If you are considering going on a safari in Africa, then you most certainly would have come across the term The Big Five Animals. These are the famous five animals that are considered a must-see on a safari. But before we go any further, ask yourself the question – Which animals are the Big Five? Because the answer is actually quite surprising!
The famous big five animals are – Lion, African Elephant, Rhino, Cape Buffalo and……. a Leopard! Hang on a second I hear you thinking, a leopard is not big. There are way bigger animals such as hippos, gorillas, and giraffes. Well, let me explain it to you.
Why Are They Called the Big Five Animals?
Back in the 1800 many trophy hunters traveled to Africa to kill these beautiful animals for trophies (dickheads right?)
Therefore, the Big Five Animals refers to the 5 African animals that are considered the most challenging and dangerous wild animals to hunt.
These days the term is used by companies to sell their safari trips and the only shooting that is done is through a camera. Unfortunately, there are still dickheads out there today that come to Africa to hunt these animals for sport.
Let’s have a closer look and learn some cool facts about these four big and one small creatures that make up the Big Five Animals.
1 – The Lion – King of the Jungle
When we went on a Safari in Maasai Mara we saw nearly 30 different animal species. Fortunately for us, we got to tick off the “Big Five” but in my opinion, the term could easily be the Big 15! Animals like giraffes, zebras, hyenas, cheetahs, and many different kinds of antelope were in abundance everywhere.
Although it is more King of the Savannah really. Africa isn’t the only place where wild lions freely roam. In the Indian state of Gujarat, you will come across the Asiatic lion, also known as the Persian lion.
The term King of the Jungle is believed to have originated in India and is a bit of a case of” lost in translation”. In Hindi, the word Jangle means “uninhabited area’. Areas such as grasslands and savannahs.
Arguably the most popular of the big five animals is the African lion, which is the largest of predators in Africa. Lions are the most sociable of the large cats living in packs of around five to 15 animals and are called prides. This is unique as the majority of wild cats live most of their lives as lone hunters.
A pride of lions is usually made up of related females and their cubs, plus a male or small group of males who defend their pride. The lionesses rear their cubs together and cubs can suckle from any female with milk
A New King
When the younger males get to the age of two to three years old they will leave their pride and attempt to take over another male’s pride. On occasions alone, and other times with other young males. However not all male lions join other prides, sometimes a male lion will be a nomad his entire life.
If the challenger were to be successful and take over his new pride, he doesn’t want to be a stepfather. This is because female lions will not mate until their cubs are 18 months old. As a result, the new male will kill all the cubs in his new pride.
One of the most famous features lions have is their mane. This is not so you can see the difference between male and female lions. Male lions evolved thick, long manes to protect their necks during fights with other males.
After a few years of hanging out with his pride and making babies, the male lion will not be able to reproduce anymore. So what happens then, the females kick him out! It is hard work being a king.
Where Can I See Lions?
The number one country for the most lions in the wild is Tanzania. Almost 15,000 wild lions roam around freely with around 3000 in the Serengeti. Other countries with high populations of lions are – Kenya, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, South Africa, and Mozambique. Sadly only around 24,000 wild lions remain altogether.
2 – The African Elephant – Gentle Giants
Besides being the largest of the Big Five Animals, they are also the biggest of all land animals. Some Males can weigh up to a whopping 6500 kilos. Females weigh about half of that and even newborn elephants can weigh a couple of hundred kilograms.
There is a simple trick to distinguish the difference between an African elephant and an Asian elephant, the shape of their ears. An African elephant has larger ears that are shaped like the continent of Africa!
The most famous features elephants have are their trunks and tusks. Nearly 150,000 muscle units are within their trunk. Their trunks are perhaps the most sensitive organ found in any mammal.
When an elephant is around the age of two it will start growing tusks. These are actually enlarged incisor teeth that are used for digging or as a defense when fighting. Besides their obvious features, these very intelligent animals can communicate across large distances at a low frequency that cannot be heard by humans.
Unfortunately, around 90% of African elephants have been wiped out in the past century – largely due to the ivory trade – leaving an estimated 415,000 wild elephants alive today. How sad is that fact…..
3 – The Rhino: Most Endangered Species of the Big Five Animals
Rhinoceros literally means ‘nose horn’, from the Greek words ‘rhino’ (nose) and ‘ceros’ (horn). There are two species of rhino in Africa: the White Rhino and the Black Rhino. This is another animal under threat of extinction due to rhino poaching and illegal trade in rhino horns. Very few rhinos now survive outside national parks and reserves.
Today the estimated population of rhinos in the world is less than 27,000. It’s unbelievable that poaching rhinos still exist these days.
Just like ‘The King of the Jungle” the names of the rhino don’t have anything to do with color as both species are grey. It is believed that the name white rhino stems from the Dutch word “wijd” (Wide) which refers to its wide mouth. This is because white rhinos are grazers, eating up to 60 kg of grass a day. Black rhinos feed on leaves and branches and have developed pointy hook-like lips.
Another way to distinguish the difference is the size of the animal and the horn shape. A white Rhino is far larger and has one large front horn followed by a shorter second horn. Black rhinos have two horns similar in size.
Both species can be found in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.
4 – African Buffalo – The Toughest of the Big Five Animals
The African buffalo aka Cape Buffalo may not be one of the prettiest looking animals, but boy are they tough! Besides being hard, they are also loyal, protective, and very smart.
The African buffalo is second only to the elephant in terms of memory. While an elephant never forgets, a buffalo never forgives. These large creatures are not to be messed with and are probably the most dangerous animal of the Big Five to humans.
There are stories of buffalos that have ambushed hunters who were following them or had assaulted them in the past. Apparently, they even return to their place of attack to stand and wait for the hunters who tried to kill them.
Buffalo love teamwork, and together they are a serious force to be reckoned with. If another member has been caught by a predator the buffalo will try and rescue their comrade.
Lastly, they’ve also been known to attack young lions from prides that had previously attacked and killed members of their herd out of revenge.
Do you still think these animals are just stupid cows?! It is estimated that around 200 people die every year from these animals, labeling them as one of the most dangerous creatures in Africa. Hence the reason why they have been given the nickname “Black Death”
5 – Leopard – The Hardest of the Big Five Animals to Sight on Your Africa Safari
Finally the smallest of the Big Five animals, but maybe the prettiest – the leopard. In Latin, the word means -Spotted Lion.
These nocturnal big cats are crafty and very hard to spot during the day. In fact, they are the least seen of the Big Five. Despite this, we still managed to see one in a tree, with a new friend it had brought home!
Leopards hide their kill in a tree to prevent any lions or hyenas from stealing their catch and they will stay up there until they have devoured it entirely.
Unlike most cats, leopards are one of the few cats that like water and are not afraid to get wet to catch a meal. But what they do have in common with their smaller cats is that they are the only big cats that purr.
In 2019 a black leopard was spotted on camera in Kenya. This was the first time a black leopard had been seen in Africa for over 100 years.
Around 700,000 of these cunning animals live in the wild. Not only in Africa but also in Central Asia, India, and China. Just many more good reasons to visit all of these countries!
Now You Know The Famous Big Five
There you have it, the Big Five Safari Animals. But did you know, there is also a group of animals called The Small Five?
These are animals that are related to the Big Five Animals by name. They are – Lion Ants, Elephant Shrews, Rhino Beetles, Buffalo weavers, and Leopard Tortoises!
Hopefully, this information only makes your desire to go on an Africa safari even stronger. And so it should, a safari has to be on everyone’s bucket list!
We booked our safari through BookAllSafaris. This is a great website with Africa safaris. Simply filter your needs and start planning your Africa adventure!
Check out this link to get the latest prices and tick a safari off your bucket list!
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