Rangers in Zakouma worked incredibly hard to protect the elephants, and it paid off. The elephant population — which had dropped very low — has now grown to over 700 animals and keeps getting bigger every year. Baby elephants can be spotted playing in the mud near the rivers during the wet season.
Zakouma is also a paradise for birds. More than 370 different species have been spotted there, including the beautiful crowned crane, which has a golden tuft on its head that looks like a tiny crown. During the wet season, vast flocks of waterbirds arrive to feed in the flooded grasslands.
A special team of rangers patrols the park every single day, many of them on horseback so they can move quietly through the bush. They track animal footprints, count herds, and make sure every creature in the park stays safe. Being a ranger at Zakouma is considered a very proud job.