Where to see the Big 5 in Africa
There are so many amazing animals living across the plains of Africa, that it might be hard to remember which ones are counted as the ‘Big 5’.
The Big 5 are African Elephants, Cape Buffalo, African Leopards, African Lions & Rhinos! Here are some quick facts:
The African Elephant
The African elephant is one of the world’s largest land animals and can be found in Sub-Saharan Africa. These elephants like to live in open grasslands but can survive in a range of different environments. One of their distinguishing features are their massive ears, which help prevent these amazing animals from overheating in the scorching temperatures of their habitats.
Cape buffalo
Cape Buffalo inhabit anywhere that’s close to water and feed on huge quantities of grass. They live in herds of hundreds, sometimes gathering in the thousands! In fact, they are one of the most populous herbivores in Africa. However, the Buffalo have a great number of predators to watch out for – lions, leopards and hyenas are just a few!
The African Leopard
Did you know that African Leopards can see seven times better in the dark than humans? This makes them the perfect nocturnal predator. They like to stalk and/or ambush (rather than chase) their prey, and are quiet, stealthy hunters. Being the smallest and stockiest of the four Big Cats, Leopards are made for dragging heavy prey and can even carry them up trees!
The African Lion
African Lions, like the rest of the Big Five, and can be found in various parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Unlike other cats, lions live in family groups (prides) which usually comprise of a few males, about a dozen females, and all of their young. Though the male lions are more intimidating with their long manes, it is actually the female lions that do most of the hunting for the pride! They work together to hunt, since most of their prey are faster runners than they are.
The African Rhino
There are two types of African Rhinos – the black rhino and the white rhino – and both are endangered species. This is due to many years of rhino poaching and the demand for rhino horn products in Asia. The two types of rhino are very similar, and despite their names, are the same colour! To tell a black rhino apart from a white rhino, you have to look at their mouths. A black rhino has a hooked upper lip, whilst the white rhino has a square lip.
Excited to see these majestic animals? Take a visit to one of these places:
- Kruger National Park, South Africa
- Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
- Okavango Delta, Botswana
- Masai Mara, Kenya
- Chobe National Park, Botswana
- Entabeni Conservancy, South Africa
- Etosha National Park, Namibia
Want some help in planning your game adventures in Africa? Contact lesli@lloydstravel.com or your favourite lloyds travel agent to get the best advice on travelling Africa!
Interested in booking a trip for this year? We recommend – Collette Explorations: South Africa, Victoria Falls & Botswana – contact us today to find out more!