Nyika holds the largest concentration of zebra anywhere in Malawi — visible in herds of dozens on most game drives, particularly around the Chelinda dam in the early morning. Roan antelope, eland (the world's largest antelope), and reedbuck share the same grassland and are equally common; bushbuck and duiker keep to the patches of forest at the edge of the plateau.
The animals here have been hunted historically and remain wary of vehicles, but they are tolerant of walkers and especially of horses. Early morning and late afternoon are the active hours; in the heat of the day the larger herbivores rest in the shelter of scrubby woodland. Leopards live across the plateau in good numbers but are nocturnal and rarely seen.