Africa is the world’s second-largest continent, with many exotic and endangered animals. People from all over the globe have exported them. There is no telling that they originated from Africa. Some African countries have animals that are native and recognized worldwide as part of that particular countries’ heritage. Let’s tour Africa as we expound on our native animal friends.
The Lion – King of the Jungle
The typical lion is often referred to as the “African Lion.” Still, this description is misleading as Africa is the native home for about seven subspecies of lions. These include the mountain lion, white lion, Barbary lion, Cape lion, and cave lion. The most common of which is the mountain lion.
The lion, reputed as the “king of the jungle”, is native to Eastern and Northern Africa. Unfortunately, some of its subspecies are already extinct, and sadly others are also endangered and currently at risk of extinction. This may be because, in many African tribes, a lion-killer is a celebrated hunter and warrior.
The African Elephant
The elephant is one of Africa’s most magnificent creatures and a wonder. Africa is home to two subspecies: the bush elephant – the biggest of the world’s land creatures, and the slightly smaller forest elephant. The savannah or bush elephants are in the flooded grasslands and savannahs. In contrast, forest elephants are common in the Congo Basin.
The African elephant is in danger of extinction. Poachers often hunt and kill large herds to sell their tusks and bones in black markets for medicinal and aesthetic purposes.
Cheetahs
Fun fact – just as Africa boasts the world’s largest land animal in the elephant, so does it with the fastest land animal, the Cheetah. This wild cat’s carnivorous nature causes it to chase after its prey. Research shows that its tail plays a vital role in helping maintain its balance as it reaches speeds of almost 70mph. The Cheetah is native to the Namibian farmlands, Kalahari lowlands and deserts, and the grasslands of the Southern African Transvaal regions. With an average of only 6,674 adult Cheetahs still living in the wild, the Cheetah is unfortunately also considered an endangered species.
The White and Black Rhinos
There are five rhinoceros species worldwide, with the white and black rhinos being native to the savannah regions of Africa. These beautiful creatures were a common sight across the sub-Saharan areas in the past. Many tourists came to experience the pride of Africa in seeing herds of rhinos journey across various African countries in search of forage. However, they fell victim to poachers who hunt them down for ivory and horns and are now in danger of extinction.
The Common Ostrich
This exotic bird is a giant among its species. Its inability to fly is compensated by its majestic beauty and speed on land. In addition, this unusual bird which is native to the desert regions of Africa, is also witty and fearless. It has a communal spirit and protects itself and loved ones from danger.
The Dik-Dik
This name is as unique as its antelope-like bearer is. The dik-dik is a small and elegant subspecies of antelopes native to the African forest regions. They prefer areas with good plant coverage as this helps them camouflage into the environment. A fun fact about the dik-dik is that it secretes pungent material from its eyes to help secure and mark its territory. The dik-dik is smaller than a normal-sized dog and weighs between 3.8 to 7.2kg.
The Giraffe
The tallest terrestrial mammal, it is easy to spot. It is native to East Africa, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Mozambique. It has characteristic blotched spots and star-like patches that extend over its entire body, including its legs and extremely long neck. The giraffe is a food browser and a ruminant animal, i.e. it has a gastrointestinal tract that is very similar to that of a goat. These beautiful animals walk gracefully and have made their way into many African languages in descriptions of grace, elegance, and beauty.
The African Wild Dog
The African wild dog, native to sub-Saharan Africa, is dissimilar to a domesticated dog. It has the look of a laughing hyena with blotched and round spots throughout its body. This dog species has only four digits on its limbs and is a born predator. Its coat varies widely in colour, including red, black, brown, white, and yellow.
The Hippopotamus
The Hippo is a beautiful creature that spends most of its life in wet and estuarine regions. It has a wide, laughing mouth and grazes on land at night. The Hippo is native to 29 African countries and can eat about 80 pounds of food in one sitting. This fascinating creature has an average life span of 50 years and can weigh up to 3.5 tons. The hippopotamus is one of the strongest mammals known to man and has the reputation of fighting off predators to save those dearest to it.
These and many more animals are native to Africa and have been its pride from time immemorial. Although they are scattered throughout the world’s continents, their roots will always be Africa. They will forever be part of the glorious heritage of our continent.
