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For the seasoned safari traveller, witnessing Africa’s iconic Big Five is merely the baseline of a wilderness journey. Once you have tracked lion prides across the savannah and watched giant elephant herds cross riverbeds, focus often shifts to solitude, time, and access.
Exploring the remote wilderness reserves reveals the rarest and most remarkable animal species in Botswana, which few travellers ever get to see.
Beyond the familiar headline sightings, Botswana is home to some of southern Africa’s most elusive nocturnal mammals, highly specialised endemics, and critically endangered carnivores.
“You’ll want to first do your research on where the highest population of these animals exist. If you're planning a trip around wildlife and you want to tick off species, you need to go where they are found relatively commonly.”Expert Insight
Quick Guide: Tracking Rare and Endangered Wildlife in Botswana
To maximise your chances of encountering sought-after animal species in Botswana, timing and location are key. Here is a summary of where and when to focus your search:
Animal Species Key Sightings Region Best Time of Year Sightings Probability & Safari Style
Ground Pangolin Linyanti Concessions & Northern Okavango May – August (Dry winter afternoon foraging) Low (Requires night drives with dedicated trackers) Brown Hyena Central Kalahari Game Reserve & Makgadikgadi June – October (Dry season waterhole tracking) Moderate (Evening game drives in arid regions) African Wild Dog Moremi Game Reserve & Kwando Concession May – June (Denning season) High (Tracking with expert guides) Aardwolf Makgadikgadi Salt Pans & Kalahari Fringe May – August (Late afternoon & early evening drives) Moderate (Evening drives around active termitaria/dens) Aardvark Nxai Pan National Park & Central Kalahari May – August (Cold winter nights & late afternoons) Low to Moderate (Night drives with thermal/spotlight tracking) Sable Antelope Savuti & Northern Linyanti Woodlands July – October (Concentrated near water sources) Moderate to High (Morning game drives) Chobe Bushbuck Chobe Riverfront & Linyanti Riverbanks Year-round (Peak visibility May – October along riverbanks) High (River cruises & early-morning walking safaris) Caracal Central Kalahari & Nxai Pan National Park Year-round (Peak activity in cooler months) Low to Moderate (Night drives in open desert terrain) Bat-Eared Fox Makgadikgadi Pans & Kalahari Basin May – September (Active near termite mounds during the day) High (Open plains game drives)
The Elusive Nocturnal Specialists
1. Ground Pangolin (Smutsia temminckii)
Often referred to as the “holy grail” of African wildlife sightings, the ground pangolin is one of the world’s most elusive creatures. Protected by interlocking armour scales made of keratin, this solitary mammal uses its sticky tongue to devour subterranean ant and termite colonies.
Unfortunately, due to global illegal trafficking, the ground pangolin is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, making it quite a rare sight, even for seasoned safari guides in the wilderness.
Spotting a pangolin requires patience and sharp eyes. In the winter months between May and August, temperatures drop significantly at night. Pangolins adjust their circadian rhythms to forage during late afternoon sunshine rather than cold nights, giving a window to spot them.
Where to spot: Private concessions in Linyanti and the northern Okavango Delta, where off-road tracking and night drives are permitted.
“With pangolins, the best way to track them is dusk and dawn. That's when they are most active. As well as in and around termite mounds.”Expert Insight
Where to stay: Duba Explorers Camp. Located in the NG23 private concession known for its unique matrix of waterways and dry land, this camp currently holds the highest recorded citizen-science data percentage for pangolin encounters in the Delta.
2. Brown Hyena (Parahyaena brunnea)
Unlike its vocal and well-known cousin, the spotted hyena, the brown hyena is a quiet, shaggy-coated scavenger adapted to arid landscapes. Listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List, the species maintains small, highly territorial clans across southern Africa’s drier expanses.
They travel immense distances nightly, covering up to 30 km/18.6 mi, in search of carrion, desert melons, and small prey. Look for their distinct white-and-brown striped legs and long mantle fur as they traverse open salt pans in early twilight.
Where to spot: The Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) and the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans.
“You'll see when it comes to the hyena species generally, where there are a lot of spotted hyenas, there aren't a lot of brown hyenas. But where there are a lot of brown hyenas, there aren't a lot of spotted hyenas.”Expert Insight
Where to stay: Camp Kalahari. Literally built on “Brown Hyena Island” among the acacias, this camp is widely regarded as one of the most reliable bases in Africa for brown hyena encounters. Night drives along the edge of the salt pans frequently produce sightings.
3. Aardvark (Orycteropus afer)
This strange, solitary mammal – whose name means “earth pig” in Afrikaans – is one of Africa’s most secretive nocturnal foragers. Equipped with thick skin, a long tubular snout, and shovel-like claws, the aardvark can excavate diamond-hard termitaria (termite mounds) in minutes.
Beyond their diet of ants and termites, aardvarks play a crucial role as ecosystem engineers. Their deep subterranean burrows provide essential shelter for dozens of other desert species, including warthogs, hyenas, and bat-eared foxes.
Finding an aardvark in the daytime can be difficult, as they are nocturnal creatures and are more than likely to be asleep in burrows. This is why the best time to see them is during cold winter nights when they spend longer periods above ground foraging for food.
Where to spot: The vast open grasslands surrounding Nxai Pan National Park and the Makgadikgadi perimeter during dry-season night drives.
“You want to ideally find them at nighttime. The whole tracking scenario changes completely because you can't really follow tracks in the dark. But where you want to look is more open areas. So going to say, the Kalahari, in the middle of winter or the back end of winter, is probably best when it's absolutely driest and going out on a night drive and going to the areas where there are a lot of termite mounds. That's going to be your best chance to find them.”Expert Insight
Where to stay: San Camp. This elegant, white-tented desert camp holds the highest recorded percentage of aardvark sightings. Guides here track active burrows during afternoon excursions.
4. Aardwolf (Proteles cristatus)
Though its name translates to “earth wolf” and it sports a striped coat reminiscent of a striped hyena, the aardwolf is entirely harmless and insectivorous. Unlike its bone-crunching relatives, the aardwolf’s cheek teeth are reduced to peg-like structures unusable for meat. Instead, it uses a broad, sticky tongue to consume up to 300,000 harvester termites in a single night without destroying the mound, ensuring a renewable food source.
Look out for their distinct vertical black stripes and long neck mane elevated in defensive displays. Aardwolves are territorial and frequently mark their paths with secretions from their anal glands, making them easier to track around established den sites.
Where to spot: Open grassy plains surrounding the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans and the drier fringe territories of the Okavango Delta during early evening drives.
Where to stay: Jack’s Camp. This classic safari camp is located in a prime area of Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Salt Pans and comes complete with a team of legendary guides who’ve logged consistent sightings of aardwolves on late-afternoon and night game drives.
5. Bat-Eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis)
Instantly recognisable by their extraordinarily large, dish-like ears – which grow up to five inches tall – these massive ears allow the bat-eared fox to hear subterranean termite larvae chewing underground, acting as large radar dishes. Unusually social for such small, wild canids, bat-eared foxes are monogamous and live in close-knit family groups where males take an active role in rearing pups.
Unlike most small predators that operate under the cover of darkness, these adorable foxes frequently sunbathe outside their burrows during chilly winter mornings and late afternoons. Look for them hovering around harvester termite mounds across short-grass plains.
Where to spot: The open short-grass savannahs of the Makgadikgadi Pans, Nxai Pan, and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
Where to stay: Meno a Kwena. Perched above the Boteti River on the western edge of the park, the dry surrounding fossil riverbeds are a magnet for bat-eared foxes digging for beetles.
Botswana’s Carnivores and Agile Predators
6. African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus)
Also known as the painted wolf, the African wild dog is one of Africa’s most successful endurance hunters and among the most endangered animals in Africa. They are known for their strong pack bonds and unique hunting style, boasting a hunting success rate near 80%, far outperforming lions and leopards.
Botswana is a global stronghold for them, hosting nearly 30% of the world’s remaining population. Unlike desert-adapted species, wild dogs require massive, undisturbed home ranges packed with high densities of medium-sized antelope like impala, making Botswana an unmatched sanctuary for these carnivores.
Interestingly, pack members will “vote” on whether to go on a hunt or not by producing sharp, rhythmic sneezes. Researchers have discovered that the more sneezes occur during a gathering, the higher the likelihood the pack will set off on a hunt.
Many safari goers consider a wild dog sighting to be a life-defining moment, often prized above seeing leopards or lions. And with fewer than 7,000 individuals remaining in the wild and their extremely nomadic lifestyle, finding them in a massive reserve is like finding a needle in a haystack.
Botswana remains one of the final global strongholds for wild dog conservation, actively supported by organisations like the African Wildlife Foundation.
To capture the action of a painted wolf pack on the hunt, visit during the annual denning season between late May and July. Within this window, packs remain anchored to localised subterranean dens, ensuring a high chance of encounters at dawn and dusk.
Where to spot: Moremi Game Reserve, the Khwai River concession, and private reserves along the Kwando system.
Where to stay: Lagoon Camp and Lebala Camp. These two camps are located in the massive Kwando concession, an area legendary for its hyper-resident wild-dog packs. It was widely considered by safari enthusiasts to be the most reliable place in Africa for wild dog sightings, with packs numbering up to 30+ individuals.
7. Caracal (Caracal caracal)
Known as the desert lynx due to its distinctive tufted ears and reddish-gold coat, the caracal is a master of camouflage and agility. Capable of leaping up to three metres into the air to snag birds mid-flight, spotting this swift feline is an exceptional mark on any wildlife collector’s checklist.
Botswana is one of the strongholds for caracals, alongside South Africa and Namibia. However, these stunning felines are highly secretive, solitary, and primarily nocturnal. They are ideally found in open-semi-arid woodland habitats, the perfect hunting ground for birds and rodents.
They are remarkable hunters for their size and will often hunt prey as large, or even larger, than they are. They normally stalk their prey as closely as possible before leaping out with a surprise attack and have even been seen jumping and batting birds out of the air. Much like leopards, they also cache their kills in trees to return and feed later.
Where to spot: Arid riverbeds and acacia scrubland within the Kalahari and Makgadikgadi regions. High numbers are also known to cross freely between the desert sand dunes of Botswana and South Africa in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. In areas with high lion or leopard concentrations (like Chobe and Moremi), caracals stay deeply hidden to avoid larger predators killing them.
Where to stay: Tau Pan Camp. This is the only permanent camp in the Central Kalahari. It sits elevated on a sand ridge overlooking a permanent waterhole and offers excellent visibility across the plains.
Travel Tip: Because rare African animals inhabit vastly different ecosystems, pairing the arid Central Kalahari (for brown hyena) with the private floodplains of Linyanti or Kwando (for pangolin and wild dogs) requires thoughtful pacing and logistics. Speak to a Discover Africa safari expert to design a balanced itinerary tailored to your target sightings.
Rare Woodland Antelopes
8. Sable Antelope (Hippotragus niger)
Known as Africa’s most beautiful antelope, sables are quite the rare and magnificent sight and are primarily found in the northern wooded savannahs and woodland belts of Botswana. Adult males feature glossy black coats, white underparts, and a striking white facial mask, with impressive ringed, scimitar-shaped horns that can grow up to 1.6 m/63 in long. Females, on the other hand, have chestnut brown coats.
Sables are usually seen in small herds of 10 to 30 individuals, either bachelor herds of males or breeding herds of females and young, often accompanied by a dominant bull. They are known to be extremely bold and aggressive against predators, using their sharp horns to stand their ground against lions and hyenas.
Where to spot: The mopane and broadleaf woodlands of the Savuti channel and northern Linyanti.
Where to stay: Sable Alley. Named after the resident herds, this camp is situated in the Khwai Private Reserve and overlooks a lily-covered lagoon where sables frequently come down to drink. Herds are also regularly spotted at the Chobe riverfront and occasionally near the Kwando and Linyanti Rivers.
9. Chobe Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus ornatus)
Endemic to the lush riverine fringe of northern Botswana, this delicate subspecies of bushbuck is celebrated for its deep chestnut coat adorned with sharp white spots and stripes. Shy and solitary, they navigate dense riverine woodland where they’re normally seen in pairs or alone.
The males are a dark brown or chestnut, while the much smaller females are generally a pale reddish-brown. Bushbuck tend to be elusive and very skittish, as they depend on camouflage to avoid predators.
Where to spot: Early-morning boat safaris or walking trails along the banks of the Chobe River.
Where to stay: Chobe Game Lodge. Located directly inside Chobe National Park along the primary riverfront, this lodge’s elegant boardwalk loops through prime riverine forest, allowing guests to regularly spot these elusive antelopes quietly browsing beneath the deck.
Plan Your Botswana Safari to Track Rare Animals
To experience the rarest animal species in Botswana requires precise itinerary planning, elite local guiding, and access to the country’s most exclusive private wilderness areas. Whether your goal is tracking an elusive ground pangolin at dusk or following a pack of wild dogs across private floodplains, venturing beyond the Big Five delivers a richer, far more intimate story.
Our Africa-based safari experts have travelled through Botswana extensively. From managing complex light aircraft transfers to selecting private concessions with dedicated night-drive rights, they take care of every detail so you can be fully present in the wilderness. Connect with a Discover Africa safari expert today to start designing your tailor-made journey.
Written by Thaakiera Ackerdien
• Travel Writer
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Written by Thaakiera Ackerdien
• Travel Writer
Part of the Botswana Safari Collection