Know Africa’s BIG FIVE

Africa’s national parks and reserves are full of thousands of species of wild beasts. For this reason Africa has become the hot-spot favorite of wildlife safari lovers. If you too are planning to go on an African safari, you should know about Africa’s big five - Leopard, Lion, Buffalo, Elephant and Rhinoceros.

The leopard resides in bush and riverine forests. They are generally found in or near woods on mountain sides or along streams and rivers. Leopards are normally seen during the night but are also seen in the early mornings and late afternoons. They are shy, cunning and dangerous.

While on your African safari tour you can find lions in savannahs, dense bush, grasslands and woodlands. A lion stands about 48 inches high at the shoulder. An adult male lion weigh about 416 pounds and a female lion weigh about 277 pounds.

Buffaloes reside in dense forest or even open plains. Plentiful supply of grass, shade and water are the basic requirements for the savannah buffalo. They avoid wide open areas and flood plains where there is no shade. Buffaloes are generally seen in herds. At times they are unpredictable and can be dangerous.

The African Elephant is the largest living land mammal. The only requirements for an elephant’s habitat are clean drinking water and a plentiful supply of food. Elephants can be extremely destructive at times.

The white or square-lipped rhino is one of the two species of rhino found in Africa. The rhinoceros stands about 60 inches at the shoulder. The Black Rhino weigh 1 to 1½ tons and the White Rhino weigh over 2 tons. They reside in grasslands and open savannahs. They are very shy and therefore are not spotted very easily.

On your African safari trip stay away from all the wild beast that you spot as they all are very unpredictable and can be very dangerous at times.You are always advised to take safety precautions and obey the guide’s directions for your own safety.