Plants and Animals
The Gambia is a paradise for birds and bird fanatics. Until now over 450 species of birds are counted, and new birds are still being discovered. In 1995 the snake eating smiling Falk was first spotted. There are birds that solely live in The Gambia. There are no normal safaris in Gambia, but Bird safaris!
Big birds are amongst others marabou, vultures, spoonbills, crane birds, eagles, owls and the remarkable ground rhino birds. Big mammals are almost all extinguished. Giraffes, lions, big antelopes, man will desperately look for them. Deep in the country you will find hippos and crocodiles in the Gambia River. A great diversity of monkeys like the velvet monkey and the hussar monkey are found everywhere. Chimpanzees only live on Baboon Island National Park. Furthermore there are several types of antelopes, earth pigs and wild boars.
As well as on land as in the sea snakes exist.
Big lizards and chameleons are regularly spotted. In The Gambia river a variety of rare exotic fish like the guitar fish, the frog fish, the long fish and the mud creeper live. Because the water of the Gambia River is salt until 150-180 km inland dolphins are spotted in the river. In the coastal waters of the Gambia you will find amongst others, sea turtles, rays, sea snakes, crabs, sharks, ink fish, sword-fish and tuna. The almost extinguished sea-cow is sometimes spotted at the river delta. In the mango grove swamps there live amongst others a great diversity of crabs and many water birds. Mango grove oysters grow on the roots of the mango grove trees.
Gambia has 6 national parks and reserves who together explore 3,7% of The Gambia’s territory.