Dinder gets its name from the Dinder River, which flows through the park and fills up a series of shallow pools called mayas during the wet season. As the dry season arrives and the pools shrink, animals from across the park gather at the remaining water. This makes the mayas the best place to spot all kinds of wildlife drinking side by side — lions, antelopes, baboons and elephants can sometimes all be seen at the same pool.
The park has a remarkable mix of habitats packed into one area. In the wetter south, tall acacia woodland provides shade and shelter for leopards, monkeys and hundreds of birds. In the north, open grasslands are home to large herds of roan antelope and lelwel hartebeest — two striking antelopes with long, curved horns. The mix of trees and grassland means the park can support an enormous variety of species.
Birdwatchers love Dinder because more than 160 species have been recorded there, including the very rare shoebill stork — a huge bird with a foot-wide beak shaped like a wooden shoe. Elephants also visit the park, particularly along the river corridors. Scientists and conservationists work at Dinder to understand how wildlife populations are doing and what the park needs to keep thriving.