African Big Five - Can You Name Them?

'African Big Five' would at first glance seem like a self-explanatory phrase. It must refer to the five largest animals occurring in Africa, right? No! In this case, if you went for the simplest possible explanation you would be wrong - it is not size alone which has given rise to this description.

savannah cat

The animals which fall into this illustrious grouping are (from largest to smallest) the African Bush Elephant, the Rhinoceros (either white or black), the African or Cape Buffalo, the Lion and the Leopard.

SAVANNAH CAT

As regards size, there are certainly African animals larger than the lion and Leopard. What about the graceful Giraffe and the massive though ungainly Hippopotamus? There are also faster animals - the Cheetah springs to mind.

So why the Big Five sobriquet?

In the late 19th century Great Britain and Germany colonized vast tracts of Africa. These colonizers sought to establish crop and livestock farms but where faced by natural difficulties - vast quantities of wild game eager to devour whatever was on offer.

Of necessity a job was created, that of 'White Hunter'. Hunting had long been a pastime for the moneyed classes - an aristocratic and noble sport - and there is no doubt the necessity of clearing the land of troublesome 'pests' was embraced with some delight!

However, the animals of the African plains were no pushover. The creatures soon to become known as the African Big Five proved to be even wilier and worthier opponents than all others. In many cases they were more than a match for their human enemies as they were exceptionally dangerous to hunt and hence earned a reputation that has endured ever since.

African Bush Elephant

There are 2 species of African elephant, the Bush and the Forest Elephant. The Bush Elephant is larger and more common. They are the largest land mammals and male Bush Elephants can measure up to 3.64m tall and weigh up to 5,455 kg. They have long ivory tusks which they use for digging and stripping bark off trees as well as for fighting. These have been their downfall in the late 20th century, leading to widespread poaching. The elephant has only one natural predator - man.

Rhinoceros

The White Rhinoceros is the larger of the two African rhinos, and is in fact named for its square ('wide') lip rather than its color. It is listed as vulnerable in conservation terms. It is a grazer and its highest concentration in the wild is found in South Africa.

The Black Rhinoceros is similar in color to the white rhino which can lead to confusion. However, its mouth is adapted for browsing low shrubs, hence it has a pointed, 'hooked' lower jaw. It is critically endangered and once again the largest populations in the wild are found in South Africa.

Both African species have two facial horns which are highly sought after for their mythical medical properties. Like the elephants' tusks this demand has led to widespread poaching and the dangerous decrease in their populations to current low levels.

African or Cape Buffalo

The buffalo is a bovine herd animal which reaches up to 1.7m tall and can weigh up to 800kg. Its shaggy rusty-black coat and wide upturned horns (rather like a large misplaced handlebar mustache) are distinctive. It is renowned for its bad temper and wounded animals are reported to ambush and attack pursuers. It has only two real predators - lions and man.

Lion

Lions are the second largest of the big cats (the tiger is larger). They are unusually social cats and live and hunt in groups called prides. The lionesses are responsible for hunting, which they carry out with great teamwork. Most lions now live in Eastern and Southern Africa both in open savannah and more forested regions. Their populations have seen an irreversible decrease in recent years. Man is their only natural predator and their existence is now only possible within designated game reserves.

Leopard

Leopards are the least endangered and smallest of the big cats. They are solitary creatures and avoid one another except to mate. They hunt mainly at night and may spend their days resting in trees, making a leopard sighting rather exciting on safari. A regular practice is to drag their prey up the tree to be eaten at leisure without interference from scavengers.

Having whet your appetite for African animals, all that remains is to decide when, where and how to go on safari! Despite the proliferation of animal documentaries on television, nothing can compete with the thrill of seeing the African Big Five in the flesh.

African Big Five - Can You Name Them?

Alison Beere is a Cape Town based author and editor of a website focused on Cape Town Travel Information. She and her family are determined to distill the essence of Cape Town and their African experiences and share it with visitors the world over.

SAVANNAH CAT