Animals That You Will Only Find In Africa

1. African Elephant - Largest Mammal In The World

Image source: Reddit

The world’s largest land animal weighs in at around 6 tons and ranges from 19 to 24 feet! Elephants are listed as being vulnerable and sadly, 8 percent of its population is poached for the valuable ivory tusks.  There is a savanna elephant, with tusks that turns out and a forest elephant whose tusks are straight.

2. Rhinoceros - Poached for their unique horns

Image source: RedditThe white and black rhinos are both found in Africa. Sadly, these animals are hunted for their nose horns and they have become endangered.  Most rhinos are solitary although the white ones can live in small groups.  They all prefer to avoid human interaction.

3. African Leopard - Such strong swimmers

Image source: Reddit

Leopards are nocturnal so are usually only around early morning or evening.  They are strong, powerful animals and they love to climb trees.  As well as being able to run 58 km an hour, they are extremely powerful swimmers so, with these attributes, hunting for prey is made easier.

4. Cheetah - World's fastest land animal

Image source: Reddit

The cheetah is a truly remarkable animal. This cat is the world’s fastest land animal who can reach speeds of 70 mph and it can reach its top speed within 3 seconds which is crazy!  The tail of the cheetah helps it to balance when it’s running and controls the direction.

5. Zebra - Likes to hang around with giraffes!

Image source: Reddit

The zebra, a member of the horse family, is recognized by its distinctive striped markings. There are three subspecies, all bearing different widths in their stripes! Zebras can be quite sociable and occasionally form mixed herds with giraffes and wildebeests.  This is extra protection for the other animals.

6. Lion  - The most majestic big cat

Image source: Reddit

One of the most majestic animals in the big cat family is, of course, the lion.  These big cats are vulnerable with only 20,000 remaining. The reason for the decrease in numbers is due illegal wildlife trade, conflicts with humans and habitat loss.  Lions like to live in groups, with up to 15 in a pride.

7. Mountain Gorilla - Most thrilling and rare animal

Image source: BBC

Gorillas are one of Africa’s rarest and most thrilling animals to see on safari. There are less than 1000 mountain gorillas left in the world, all living in a small area on the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.  They live in groups of 10 and happily mix with humans.

8. Giraffe  - Uses it's height and tongue to its advantage!

Image source: World Animals

The giraffe is the world’s tallest animal with its long neck making up the majority of its height.  An adult male is usually around 5 meters tall and weighs around 1,200 kg.  Something else it has is its prehensile tongue which is used to feed on leaves and other greenery from the tops of trees.

9. African Wild Dog - nothing like your pet dog

Image source: Reddit

This wild dog has unusual paws with only four toes on each foot.  They hunt in a pack, usually dominated by a monogamous breeding pair and they are are very social animals. When a female gives birth, the pack all help to take care of the litter and they have been known to also care for the weaker members of the pack.

10. Hippopotamus - don't mess with this river horse!

Image source: Reddit

Hippopotamus is the Greek word for "river horse."  It is native to 29 African countries and spends its time in rivers and swamps.  These herbivores graze on land at night for up to five hours and eat around 80 pounds of food during this time.  They can live up to 50 years old.

11. Greater Kudu - Male and female don't live together

Image source: Reddit

The greater kudu is a threatened species of the antelopes that is tall with long horns and stripes and spots on its body. They feed on vegetation in a number of areas including woodlands, mountains and bushlands.  The adult females form small groups and live together with their calves, while the males are solitary animals and only join with the females when it's mating season.

12. Mantled Guereza - the most beautiful monkey

Image source: Reddit

The mantled guereza is a beautiful species that lives in the African forests of West-central and East Africa. They have shaggy black and white pelts - and no thumbs!  They rarely come down from the treetops where they feast upon leaves and even toxic foliage.  These monkeys have a highly developed digestive system that allows them to break down any toxic food.

13. African Civet - Not a fussy eater

Image source: Reddit

African civets weigh between 3 and 10 pounds, with the females being a bit larger than the males.  These creatures can live for 12 years and  have a much longer lifespan in captivity, surviving almost double that time.  Civets are omnivores and not fussy eaters because they enjoy reptiles, insects, birds and fruit.

14. Common Ostrich - flightless bird with strong legs

Image source: BBC

The common ostrich is the world’s largest bird. You can tell the males and females apart by their coloring, with males having a more distinct black and white combination, while the females are a dull, brown grey color.  Because the ostrich is flightless it has exceptionally strong legs and can give out powerful kicks!

15. Chimpanzee - the male is in charge

Image source: Scientific American

Chimpanzees lives in groups from 15 to 150 members, although individuals travel and forage in smaller groups during the day. The species lives in a strict male-dominated hierarchy and disputes are generally settled without the need for violence - always a good thing!

16. Grey Crowned Crane - Uganda's national bird

Image source: Reddit

The grey-crowned crane is such a striking bird with its unique colors and yellow “crown” of feathers on its head.  It is actually the national bird of Uganda. Pairs mate for life and can be found in the wetland and grassland areas such as marshes and rivers.  They eat lizards, frogs, crabs and seeds.

17. Wildebeest - All give birth around the same time

Image source: Reddit

When you watch a tv documentary about migration on the African plains, you will have seen herds of wildebeest migration in search of food and water supplies. An interesting fact about wildebeests is that around 80 per cent of the females give birth around the same time, a smart survival tactic.  This increases the chance of the calves making it to adulthood and avoiding attacks from predators.

18. Hartebeest - An excellent runner

Image source: Critterfacts

The hartebeest is a large, beige colored antelope that few people would describe as beautiful.  What the hartebeest lacks in beauty, it certainly makes up for in speed and is reported to be an excellent runner.  They do have challenges though because of human hunting, besides increased cattle grazing which causes competition for food.

19. Warthog - Remember Pumba from the Lion King?

Image source: Kruger National Park

The warthog has a conservation status of being the least threatened which is great news.  They are sturdy animals and can run up to 34 mph.  Apparently, when the female warthog is getting ready to have her litter, she will distance herself from the youngsters she has been raising!

20. Spotted Hyena - A hunter and scavenger

Image source: Reddit

Hyenas are weird looking animals known for scavenging food although the spotted hyena is an accomplished hunter and  perfectly capable of catching its own prey.  It has no  preference for food and its diet includes big animals like wildebeest to smaller lizards and snakes, even down to bugs!

21. African Buffalo - Only females stay with the herd

Image source: Reddit

You can see an African buffalo in large herds of males and females but it is only the females who stay with the herd they were born into.  The males leave when they are around 4 years old. The species look like the water buffalo but are much more aggressive.

22. Okapi - Hard to spot with their great camouflage

Image source: Reddit

It’s quite rare to see an okapi which look like a combination of a horse and a zebra.  They are interesting animals and actually related to the giraffe!  They are, however, much shorter, around half the height of the giraffe. Okapis have unusual markings to blend in with their natural surroundings.

23. Jackal - they enjoy a small rodent!

Image source: Reddit

There are three species of jackals in Africa.  Closely related to dogs, there is the common jackal, black-backed and the side-striped jackal.  Unlike other types of wild dogs, they don’t move around in packs and prefer to operate either alone or in pairs when looking for food.

24. Mongoose - looks like a meerkat

Image source: Reddit

The mongoose is one of Africa’s smallest carnivores and  part of the much-loved meerkat family. There are 34 different kinds of mongoose and these include the banded mongoose and the smallest, the dwarf mongoose, at only 17 cm long.  They love to eat small rodents, reptiles and insects.

25. Puff Adder

Image source: BBC

The puff adder is a very aggressive snake and is known to attack with no warning! It gets its name from the way it inflates itself and hisses when it is threatened.  It can sense the vibrations of footsteps and then uses its camouflage to stay hidden away.  If you surprise a puff adder by standing on it, the snake will defend itself so watch out!

26. Kob - their horns curve backwards

Image source: Flickr

Kobs are quite similar to impala but much less common.  They are found in central and west Africa and Uganda and are identified by their ringed horns which curve backwards,.  Only the males have horns. Kobs prefer flat countryside, close to water which means the can come into conflict with humans.

27. Agama Lizard - turn rainbow colored during mating

Image source: Earthstar

There are more than 30 different types of agama lizards, also known as rainbow lizards because of their amazing bright colours. Most of the year these safari animals are grey or brown but, in mating season, the males develop glorious color patterns to attract a female. Different species turn different colors.

28. Stork - looks prehistoric!

Image source: BBC

There are yellow-billed, saddle-billed and African open-billed storks. Probably the most common one you are likely to see is the Marabou stork which is an enormous, prehistoric looking bird.  It reaches up to 1.5 metres tall and has a wingspan of  around 3.7 metres –  one of the largest in the world.

29. Vulture - chief scavengers

Image source: BBCAfrica is home to 11 different species of vultures so you wont have any trouble spotting them on your safari! Vultures are nature's scavengers and cleaners as they feed on dead animals and the remains left over by other predators. Some vultures will kill sick or wounded animals and hunt fish or reptiles.

30. Oxpecker - ride on the back of buffalos

Image source: Birdwatch

The oxpecker, also known as the tick bird, rides on the back of large mammals like buffalo, zebras and giraffes, eating ticks, fleas and lice on its travels, eating hundreds of ticks a day.  If they become alarmed for any reason, they will hiss, which warns their host of approaching danger which is handy!