There are two species of zebras living in Kenya—the plains zebra and Grevy’s zebra. The plains zebra lives in grasslands across East and southern Africa, while Grevy’s zebra lives in arid and sparsely wooded areas in Kenya and Ethiopia.
You can tell these zebra species apart by looking at their black and white striped patterns. Plains zebras generally have wide stripes with wide spaces between them. They may also have shadow stripes (lighter-coloured stripes) between the main stripes. Grevy’s zebras, on the other hand, have narrow and closely- spaced stripes, along with a white belly. They also have a chevron on their rumps where their stripes meet.
The IUCN lists the plains zebra as near threatened. This means it is likely to become a threatened species in the near future. Grevy’s zebra is listed as endangered. The main threats to its survival include habitat degradation and competition from grazing livestock.
13. Thomson’s gazelles
Thomson’s gazelle is a small to medium-sized antelope with a sandy-brown coat, a black band across its flanks, a white belly, and a pair of powerful, ringed horns.
Thomson’s gazelles live exclusively in East Africa, in the savannahs and grasslands of Kenya and Tanzania. Here, in herds that sometimes number into hundreds, they feed on grasses, shoots, and leaves. They are preyed on by cheetahs, lions, and wild dogs, though, when under attack, Thomson’s gazelles can run extremely fast, reaching speeds of 65 kilometres (40 miles) per hour.
The IUCN lists Thomson’s gazelle as least concern. There are around 145,000 mature individuals in the wild that face threats related to human expansion and climate change.
14. Grant’s gazelles
Grant’s gazelle is a medium-sized antelope. It has a tan or light brown coat, a white belly, and lyre-shaped horns. It lives in the savannah, grassland, and shrubland of East Africa, including in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Grant’s gazelles are larger than Thomson’s gazelles. Males weigh 45 to 65 kilograms (100 to145 pounds) and measure up to 166 centimetres (5.5. feet) tip to tail.
According to the IUCN, Grant’s gazelle is classed as least concern. However, it’s important to note that their numbers are declining over large parts of their range due to hunting, drought, and human expansion.
15. Gerenuks
Gerenuk means ‘giraffe-necked’ in Somali, and this antelope has the longest neck of any gazelle. This—along with an ability to stand on its hind legs—helps the gerenuk eat leaves that are out of the reach of other antelopes. It lives in the arid savannah and shrubland of the Horn of Africa in countries including Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.
The IUCN lists the gerenuk as near threatened with a decreasing population. Its main threat is loss of habitat to farming, though civil war in Somalia has also affected its range in recent decades.
16. Green keel-bellied lizards
The green keel-bellied lizard is a medium-sized lizard that measures around 35 centimetres (13.8 inches) long, including its tail, which is huge in comparison to its body. Its most striking feature, though, is its bright colouring. Its skin is a shocking green colour, while its tongue and the inside of its mouth are bright orange. It lives in small pockets of forest and woodland in Kenya and Tanzania.
The IUCN lists the green keel-bellied lizard as near threatened. Its coastal forest habitat is rapidly disappearing, as urban and agricultural development pose a major threat to forests in the region.
17. Kenya coast galagos
The Kenya coast galago lives in the coastal forests of Kenya and Tanzania. Also known as a bush baby, it’s a primate that spends most of its life in trees, where it eats fruit and insects. It’s a nocturnal animal and has large eyes that help it to see in the dark, as well as large ears that can rotate to pick up the sound of their prey.
According to the IUCN, the Kenya coast galago is classed as least concern. Nevertheless, its numbers are thought to be decreasing, and its habitat is being converted into farmland and plantations.
18. Mount Kenya dwarf chameleons
The Mount Kenya dwarf chameleon is only known to live on Mount Kenya, a mountain that is part of a national park in the centre of the country.
According to the IUCN, the Mount Kenya dwarf chameleon is near threatened. There is little information on how many remain, but as it lives at high altitudes where there are very few threats, it’s assumed that the population is stable. The primary threat they are thought to face is fire. Mount Kenya is a fire-prone region, and fires are likely linked to population decreases of these reptiles.
19. Kenya montane vipers
The Kenya montane viper lives in protected land in the Aberdare Mountains and on Mount Kenya. It lives in high altitude moorland at elevations of 2,700 to 3,800 metres (8,858 to 12,467 feet). Not much is known about the Kenya montane viper. It’s not clear whether this species is rare or just very shy. However, we do know that, like other vipers, it gives birth to two to three live young instead of laying eggs.
The IUCN lists the Kenya montane viper as near threatened. Moorland fires and large local human populations mean their habitat is at risk of disturbance and change.
20. Kenyan high-casqued chameleons
The Kenyan high-casqued chameleon is a small to medium-sized chameleon that lives in the central and western highlands of Kenya and eastern Uganda. These cool, temperate regions have lots of vegetation, including grasses, shrubs, dense bushes, and trees. The chameleon is also sometimes found on hedges in towns and gardens, in farmland, and in heathland.
Its ability to live in such a wide variety of habitats means the Kenyan high-casqued chameleon is more resilient to habitat change. The IUCN lists the Kenyan high-casqued chameleon as least concern.