Africa Big Five Animals
Africa Big Five Animals : Africa is one of the countries that is made up of different kinds of fascinations that cannot easily be exhausted and for that fact this has made Africa indeed a marvel destination worldwide. Explore Rwanda Tours has truly found it reasonable to get you to learn more and more about the attractions in the heart of the world as in Africa.
The word ‘Big Five’ is a common slogan and tourism marketing phrase that is used by majority of tour operators in Africa but the fascination of this word is just far beyond just words but also excellent safari amusements.
Most tourists visiting Africa on a wildlife safari usually embark on game drives to see any of the Big Five animals. In case you are wondering what the ‘Big Five’ animals in Africa are, this article should be able to explain it all in detail.
What are the Big Five animals in Africa?
Uganda is filled with thousands of great fascinating animals but for this case the big five are most desired to be sight by most travelers and for that fact here are the big fives in Africa.
The Big Five animals in Africa consist of; the lion, the leopard, the African elephant, rhino and the Cape buffalo.
The African continent has been rich blessed with a wide variety of wildlife animals, and it is no wonder that most tourists want to visit this lovely continent and explore its rich, beautiful and vast savannah lands, wildlife and diverse cultures.
The Big Five animals live in the wild in most sub-Saharan African countries.
A safari in Africa is not complete without a tour of the Big Five animals. Visitors who wish to see the big five animals in the wild, will have to embark of a guided game drive to any of the national parks in sub-Saharan Africa.
The word ‘Big Five’ was derived from big game hunters in Africa, who found great difficulty in hunting the animals on foot. Therefore, it goes without saying that, they are called the big five because they are the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot.
The best places in Africa where visitors can see the Big Five animals in the wild include; South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Ethiopia, Botswana and Rwanda. However, visitors might also see some of the big five animals on a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The African Elephants: The African elephant is the biggest and the heaviest land animal in the world. The species can also be referred to by its scientific name ‘Loxodonta.’ The African elephant is a unique which comprises two species of elephants; the African bush elephant and the African forest elephant. Visitors can spot the African elephant living in savannah woodlands, scrubland in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical rainforests.
Lions: Lions are usually referred to as the ‘King of the Jungle.’ The lion is the second largest cat after the tiger. Lions can be seen living in the wild, savannah grasslands in Africa. Visitors can identify these large cats by their brown, short fur, wispy tail and heavy mane in males. Male lions in southern Africa can weigh between 187-225kg, while those in East Africa can weigh up to 175kg. Female lions in southern Africa weigh between 118-144kg, while females in East Africa can weigh up to 120kg.
The African Cape Buffalo: The African Cape buffalo is listed as one the Big Five because of the grave danger involved in hunting the species. These animals are known to have a bad temper, and easily charge at the slightest notice of danger. A male buffalo can weigh up to 1,000kg and females weighing up to 678kg.
These species of wild animals has very few predators such as lions, crocodiles and man. Of all the Big Five animals, the Cape buffalo is the least threatened and vulnerable animal. Visitors on wildlife tours in Africa can best see the African Cape buffalo in Kruger National Park in South Africa, Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda, Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia, Chobe National Park in Botswana, and Katavi National Park in Tanzania. Visitors travelling to Rwanda can also see buffaloes in Akagera National Park.
The African Leopard: The African leopard is the shyest animal of all the Big Five animals in Africa. Visitors on a safari game drive may find it spot a leopard because it spends most of its time in isolation. Leopards are mostly active during the night, between sunset and sunrise. Visitors can identify African leopard by its large body and brown-spotted fur. Leopards spend most of their time hidden up in trees, where they can spot their prey easily and also hide prey from other scavengers like hyenas, lions and wild dogs.
The African Rhino: Tourists visiting Africa can see both white and black rhinoceros on a safari. There is not much of a difference between the two species of rhinos, and hence visitors may find it difficult to tell the two apart. While black rhinos have their lips pointed and covetous, the lips of white rhinos are relatively flat and wide.
Visitors travelling to Uganda can see rhinoceros only in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Rwanda also recently acquired 18 black eastern rhinos from South Africa in May 2017, and an additional five rhinos on 24th June 2019 from the Czech Republic. The translocation of the species to Akagera National Park in Rwanda, comes after 10 years of their absence in the national park.
The Big Five animals in Africa are a MUST see for any visitor travelling to this continent. Visitors who are interested in seeing the Big Five on a game drive should ensure that your safari guide knows exactly where to locate the animals.
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