Owing its existence to the Zambezi River, Mana Pools in Zimbabwe's north is a flood plain area surrounding four ("mana" means "four" in local Shona) oxbow lakes formed by the river as it changed course thousands of years ago. As the lakes recede after every rainy season, a great number of animals come here in search of water. Elephants, hippos, lions, leopards, cheetah, crocodiles, buffalo, impalas, baboons, zebras, warthogs and spotted hyenas are among the wildlife visible at Mana Pools.