Title of page Let's Explore Wildlife!
An African penguin walking in the white sand.
Photographed at Boulders Beach, South Africa
African Penguin
Fun Facts: * The only penguin species native to the entire continent of Africa. * Each penguin has unique chest patterns, making them all different like our fingerprints.
Animal Info:
Where do they call home? South Africa What is the average animal size? 24' - 28" What is a group called? A Colony of African Penguins. What do they eat? Sardines, anchovies, & horse mackerel (small fish) What type of habitat? Atlantic Ocean Coastal & Shoreline Current population size: <19,800 What is the conservation status? CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Conservation organization to learn more: SANCCOB Saving Seabirds
African (Bush/Savanna) Elephant
Fun Facts: * The largest mammal on Earth! * The ear is shaped like the continent of Africa. *Two species of African Elephant: Bush/Savanna & Forest
Animal Info:
Where do they call home? 23 countries in Africa; largest herd in Botswana What is the average animal size? 8-11' tall & up to 15,000 lbs What is a group called? A herd of elephants. What do they eat? They are Herbivores and only eat plants. All parts of plants (roots, bark, leaves, fruit, stems, grasses). What type of habitat? African savanna & forest Current population size: 150,000 African Bush Elephants 35,000-145,000 African Forest Elephants What is the conservation status? CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Conservation organization to learn more: Save the Elephants
An African elephant walking through the grasses on the savanna.
Photographed at Kruger National Park, South Africa
An African Wild Dog walking in the grasses of the savanna.
Photographed at Kruger National Park, South Africa
African Wild Dog
Fun Facts: * Also call Painted Dog because of their fur pattern. *Very social animals and care for each other in their pack. *Alpha male & Alpha female lead the pack of about 20 dogs.
Animal Info:
Located: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia What is the average animal size? 30" - 40" long, stand 2' tall with 12" - 16" tails, weigh 40 -80 lbs. What is a group called? A pack of African Wild Dogs. What do they eat? Carnivores; Smaller animals like rats, birds, wildebeest calves. They hunt in packs to target larger prey like wildebeest or antelopes. What type of habitat? Open plains and sparse woodlands. Current population size: > 7,000 What is the conservation status? ENDANGERED Conservation organization to learn more: Painted Dog Conservation
African River Eagle
Fun Facts: * The National bird of Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Sudan *It's loud call is the bird call commonly attributed to sounds of Africa. *Known as kleptoparasites - they steal food from other birds.
Animal Info:
Where do they call home? All over the continent of Africa south of the Sahara desert. Type of bird: A raptor (bird of prey) with spines on its claws to carry slippery fish. What is the average bird size? Wingspan 6'-8' & Body 25"-30"; Weighs 4-8 lbs. What is a group called? Solitary birds but mate for life; from the sea eagle family What do they eat? Fish, waterfowl, terrapins (turtles), crocodiles & sometimes flamingos What type of habitat? Near water; lakes, rivers & coasts. Current population size: 300,000 What is the conservation status? LEAST CONCERN
An African Eagle sits on a tree branch overlooking the savanna.
Photographed at Crooks Corner, Kruger National Park, South Africa
A Black-Backed Jackal walks through the savanna.
Photographed at Kruger National Park, South Africa
Black-Backed Jackal
Fun Facts: * Named because of its dark colored fur on its back. *Great scavengers & follow larger predators to clean up after their hunts. * The word 'jackal' is ancient from the Indian Sanskrit language meaning "the howler".
Animal Info:
Where do they call home? East Africa & Southern Africa What is the average animal size? ≈ 15-16" tall & 13-16 lbs What is a group called? A Pack of Black-Backed Jackals. What do they eat? Omnivores/small animals, insects, fruit. What type of habitat? Savanna, grasslands, semi-deserts & coastal Population size: Unknown; widespread & breeding is abundant with lots of pups! What is the conservation status? OF LEAST CONCERN
A cape buffalo standing in the savanna looking out.
Photographed at Kruger National Park, South Africa
Cape Buffalo
Fun Facts: * Known to have a terrible temper! Watch out! * One of the 'Big 5' of wildlife to see on Safari. *The horns across its head are called a boss.
Animal Info:
Where do they live? Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Uganda What is the average animal size? 5'-6' tall, 1,100 - 2,000 lbs. They are BIG! What is a group called? A herd of Cape Buffalo. What do they eat? Herbivores; grazing and eating only grasses. What type of habitat? African savanna, grassland, swamps. Walk daily to water sources. Current population size: ≈ 400,000 Conservation Status: NEAR THREATENED Conservation organization to learn more: African Wildlife Foundation
A Cape Sugarbird sitting on top of a Protea flower in South Africa.
Photographed at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, South Africa
Cape Sugarbird
Fun Facts: * Only lives in South Africa. *Have long curved beaks that fit into flowers for getting nectar. * The male birds have tail feathers 3x the length of its body. WOW!
Animal Info:
Where do they call home? Only found in South Africa What is the average bird size? ≈ 13-17" tip of beak to tail What is a group called? A group or flock of Cape Sugarbirds. What do they eat? Nectar of Protea flowers. What type of habitat? The Fynbos shrub land region of South Africa. Population size: 750,000 - 1.2 million What is the conservation status? OF LEAST CONCERN
A mama Chacma Baboon carrying it's young child on it's back in South Africa.
Photographed at Kruger National Park, South Africa
Chacma Baboon
Fun Facts: * Largest monkey species in Africa. *A primate that is closely related to humans.
Animal Info:
Where do they call home? South Africa, Angola, Zambia Five Species of Baboons: Olive, Yellow, Kinda, Hamadryas, Chacma & Guinea Baboons What is the average animal size? Up to 45" in body length What is a group called? A troop of Chacma Baboons. What do they eat? Omnivores, eating all parts of plants (roots, fruit, grasses. seeds...) What type of habitat? Africa savanna, grasslands & semi-arid areas Population size: Unknown What is the conservation status? 4 of the 5 species OF LEAST CONCERN Guinea (also called Red Baboon) Baboon: NEAR THREATENED
A cheetah standing in the savanna looking out.
Photographed at Cheetah Conservation Fund, Namibia
Cheetah
Fun Facts: * World's fastest land mammal with speeds up to 70mph! * Cheetahs purr like a domestic cat and cannot roar. *Have a 20' stride when running full speed!
Animal Info: (LOTS MORE info - Cheetah tab)
Where do they live? Namibia, Kenya, South Africa, Horn of Africa, Tanzania, small population in Iran & reintroduced in India What is the average animal size? 28-36" tall, up to 7.5' nose to tip of tail What is a group called? Only males form groups called coalitions. What do they eat? smaller antelopes, hare, rodents, birds, young warthogs What type of habitat? African savanna, grassland Current population size: ≈ 7,000 total wild cheetahs Conservation Status: 3 of the 5 subspecies are CRITICALLY ENDANGERED or ENDANGERED Conservation organization to learn more: Cheetah Conservation Fund
A Nile Crocodile half-submerged in a river in Kruger National Park, South Africa.
Photographed at Kruger National Park, South Africa
Nile Crocodile
Fun Facts: * In Africa there are ONLY crocodiles. There are no alligators. *They have the STRONGEST bite force of any animal!
Reptile Info:
Where do they call home? Lots of countries in Africa: South Africa, Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe. What is the average animal size? 11' - 16' 5" in body length What is a group called? A group of crocodiles on land is called a bask. A group of crocodiles in the water is called a float. What do they eat? Young crocodiles eat mostly water-based food (fish, other reptiles, tadpoles/frogs), adult crocodiles can eat larger vertebrates, like antelope, buffalo, young hippos, and even large cats. What type of habitat? They live near freshwater sources like rivers, swamps, lakes, & marshes. Population size: 50,000 - 70,000 What is the conservation status? LEAST CONCERN
Kori Bustard Bird
Fun Facts: * Africa's heaviest bird at 40 lbs. (19kg) * They suck their water up instead of scooping it like other birds.
Bird Info:
Where do they call home? Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, southern Angola, South Africa and southern Mozambique, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, What does the word 'bustard' mean? The word 'bustard' means birds that walk. Type of bird: Kori Bustard typically stay on the ground and are land birds. What is the average bird size? Wingspan 7'-9' wide & Males are bigger with bodies 4'-5' tall, weigh 40 lbs. & Females stand 2 - 3' tall, weigh up to 15 lbs. What is a group called? Solitary birds until mating time & males are seen in groups called a Lek that form around a female to show off; females often seen with baby chicks. What do they eat? Omnivore; eating both plants (berries) & animals (snakes & lizards) plus insects like locust & dung beetles. What type of habitat? Scrubland, grasslands & woodlands Current population size: ≈ 10,000 What is the conservation status? NEAR THREATENED
Kori Bustard walks through the grassland.
Photographed at Etosha National Park, South Africa

MORE WILDLIFE TO BE SPOTTED SOON... Please CHECK BACK!

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Some people talk to animals, not many listen though. That's the problem. -Winnie the Pooh (A.A. Milne)
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