Size: 1 meter high, weighing up to 100 kg.ĭiet: Leopards are opportunistic carnivores and hunt a wide range of prey such as jackals, antelopes, gazelles, African monkeys, duiker, eland, impala, wildebeest, and more. During the daytime they often lounge around in trees and come to the ground after dark to hunt, taking their prey up into a tree to eat at their leisure. As such they are totally self-reliant, and expert hunters – sometimes killing prey up to twice their size. Leopards are solitary, independent creatures, and rarely seen together except during mating, or a mother with cubs. Slightly smaller than their lion cousins, African leopards ( Panthera pardus) are less rare than you might think, but rely on their animal camouflage and being active at night to stay hidden. Habitat & Rage: Cape buffalo thrive in all sub-Saharan grasslands with access to water – from dry savanna to lowland floodplains.īest places to see African Buffalo: Chobe National Park, Botswana, Katavi National Park, Tanzania, Kruger National Park, South Africa, Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia.Ī stunning African leopard lounges in a tree in Kruger National Park, South Africa Speed: They can run at speeds of up 57 kilometers per hour.ĭiet: Cape buffalos are strictly herbivores and eat a wide variety of grasses, leaves, and other plants. Size: Up to 1.8 meters tall, and 800kg in weight. Herds have clearly defined home ranges, the size of which is determined by the amount of food and water available. Whilst a solitary African buffalo is one of the most unpredictable safari animals (and dangerous, hence their inclusion in the term big five animals), they are usually a docile beast when in a herd… aside from their tendency to stampede en masse when alarmed. Weighing in at not too far short of a ton, the African buffalo ( Syncerus caffer) has a reputation for being bad-tempered and dangerous. Despite this, both species of African elephants are considered endangered species, and on the list of Africa’s most endangered animals.īest places to see African elephants: Addo Elephant Park, South Africa, Chobe National Park, Botswana, Etosha National Park, Namibia, Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia. They are adaptable animals, capable of surviving in many habitats, from lush wetlands to arid African deserts. Range & Habitat: African Elephants are found across sub-Saharan Africa – from Mali in the north, through the central and west African forests, down to South Africa. Size: Up to 3.3 meters tall, weighing 6,000kg.ĭiet: Elephants are vegetarians, eating up to 160kg per day, made up of savannah grasses, bushes, small plants, fruit, twigs, tree bark, and roots. An elephant flapping its ears, kicking up dust, and/or trumpeting is probably about to charge. Keep your distance from them, and if in a vehicle ensure that you have the means to drive away forwards – elephants can run faster than a car can reverse.
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Both are herbivores that live in large groups, whilst the African bush elephant is the larger of the two species, and typically the species referred to as a member of the big five animals.Ī bull elephant can be dangerous, as can herds or mothers with young elephants.
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There are actually two species of African elephant – the African bush elephant and the smaller African forest elephant. Their distinguishing features include the dexterous trunk, large ears that cool the body when flapped, and elongated incisors in the form of tusks. The African elephant ( Loxodonta africana) is the largest and heaviest land animal in the world, weighing up to 6 tonnes, and eating massive amounts of food each day.
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African elephants are the largest of the big five animals