahelian savannas of the south and center, especially where trees, thick scrub and rocky outcrops give it cover, and it avoids the open Sahara of the north. Riverside woodland along the Niger is good habitat. A nocturnal and solitary hunter, it eats rodents, birds, insects, lizards and some fruit, and it does not need permanent water. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Kob
Kobus kob
In Mali, Buffon's kob survives in small numbers in the Sudanian savannas of the south and southwest, the wettest part of the country. It needs grass near permanent water, so it keeps close to rivers in the Niger and Senegal basins. Decades of hunting, cattle grazing and drought have pushed it out of most of its old range in Mali, and recent counts are scarce. Males are easy to spot by their curved, ringed horns. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Hartebeest
Alcelaphus buselaphus
In Mali, the western hartebeest lives in the Sudanian savanna of the south and west, where grass lasts into the dry season. Herds are small and scattered, and decades of hunting, drought and the spread of farms and cattle have reduced them sharply. Recent conflict has made surveys difficult, so current numbers are poorly known. The subspecies is listed as Near Threatened. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Bushbuck
Tragelaphus scriptus
Mali's bushbucks are of the striped harnessed form and live in the wetter southwest, in riverine woodland along the Niger, Bani and Senegal river systems and in reserves such as Boucle du Baoulé National Park. Hunting and the clearing of riverside forest have left them scattered and scarce, so sightings are uncommon. They survive best where dense gallery forest remains along permanent water. Males carry short horns with a single twist and bark loudly when alarmed. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Sand Cat
Felis margarita
In Mali the sand cat lives in the Saharan north of the country, in sandy plains and stony desert with scattered shrubs. It is rarely recorded because the region is remote and hard to survey, but it hunts gerbils, jerboas and lizards at night and rests in burrows by day. Fennec foxes and caracals share its desert, and it can live without drinking water for long periods. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Aardvark
Orycteropus afer
In Mali, the aardvark lives in the savannas of the south and in scattered places of the Sahel, and it was recorded in the Gao region, in the east, in 2025. It feeds at night on termites and ants and spends the hot days deep in burrows. It shares these dry lands with warthogs, striped hyenas and honey badgers. It is very rarely seen, and in many places it is hunted for its meat and for traditional medicine. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Olive Baboon
Papio anubis
In Mali the olive baboon lives in the savannas and wooded valleys of the south and center, where there is enough water through the dry season. In the west of the country its range meets that of the Guinea baboon, and the two overlap. Troops forage on grass seeds, fruit and roots and sleep on cliffs or in tall trees, and near villages they often raid millet and sorghum fields. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Puff Adder
Bitis arietans
In Mali, the puff adder lives in the savannas and farmland of the south and in the Sahel, including the Inner Niger Delta, but does not reach the Sahara of the north. It hunts rats and mice from ambush and is common near fields and villages. Its tissue destroying venom causes serious bites in farming areas. Honey badgers, secretary birds and bateleurs are among its predators. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Bateleur
Terathopius ecaudatus
In Mali, the bateleur inhabits the Sudanian savanna and dry woodland zones stretching across the southern part of the country, avoiding the arid Saharan north. It covers vast distances daily in search of carrion and reptiles, riding thermals with its characteristic side to side rocking motion. Habitat degradation and accidental poisoning place increasing pressure on this Endangered species throughout the region.
Ostrich
Struthio camelus
In Mali, ostriches are found in the Sahel zone and the arid plains stretching toward the Sahara in the north. Once widespread across the country, their numbers have declined significantly due to hunting and habitat degradation. They feed on the sparse grasses and seeds available in these dry landscapes and can survive for long periods with very little water. Their IUCN status is Least Concern globally.
Griffon Vulture
Gyps fulvus
Mali lies in the Sahel, the broad belt south of the Sahara where many griffon vultures spend the winter. Young birds from Spain and other Mediterranean colonies cross the desert to reach these open savannas, where they gather at carcasses of livestock alongside local vultures. Some stay for several years before returning north to breed. The IUCN also lists the species as resident in the country. IUCN status: Least Concern.
White backed Vulture
Gyps africanus
The white backed vulture ranges across Mali's southern savannas and the woodland zones near the Niger River, where wildlife is more abundant. Gathering in groups at carcasses, these birds can strip a large animal clean within hours, preventing the spread of disease. Critically endangered across Africa, the species is under serious pressure from deliberate poisoning by poachers and from the use of vulture parts in traditional practices.
Lanner Falcon
Falco biarmicus
Across Mali, the lanner falcon is found in the Sahel zone and the semi arid plains that stretch across the country's center and north. It copes well with dry, open environments and is known to nest on rocky outcrops and cliff faces where they exist. Birds such as doves and weavers form a key part of its diet. Ongoing habitat degradation in the Sahel poses a broader challenge for wildlife here. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Tawny Eagle
Aquila rapax
In Mali, the tawny eagle lives across the Sahel and the drier woodland zones to the south, hunting over open terrain and scavenging with vultures. Roadside counts in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso found that while most raptors have crashed outside protected areas, the tawny eagle is one of the few large ones still holding on, although in lower numbers than before. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Secretary Bird
Sagittarius serpentarius
In Mali, the secretary bird inhabits the Sahel and Guinea savanna zones in the south of the country, where open grasslands and sparse woodland provide suitable hunting grounds. It moves through these landscapes on foot, targeting snakes, rodents, and insects. Rainfall in Mali's southern regions supports seasonal grasses that attract prey. Desertification and land use changes threaten savanna habitats here. Across its African range, the IUCN lists the secretary bird as Endangered.
African Fish Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
In Mali, the African fish eagle lives mainly along the Niger River and across the Inner Niger Delta, one of the largest inland deltas in the world. This vast floodplain in the center of the country holds huge numbers of waterbirds and is ideal habitat for this eagle. It is scarce in the arid north, but along the Niger and around the lakes and channels of the delta it is seen regularly. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Saker Falcon
Falco cherrug
The saker falcon visits Mali during the northern winter, crossing the Sahara to reach the Sahel zone in the south of the country. Here it hunts birds and small mammals across open, semi arid scrubland. Mali sits along one of the falcon's key migration corridors into sub Saharan Africa. Illegal trapping remains a serious threat, as birds passing through West Africa are sometimes caught for the falconry trade. The IUCN lists this species as Endangered.
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
The barn owl is found across the inhabited zones of Mali in open savanna, farmland, and oases from the Sahel belt through the Niger River valley to the Sudanian savanna in the south. It nests in old buildings, cliff faces, and palm groves, and hunts rodents at night. In the agricultural communities of the Niger Inland Delta and the southern farming regions it is valued as a natural controller of the rodent populations that damage grain stores. It does not occur in the vast uninhabited desert regions of the north.
Stork
Ciconia ciconia
White storks winter across Mali in large numbers, particularly in the inland delta of the Niger River, one of West Africa's most important wetland systems. They feed on frogs, insects, and small vertebrates in the flooded grasslands and shallow waters. Flocks can be enormous during peak winter months. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with global populations in good shape.
White Wagtail
Motacilla alba
Mali receives the white wagtail as a winter visitor, with birds arriving from European and Asian breeding grounds each autumn. They spread across the Sahel zone and the inland delta of the Niger River, where water and open ground attract insects in abundance. It is commonly seen running along riverbanks and irrigated fields. Its IUCN status is Least Concern.
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
In Mali, the peregrine falcon is recorded mainly as a seasonal visitor, passing through during migration between Europe and the tropics. The Sahel belt and the rocky Adrar des Ifoghas massif in the north can provide resting and hunting spots. This falcon pursues other birds in open terrain with remarkable speed and skill. Populations passing through West Africa remain stable. The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern.
Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchos
The nightingale winters in Mali, settling into the scrub and savanna of the Sahel and Sudan zones after its long migration from Europe. It is a small, unassuming bird with a warm brown back and a vivid rusty tail, though its extraordinary song is rarely heard here outside the breeding season. It forages quietly among low shrubs, feeding on insects and small berries. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
In Mali, the golden eagle is a rare resident of the rocky mountains of the Sahara in the north, where cliffs give it nest sites above the desert. It hunts hares, sandgrouse, reptiles and other prey in this harsh, dry country. Very little is known about its numbers here, as the area has seen little survey work. Pairs need huge territories here, because prey is thin on the ground. IUCN status: Least Concern.
African Manatee
Trichechus senegalensis
Mali is one of the most unexpected countries within the African manatee's range. The species has been documented in the Niger River as it crosses the country, moving far inland through the Inner Niger Delta, a vast seasonal floodplain that provides food and shelter. These populations are highly isolated, vulnerable to hunting and dependent on seasonal flooding patterns that are increasingly disrupted by climate variability. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What animals live in Mali?
Mali is home to African elephants, buffalo, chimpanzees, hippos, leopards, spotted and striped hyenas, warthogs, kobs, hartebeests, bushbucks, aardvarks, honey badgers, servals and caracals. In the Sahara live the fennec fox, the sand cat and the dromedary camel, and the African manatee swims in the Niger River. Its birds include the ostrich, the secretary bird, the African fish eagle, the bateleur, vultures, storks and several falcons.
What is the national animal of Mali?
Mali has no official national animal. The vulture is the animal tied to its state symbols: the national seal adopted in 1973 shows a legendary vulture from Malian folklore flying above the Great Mosque of Djenné, with two bows and a rising sun. Some sources describe the bird as a dove, a symbol of peace, but the 1973 ordinance calls it a vulture.
What are the desert elephants of Mali?
The desert elephants of Mali are a herd of African elephants that lives in the Gourma region, south of the bend of the Niger River. They follow a circular route of about 450 kilometers each year, the longest known elephant migration, moving between Lake Banzena and the border with Burkina Faso as water runs out. A 2015 aerial survey counted 253, down from 344 to 404 in 2007, mainly because of poaching.
What animals live along the Niger River in Mali?
The Niger and its inner delta are the richest wildlife area in Mali. Hippos live in small groups in the deeper channels, the rare African manatee feeds on water plants, and the African fish eagle hunts along the banks. When the flood spreads, the delta fills with storks and other waterbirds, many of them arriving from Europe for the winter.
Are there dangerous animals in Mali?
A few, and the risk falls mostly on fishers, farmers and herders. Hippos in the Niger River are the most dangerous, since they can overturn canoes and raid rice fields at night. Elephants compete with herders for water in the Gourma, and hyenas and leopards sometimes take livestock. Buffalo and chimpanzees live in remote areas, and attacks on people are uncommon.
Researched and written by Juan Pablo. Sources: IUCN Red List, scientific literature and regional field guides. Last updated: .