Tsavo East National Park is a protected area in Kenya. It covers an area of 13,747 square kilometers (5,308 square miles). The park was established in April 1948 and is located in a dry region that was once called the Taru Desert. Along with Tsavo West National Park, the two parks together cover about 22,000 square kilometers (8,500 square miles). The Tsavo River flows from west to east through Tsavo East National Park. The park is located in Taita-Taveta County, which was formerly part of the Coast Province.

Geography

Tsavo East National Park is mostly flat, with dry plains where the Galana River flows. Other features include the Yatta Plateau and Lugard Falls. Inside the park, the Athi and Tsavo rivers join to form the Athi-Galana-Sabaki River. Most of the park has dry grasslands and savanna.

The Yatta Plateau, the longest lava flow in the world, runs along the western edge of the park above the Athi-Galana-Sabaki River. It is 290 km (180 mi) long and was created by lava from Ol Donyo Sabuk Mountain. The Mudanda Rock is a tall rock formation made of layered rock that collects water, creating a natural dam below. It provides a good view for elephants and wildlife that come to drink during the dry season. Lugard Falls, named after Frederick Lugard, is a series of fast-moving waterfalls on the Athi-Galana-Sabaki River. Aruba Dam was built in 1952 across the Voi River. The reservoir formed by the dam attracts many animals and water birds.

Tsavo West National Park has more hills and is wetter, with swamps, Lake Jipe, and the Mzima Springs. It is known for its birds and large animals. It also has a sanctuary for black rhinos.

Archaeology and history

Although some Early Stone Age and Middle Stone Age archaeological sites have been found in Tsavo through ground surface discoveries, there is strong evidence of a flourishing Late Stone Age economy between 6,000 and 1,300 years ago. Research shows that many Late Stone Age sites are located near the Galana River. People living in these areas hunted wild animals, fished, and raised domesticated animals. Due to limited water sources away from the Galana River, human settlements in Tsavo were concentrated near rivers, rock shelters, and other areas with access to water.

Swahili people traded with Tsavo inhabitants for ivory, cat skins, and possibly slaves as early as 700 CE. There is no evidence that Swahili people directly controlled Tsavo. Instead, trade likely occurred through extended family networks that moved goods between the Swahili Coast and Tsavo. Items such as cowry shells and beads have been found at archaeological sites from the early Swahili period.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, British and German explorers recorded the presence of people now called the Orma and Watha during their travels through the nyika, which means "bush" or "hinterland." These groups were generally seen as hostile to the explorers' goals. Beginning in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the British worked to colonize Kenya's interior and built a railway through Tsavo in 1898. During construction, two man-eating lions killed 135 Indian and local workers before being shot by John Henry Patterson. The railway was eventually completed to Kisumu on Lake Victoria.

Tsavo remained home to the Orma pastoralists and Watha hunter-gatherers until 1948, when it was declared a national park. At that time, the Orma and their livestock were moved out, and the Watha people were relocated to Voi, Mtito Andei, and other areas in the nearby Taita Hills. After Kenya gained independence in 1963, hunting in the park was banned, and management of Tsavo was transferred to the organization that later became the Kenya Wildlife Service.

Wildlife

Tsavo East National Park is one of the world's most important places for many different types of animals, offering homes to large numbers of wildlife.

The Tsavo lions are well-known for their unique features, as adult males often do not have manes. As of 2006, there were about 675 lions in the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem.

Many types of mammals live in the park, such as:

• Aardwolf
• Yellow baboon
• African buffalo
• Senegal bushbaby
• Bushbuck
• Caracal
• African wildcat
• Southeast African cheetah
• African civet
• Kirk's dik-dik
• African wild dog
• African dormouse
• Blue duiker
• Bush duiker
• Harvey's red duiker
• Common eland
• African bush elephant
• Bat-eared fox
• Northern greater galago
• Grant's gazelle
• Rusty-spotted genet
• Common genet
• Gerenuk
• Giraffe
• African savanna hare
• Springhare
• Coke's hartebeest
• Hunter's hartebeest
• East African hedgehog
• Spotted hyena
• Striped hyena
• Yellow-spotted rock hyrax
• Southern tree hyrax
• Impala
• Black-backed jackal
• Side-striped jackal
• Klipspringer
• Lesser kudu
• African leopard
• Lion
• Banded mongoose
• Dwarf mongoose
• Egyptian mongoose
• Marsh mongoose
• Slender mongoose
• White-tailed mongoose
• Vervet monkey
• Sykes' monkey
• Fringe-eared oryx
• Clawless otter
• Ground pangolin
• Crested porcupine
• Cane rat
• Giant rat
• Naked mole rat
• Honey badger
• Bohor reedbuck
• Black rhinoceros
• Serval
• Elephant shrew
• Bush squirrel
• Red bush squirrel
• Striped ground squirrel
• Unstriped ground squirrel
• Suni
• Common warthog
• Waterbuck
• Plains zebra
• Grevy's zebra

More than 500 different bird species have been found in the area, including ostriches, kestrels, buzzards, starlings, weaver birds, kingfishers, hornbills, secretary birds, and herons.

Dida was a female elephant who lived in Tsavo East National Park. She was known for her long tusks and was considered one of Africa’s largest female tuskers.

She was estimated to be between 60 and 65 years old when she died. Over the years, she helped care for several generations of elephants. As a respected leader in Tsavo, Dida passed down her knowledge and experience to many generations of elephants.

Dida died in 2022 from natural causes related to her age. Her bones were found later, showing she had died a long time before being discovered.

Threats

Elephants entering farms near Tsavo East National Park, such as in Taita Taveta, continue to cause conflicts between people and wildlife. Many incidents have been reported, with the most recent in May 2025, when an elephant entered a community area.

Farmers use bees to keep elephants away from their farms.

In 2017, lions from Tsavo East National Park entered Magarini Constituency and killed several animals.

Drought is a major cause of conflicts between people and animals. When droughts occur, animals search for food and water in communities.

Poachers hunt animals in parks for meat and ivory from elephants. The government and partners have taken steps to reduce poaching in the park.

Satao, a famous elephant who lived in Tsavo East National Park for over 40 years, was killed by poachers in May 2014. His body was found with his tusks removed and a poisoned arrow wound.

In 2017, Satao II, another large elephant in Tsavo Park, was killed by poachers. His body was discovered during a routine airplane check. He was 50 years old when he died. Two people suspected of killing him were arrested shortly after.

In 2022, poaching was reported during a severe drought, as people hunted animals for meat.

Long droughts harm national parks by drying up water sources and reducing food. This causes more animal deaths and stress on ecosystems. Climate change has made weather patterns harder to predict, making the situation worse.

In December 2021, Wide Satao was found weak after his tracking collar signaled he was not moving. Despite efforts by Tsavo Trust and Save the Elephants, he died that night. His death was due to old age, worsened by the drought.

In 2022, a severe drought greatly affected wildlife in parks, including Tsavo. Many elephants, zebras, buffaloes, and other animals died during this time.