The Gambia is a tiny country of only 11,000 square kilometres in area & with a population of over 1.3 million. This small strip of land no longer holds significant populations of large mammals & the few species present are usually very shy & secretive but can sometimes be seen with a bit of luck.

Elephant, Black Rhino, Giraffe, Giant (Lord Derby's) Eland, Lion & Buffalo are long gone but a few Hippo still survive in the freshwater section of the Gambia river at the Kai-Hai islands. A few Leopard (we saw big cat pugmarks in wet sand at Tendaba airfield in mid-October 2008) & Spotted Hyaena probably still survive in Kiang West N.P. whilst Bushbuck, Warthog & at least 4 species of primate are still quite common. A few Roan antelope occasionally cross over from Senegal but this has become much less frequent in recent years.
There is however a successful Chimpanzee re-introduction programme on the large islands in the freshwater section of the Gambia river downriver from Janjangbureh island involving confiscated 'pets' & orphaned youngsters ( see: http://www.chimprehab.com/ ).
Apart from Hippo the the Gambia river, especially in its lower stretches holds populations of Dolphin & the increasingly rare West-African Manatee which can sometimes be seen in the bolongs around Makasutu/Mandina lodges.

To aid in the identification of the flowers, insects & general wildlife you are likely to see when out & about (or even when only in the hotel grounds) it is recommended that you purchase a copy of Dr David Penney's new Field Guide to Wildlife of The Gambia: an introduction to common flowers & animals. This excellent new field guide can be viewed & purchased here: http://siriscientificpress.co.uk/default.aspx