Tarangire National Park is almost 3000 sq km in size and is probably best known for its huge numbers of elephants and baobab trees. The name of the park comes from the Tarangire River which crosses through the park. Tarangire is especially spectacular during the dry season (June - November) as wildlife concentrations rival that of the Serengeti (since enormous populations of elephants and other animals are drawn to the Tarangire River as their only source of water). With its varied habitats and permanent water in the Tarangire River the park is home to over 2000 elephants and 500 bird species.