Animals in Somalia
Leopard
Panthera pardus
Somalia's national animal is the leopard. Two leopards hold up the shield on the coat of arms adopted on October 10, 1956, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the leopard among the national symbols. Leopards still live in the bush and hills of the country.
View details→Wildlife in Somalia
Somalia covers the tip of the Horn of Africa, a country of about 637,000 square kilometers with the longest coastline of mainland Africa, stretching along the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Most people live in Mogadishu and other coastal towns, along the two rivers of the south and in the farming land between them, while the rest of the country is open bush where herders move with their animals. The land runs from rugged mountains in the north to dry plateaus in the center and greener river valleys and coastal forest near the border with Kenya. Rain comes in two short seasons, the Gu from about April to June and the Deyr from about October to December, and in poor years drought hits people and wildlife hard.
Herding shaped Somali life more than anything else. Camels, goats, sheep and cattle are the main wealth of many families, and Somalia has one of the largest camel herds in the world. Along the Jubba and Shabelle rivers, farmers grow bananas, maize and sorghum. Wildlife has suffered from decades of conflict since the state collapsed in 1991, from hunting and from the cutting of acacia woodland to make charcoal, much of it once shipped abroad until the United Nations banned charcoal exports in 2012. Long droughts in recent years have also pushed herders and wild animals to compete for the same water and grass.
Few foreign tourists visit, and most travel in the country is for work, family or trade, though crowds fill the beaches of Mogadishu on weekends. Wildlife follows these contrasts: camels, gazelles and small wild cats in the dry bush, big cats and hyenas across the open country, hippos and crocodiles in the southern rivers, and reef fish, turtles and sharks along the coast.
Most Dangerous Animals in Somalia
In Somalia, the risk from wild animals falls mostly on herders, farmers and fishing families, rather than on the few visitors. Crocodiles are the most feared animals of the south. They live in the Jubba and Shabelle rivers, where people fetch water, wash, water their animals and cross on foot or by boat, and attacks happen most often when the rivers are high after the rains. Hippos share the same rivers, and a hippo that feels threatened can overturn a small boat or charge people on the bank at night, when it leaves the water to graze in nearby fields.
On land, leopards and hyenas are a constant worry for herders, because they take goats, sheep and young camels, and in drought years, when wild prey is scarce, livestock losses can rise. Attacks on people are rare. Buffalo and elephants survive only in small numbers in the far south. Venomous snakes, among them the black mamba, live in the bush and farmland, and snakebites are a real danger in rural areas, where clinics and antivenom can be very far away.
Off the coast, large sharks such as tiger, bull and reef sharks live in warm, shallow waters near beaches and reefs, and barracudas hunt in the same places. Bites on swimmers are rare today, but about 30 were recorded off Lido beach in Mogadishu between 1978 and 1987.
Top 10 Animals in Somalia
Somalia's most famous animals are spread across a vast, dry country with few protected areas, so most of them are seen by herders and farmers rather than by visitors. The far south, between the Jubba River and the border with Kenya, is the wildest corner. Its coastal forest and bush still hold small numbers of buffalo and giraffes, and elephants, once common there, were reduced to very few by decades of poaching.
The two great rivers of the south, the Jubba and the Shabelle, are where hippos and crocodiles live. They rest in the deeper stretches of water and along muddy banks, often close to the farms and villages that depend on the same rivers. Big cats and hyenas range across the open country of the center and the north, mostly at night, and they are known to herders because they sometimes take goats and young camels. Smaller wild cats hunt rodents and birds in the same dry bush.
Camels are the animals almost everyone sees, grazing in herds along the roads and gathered at wells and livestock markets across the country. Venomous snakes live everywhere from the coast to the hills, though they are rarely seen. The best time to see wildlife is after the rains, when grass grows and water is easier to find.
African Elephant
Loxodonta africana
Somalia's elephants are among the most precarious in Africa. Once common along the Jubba and Shabelle rivers, they were almost wiped out during decades of war and poaching, and today only a few animals are thought to survive in the far south, near the borders with Kenya and Ethiopia, moving across from neighboring herds. There is no functioning wildlife protection and almost no recent data on their numbers or movements. IUCN status: Endangered.
Buffalo
Syncerus caffer
The African buffalo has a marginal and poorly documented presence in Somalia, with records associated with riverine and woodland habitats in the southern regions near the Jubba and Shabelle rivers. Prolonged conflict and the collapse of wildlife management infrastructure have made population assessments extremely difficult. The species is considered rare within the country and faces serious threats from unregulated hunting and the widespread degradation of its habitat. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Giraffe
Giraffa camelopardalis
Somalia is part of the range of the reticulated giraffe, also called the Somali giraffe, with its bold patches separated by thin white lines. Giraffes once roamed the dry woodlands of the south, along the Jubba valley and the border with Kenya, but decades of war and unregulated hunting have made them very rare, and almost nothing is known about how many remain. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus amphibius
In Somalia, hippos live in the far south, along the Jubba and Shabelle rivers, the only permanent rivers in the country. Decades of conflict and the collapse of wildlife protection have taken a heavy toll, and researchers have had almost no access to confirm how many remain. Droughts that dry up the rivers in some years add to the pressure. They share these rivers with Nile crocodiles. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Spotted Hyena
Crocuta crocuta
Spotted hyenas are widespread in Somalia, from the dry plains and bushland of the center to the river valleys of the Jubba and Shabelle in the south. Decades of conflict have left wildlife almost unmonitored, but hyenas cope well in disturbed land and often live near towns and herding camps. Droughts that kill wild prey push them toward livestock, and sometimes people. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Black backed Jackal
Lupulella mesomelas
In Somalia, the black backed jackal inhabits dry scrublands, particularly across the northern and central regions. It is well suited to harsh, dry conditions and feeds on a broad diet of rodents, reptiles, insects, wild fruits, and carrion. Pairs form lifelong bonds and raise offspring cooperatively. Though wide ranging across eastern Africa, population data for Somalia specifically remains limited. Its IUCN status is Least Concern.
Leopard
Panthera pardus
In Somalia, leopards live mainly in the north, in the mountains and rocky escarpments along the Gulf of Aden and the border with Ethiopia, and more sparsely in the bush country of the south. Decades of conflict have left almost no monitoring. Hunting, charcoal burning that clears the woodland and the loss of wild prey are the main threats, and conflict with herders over livestock is common. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Soemmerring's Gazelle
Nanger soemmerringii
Somalia is part of the IUCN range of Soemmerring's gazelle, which lives on its dry plains of grass and thorn bush. Decades of conflict mean there are almost no recent surveys, and the gazelle has suffered from hunting with guns and from the huge herds of camels, goats and sheep that graze the same land. Small groups still survive in remote areas far from towns and wells. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Dromedary Camel
Camelus dromedarius
Somalia has one of the largest camel populations in the world, and the dromedary sits at the heart of Somali pastoral culture. Across the scrublands and semi-arid plains of the north and centre of the country, camels provide milk that sustains entire families through dry seasons. They are also a symbol of wealth and are central to ceremonies, trade, and daily rural life. IUCN status: not evaluated.
Caracal
Caracal caracal
In Somalia, the caracal is distributed across arid plains, rocky outcrops, and dry scrublands that cover much of the country. With a uniformly tawny coat and powerful hindquarters built for explosive leaping, this cat of medium size hunts hares, rodents, and birds under the cover of night. Monitoring populations in Somalia is challenging due to ongoing instability. Globally, the IUCN considers the species to be of Least Concern.
African Civet
Civettictis civetta
The African civet occurs in southern Somalia, where the Jubba and Shabelle rivers and their gallery forests create pockets of suitable habitat in an otherwise arid country. It does not reach the dry northern regions. Populations in the south face pressure from prolonged instability and weakened protected area management, which has allowed uncontrolled hunting across much of the country for decades. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Honey Badger
Mellivora capensis
The honey badger ranges across Somalia's dry savanna, thorn bush and semi desert, from the northern highlands to the scrub near the Indian Ocean coast. It copes well with heat and drought, feeding on rodents, reptiles and insects in a landscape with little cover, and digging burrows to escape the midday sun. Decades of instability have made surveys almost impossible, so its local status is unknown. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Common Genet
Genetta genetta
In Somalia the common genet lives in dry bushland, rocky hills and patches of woodland, especially in the northern highlands and across the bush country of the center and south. It copes with heat and little water better than most carnivores, getting much of its moisture from its prey. It rests in rock crevices or thick bushes by day and hunts rodents, birds, reptiles and insects at night. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Bushbuck
Tragelaphus scriptus
In Somalia, bushbucks live only in the far south, in the riverine forests along the Jubba and Shabeelle rivers, the only places in this dry country with the dense cover they need. Clearing of these forests for farming and decades of conflict and hunting have reduced their numbers, and little recent survey data exists for the species in the country. They feed on leaves, shoots and fallen fruit. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Sea Turtle
Chelonia mydas
Somalia's long coast on the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden is home to green turtles, which forage in the productive waters of the coast and nest on remote, undeveloped beaches, especially in the north. Because of decades of instability, almost no systematic surveys have been possible, and green turtle numbers here are largely unknown. Hunting and accidental capture in fishing gear are thought to be the main threats. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Nile Crocodile
Crocodylus niloticus
In Somalia the Nile crocodile lives along the Jubba and Shabelle, the country's only two permanent rivers, which flow from the Ethiopian highlands toward the Indian Ocean. Crossing dry and semiarid land, these rivers are vital corridors for wildlife and farming. Decades of conflict have made it almost impossible to study the crocodiles here, so their real situation is poorly known. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Black Mamba
Dendroaspis polylepis
In Somalia, the black mamba inhabits savanna and open woodland, mainly in the south and center of the country, where suitable habitat remains. This olive to gray snake, Africa's longest venomous species, has a neurotoxic venom that can cause respiratory failure within hours if untreated. Access to antivenom is very limited across much of Somalia, which makes encounters especially dangerous for rural communities. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Bateleur
Terathopius ecaudatus
The bateleur is a rare and striking eagle found across Somalia's open bushland and savanna regions, particularly in the south and central areas. Its vivid scarlet face and tilting flight are unmistakable. Classified as Endangered, it faces serious threats from habitat loss and poisoning. Its presence in Somalia represents one of the easternmost reaches of its range in the Horn of Africa.
Steppe Eagle
Aquila nipalensis
Somalia's dry open plains and bush country are used by the steppe eagle as wintering and passage habitat, after many birds cross from Arabia over the Bab el Mandeb strait. The species benefits from the termites, locusts and carrion of the grazing lands, and it can be seen in the south as well as along the routes into Kenya and Ethiopia. Monitoring in Somalia is limited, so its numbers are poorly known. IUCN status: Endangered.
White backed Vulture
Gyps africanus
The white backed vulture is rarely recorded in Somalia, where decades of instability have made wildlife monitoring extremely difficult. Sightings tend to occur near the Ethiopian border and in areas where livestock and wildlife coexist. As a bird rated Critically Endangered by the IUCN, its presence here is poorly understood, and poisoning of carcasses remains a serious threat across the region.
Lanner Falcon
Falco biarmicus
The lanner falcon is found across Somalia's arid plains, rocky escarpments, and dry thornbush country. It is well suited to the harsh conditions of the Horn of Africa, hunting doves and other birds with low, rapid pursuit flights. Pairs nest on cliff ledges in the more rugged inland terrain. Prolonged conflict and instability in the region make monitoring populations difficult. The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern.
Tawny Eagle
Aquila rapax
Somalia's dry plains, semi arid scrub and open savanna provide good territory for the tawny eagle, which is found across most of the country except the northeast and central east. It soars over large areas in search of small prey and carrion and is well suited to these harsh, open landscapes. Monitoring is limited, so its status here is poorly known. It nests in acacias. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Secretary Bird
Sagittarius serpentarius
The secretary bird inhabits the open grasslands and dry savannas of southern and central Somalia, where it hunts on foot for snakes, rodents, and large insects. Decades of conflict and land degradation have made conservation monitoring in Somalia extremely difficult, and the true status of the population there remains poorly known. The IUCN lists the species as Endangered across its entire range.
African Fish Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
In Somalia, the African fish eagle lives along the Jubba and Shabelle rivers in the south, the two main permanent rivers that cross the country from the Ethiopian highlands toward the Indian Ocean. These river corridors are its only real habitat in an otherwise dry land, so it is uncommon and stays close to reliable water, mostly on the middle and lower stretches of both rivers. Pairs nest in tall riverside trees. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
The barn owl is found in Somalia in open scrubland, farmland, and areas near villages and towns across the more settled regions of the south and northwest, including Somaliland. It nests in old buildings, cliff faces, and rocky outcrops, and hunts rodents at night. The arid and semi-arid conditions across much of the country limit its distribution to areas near water sources and agricultural land. In farming communities of the south, particularly around the Jubba and Shabelle river valleys, it provides natural control of rodent populations.
Stork
Ciconia ciconia
Somalia lies along the white stork's migration corridor between Europe and southern Africa. Birds pass through during autumn and spring, and some individuals winter in parts of the country where open savanna and grassland provide suitable feeding grounds. The Horn of Africa represents an important transit zone for storks that follow the eastern migration route rather than crossing through the Bosphorus or Gibraltar.
White Wagtail
Motacilla alba
In Somalia the white wagtail is a winter visitor from Europe and western Asia, seen mainly in the north and along the coast from October to March. It favors open ground near water, such as coastal lagoons, wadis, irrigated fields and town edges, where it hunts insects on foot with its tail constantly bobbing. Somalia lies near the southern edge of its wintering range in East Africa. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
The peregrine falcon occurs in Somalia mainly as a passage migrant and winter visitor, moving along the eastern African coast and over open interior plateaus. The long Somali coastline along the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden provides hunting grounds rich in shorebirds and seabirds. Some resident birds may also be present on rocky escarpments in the north of the country. It is one of the fastest predators seen in Somali skies. Its IUCN status is Least Concern.
Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchos
In Somalia, the nightingale is recorded as a winter visitor and passage migrant, moving through scrubby habitats and riverine vegetation particularly in the northern and central parts of the country. It is a small, quiet bird during this period, with warm brown plumage and a reddish tail that distinguishes it from similar species. The arid conditions across much of Somalia limit the habitat available to it. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Flamingo
Phoenicopteridae (6 species)
The greater flamingo is present year round along the long coastline of Somalia, where shallow lagoons, tidal flats and coastal salt pans offer places to feed. It is not common, and most records come from the north, along the Gulf of Aden, and from scattered coastal wetlands in the south. The birds filter small crustaceans and algae from the salty water, and their numbers vary with the seasons. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Barracuda
Sphyraena barracuda
In Somalia the great barracuda lives along the longest coastline in mainland Africa, on the Indian Ocean side and in the Gulf of Aden. It hunts over coral and rocky reefs and in open coastal water, where seasonal upwelling makes the sea very rich in fish. Diving is rare here, so its reef populations are poorly studied, but it is a regular catch for Somali fishers and is eaten fresh and dried along the coast. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Tiger Shark
Galeocerdo cuvier
In Somalia the tiger shark lives along the Indian Ocean coast, and in the Gulf of Aden, along the longest coastline in mainland Africa, where it hunts fish, rays, sea turtles and even seabirds close to shore at night. Somali waters have large shark fisheries, both local and foreign. Sharks are caught by artisanal fishers along much of the coast, and their numbers are thought to have declined. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Parrotfish
Scaridae
In Somalia parrotfish live on the coral and rocky reefs of the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean coast, the longest coastline in mainland Africa. The rusty parrotfish, found only in the seas around Arabia, reaches the Somali coast of the Gulf of Aden, while other Indo-Pacific species live farther south. Diving is rare here, so these reefs are among the least studied in the region, but parrotfish are caught by local fishers along the coast. IUCN status: varies by species.
Reef Shark
Several species (Carcharhinus melanopterus, C. perezi, C. amblyrhynchos, Triaenodon obesus)
In Somalia reef sharks live on the coral and rocky reefs of the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean coast, the longest coastline in mainland Africa. Blacktip and whitetip reef sharks use shallow reefs and lagoons. Diving is rare here, so these populations are poorly studied, but Somali waters have large shark fisheries, both local and foreign, and much of the catch is dried and its fins exported. IUCN status: Vulnerable to Endangered, depending on species.
Bull Shark
Carcharhinus leucas
In Somalia the bull shark lives along the longest coastline in mainland Africa, on the Indian Ocean side and in the Gulf of Aden, especially near the mouths of the Jubba and Shabelle rivers in the south. Somali waters have large shark fisheries, both artisanal and foreign, and sharks are caught for their fins and meat, much of which is dried and exported. Monitoring is very limited. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What animals live in Somalia?
Somalia is home to African elephants, buffalo, giraffes, hippos, leopards, caracals, spotted hyenas, black backed jackals, Soemmerring's gazelles, bushbucks, honey badgers, African civets, common genets and large herds of dromedary camels. The Nile crocodile lives in its southern rivers, and the black mamba is among its snakes. Sea turtles, parrotfish, barracudas and tiger, bull and reef sharks live along the coast. Its birds include flamingos, the secretary bird, the bateleur, the tawny eagle, the steppe eagle, the African fish eagle, the white backed vulture and storks.
What is the national animal of Somalia?
The leopard is Somalia's national animal. Two leopards stand on either side of the shield on the coat of arms, which was adopted on October 10, 1956, before independence, and kept after 1960. The shield shows the blue flag with its white star. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the leopard among the national symbols and describes it as an animal commonly seen in the country.
Why are camels important in Somalia?
Camels are at the center of Somali life. Somalia has one of the largest camel herds in the world, and for herding families they are a source of milk, meat, transport and savings, and are also given as bride wealth and to settle disputes. Camels can go days without drinking in the dry season and keep producing milk when cattle would struggle. Live animals, including camels, are among the country's main exports, shipped mostly to the Arabian Peninsula.
Are there crocodiles in Somalia?
Yes. Nile crocodiles live in the Jubba and Shabelle, the only rivers in Somalia that carry water for much of the year, and in the swamps and floodplains around them in the south. These rivers are also lifelines for farming villages, so people and crocodiles share the same water every day, and attacks on people fetching water or crossing the rivers are a known danger. Hippos live in the same rivers.
Are there sharks in Somalia?
Yes. Somalia's long coast on the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean has warm waters, coral reefs and rich fishing grounds, and tiger sharks, bull sharks and reef sharks all live there. Many sharks are caught by local and foreign fishing boats, mostly for their fins and meat. Bites on people are rare today, but Lido beach in Mogadishu, where crowds swim on weekends, recorded about 30 shark attacks between 1978 and 1987.
Researched and written by Juan Pablo. Sources: IUCN Red List, scientific literature and regional field guides. Last updated: .