The park's grasslands support a variety of large mammals, including tens of thousands of blue wildebeest, whose annual migration is Africa's second-largest.

Frequently sighted large predators include the cheetah, spotted hyena, and lion, the most famous of which was a female resident called Lady Liuwa, who was the subject of a National Geographic documentary (The Last Lioness) before she died of natural causes in 2017.

Before the national park was established, the area served as the hunting ground for Lubosi Lewanika (1842–1916), who was the Litunga (king or paramount chief) of the Lozi people in Barotseland between 1878 and 1916.

[7] Local interest in preserving the park and its wildlife has reportedly subsequently increased since management has improved and the area's connection to the Litunga was restored.

[8] King Lewanika Lodge, named after the former Litunga, can accommodate fifteen guests and includes six villas, one of which has two bedrooms.

[8] The park is prominently made up of a grassland that measures approximately 72 by 32 km (45 by 20 mi), scattered with raffia palms and woodlands.

[1][2] Recorded grass species include Echinochloa stagnina and Vossia cuspidata , which are important for grazing herbivores, as well as Baikiaea plurijuga Guibourtia coleosperma, Peltophorum africanum, Terminalia sericea, and various types of Hyphaene.

[3][5] A survey conducted in 1991 recorded population estimates of 30,000 blue wildebeest, 800 tsessebe, 1,000 zebra, and 10,000 other large mammals, including buffalo, eland, oribi, red lechwe, reedbuck, and sitatunga.

[10] Subsequent surveys suggested major population declines, with possible eradication of buffalo, eland, Lichtenstein's hartebeest, and roan antelope.

The animals were kept in a split compartment boma to bond, after which they were released in April 2022 and started to immediately move as a pack.

[13] Lady Liuwa was the park's most prominent resident,[1][14] and was the subject of a National Geographic documentary released in 2010.

[7] The two male lions left Liuwa and made their way to Angola; one was killed by locals and the other, Nakawa, returned to the park on his own.