Wildlife animals, “The "Big Five": Elephant, Leopard, Lion, Buffalo and
Rhinoceros
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Originally used only by hunters, the term 'Big Five' refers to five of Africa's
greatest wild animals - lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. As during
the bygone hunting era the term "Big Five" still conjure up the romance and
excitement of Africa's exotic destinations and experiences. Imagine watching
the sun set over the horizon whilst you capture the moment of a tribe of lions
stalking their prey. Watching a buffalo stolling to a water hole with strength
and size that makes it more likely to kill a human than any other mammal.
The rhino, which is almost extinct, with its extraordinary horns and bad
temper. And the leopard with its beauty and remarkable speed and skill to
hunt.
Many travellers regard a visit to South Africa as incomplete without having
spotted, and perhaps photographed, the Big Five. The Big Five - legends of
the wilderness which have become synonymous with Africa.
The elephant
Habitat: Elephants are always associated with
permanent water and abundant vegetation (an
exception to this is the unique desert elephant
from Namibia, who adapted to survive in the
harsh conditions of
the
area).
Because
elephants do not have sweat glands, water
plays an important roll in helping them cool
down.
Habits: Elephants are very intelligent and
highly social animals.
They live in herds, made up of the matriarch (the
oldest animal in the group), her female calves and the youngsters. The herd
can comprise between 6 and 30 animals, after what they split to form new
herds, always maintaining contact with each other at water holes and feeding
spots. At 14 years of age, males leave the heard and associate with other
bulls of the same age or older.
Within the "bull area" hierarchy is well
observed and understood by all bulls; if a group of bulls come across a cow
in oestrus, the animal occupying the highest rank is the one to mate. Males
are much larger than females and their tusks are much longer and heavier.
Elephants have 6 sets of molar teeth; when the last set is lost, the animal is
unable to feed and eventually dies. Their life span is about 50 to 60 years.
Diet: Elephant eat practically any vegetable matter. Leaves, grass, reeds,
roots, flowers, fruits, bark and even soil if the mineral content is high. They
eat about 250 kg of food and drink about 150 to 200 liters of water a day.
Breeding: Females are sexually mature at 12 years of age and are mated by
visiting bulls. After a gestation period of 22 months, the cow gives birth to a
single calf that weighs up to 130 kg. The calf suckles for about 3 years.
The leopard
Habitat: Leopards are more commonly found
along riverine forests and bushes. Although less
common, they also can be found along open
plains and savanna, mainly in hills and rocky
outcrops.
Habits: Leopards normally hunt at night and dusk, staying in secluded spots
during the day or lying in high branches of trees. They are solitary animals
by nature, only associating with a female for mating and staying with her
only for a couple of days.
Leopards are masters of camouflage and they
move silently through the vegetation to attack their prey at very close
quarters. The victim is normally killed with a bite on the back of the neck,
and then taken up a tree, where the leopard will feed at leisure, away from
scavengers.
Leopards are extremely territorial animals.
Their life span is
about 15 years, and they can attain a mass of about 70-kg.
Diet: Leopards are the most successful hunters of the cat family. Their prey
includes Impala, Bushbuck, Warthog and also the young of Wildebeest, Kudu
and Waterbuck. Rodents, ground birds, monkeys, baboons, frogs and fish,
also make part of its diet.
Breeding: The female gives birth to one to three cubs after a gestation
period of about 105 days. The cubs are kept in secluded spots, like thickets
and rocky crevices. They are much darker than adults. Female Leopards are
very dedicated mothers leaving their cubs only when hunting.
The lion
Habitat: Lions are more abundant in open
plains where there is permanent water and
plenty of grazing, and consequently, plenty
of game.
Lions are also found in semi
desert conditions like the Kalahari Desert.
They are the most powerful of the African
predators. With a swipe of one of his paws,
Lion can break a Wildebeest's neck, and he
can carry twice his weight in his powerful
jaws. Lions, like any other Cat, can see at
night like humans see during daytime. This
is due to the fact that their retina is lined by
a tissue called "tapetum lucidum", that
reflects back the light passing the rods of
the retina.
Habits: Lions are the most social of the cat family.
They live in prides
consisting of one or two males, up to seven females and 14 or 15 cubs of
different ages.
Prides occupy territories that they defend against nomadic
lions and other prides; this is done by the dominant male or males, by means
of patrolling and scent marking.
At about 3 years of age, young lions are
evicted from their pride; they normally stay together, always on the move,
becoming nomads, until they take over some other pride, whose male has
become too weak or old, sometimes killing all the existing cubs. The female
normally does all the hunting, usually at night, late afternoon or early
morning. At a kill, the adults will eat first, with the male sometimes claiming
it for himself, and, if anything left, the cubs will then take their turn. In times
of scarcity this means very little food available for the cubs, and death by
starvation.
Scavengers, like vultures, hyenas and jackals, are attracted to
lion kills in great numbers, and in some occasions a big group of hyenas will
appropriate the kill of a small group of lions. The contrary also happens, with
lions very often steeling from hyenas and jackals, and even climbing up a
tree to appropriate a leopard's kill. Adult males can weight up to 250 kg and
females about 150 kg. Their life span is about 15 years.
Diet: Lion's prey includes mostly wildebeest, zebra, waterbuck, kudu, giraffe
and buffalo.
They also tend to attack young elephant calves. In difficult
times they will even go for small prey, like porcupine, with disastrous
consequences for both.
Breeding: Breeding occurs all year round, with 2 to 6 cubs being born after
a gestation period of about 110 days. The lioness normally leaves the pride
to give birth to her litter, in a sheltered spot where she leaves them, while
hunting. At this stage the cubs are very vulnerable, sometimes being taken
away by scavengers, like hyenas, while their mother is away.
If, at any
stage doubtful about her cubs safety, the lioness will find another hide, and
will transport them, in her mouth, one by one, to the new location. Once the
cubs are big enough to follow their mother, she will take them to the pride
and introduce them to their father. This is another crucial time in the cubs'
life, as nobody can predict the reaction of the male.
The rhino
Species: Two types are found,
namely Black and White Rhinos.
The Black Rhino's head is much
smaller, it is a solitary animal,
more
aggressive
and
the
calf
usually follows the mother.
Habitat:
Black
Rhinos
prefer
densely wooded areas, with a lot of shrubs and plenty of water whilst the
White Rhino prefers more grassland.
Habits: Black Rhinos are very solitary animals, with bulls associating with
females only for mating. Sub adults and youngsters stay with their mother
only until the next calf is born, when they are driven off to find their own
territories. The Rhino bulls mark their territory by dragging their feet trough
their dung, scattering it all over the place and by urinating on to bushes.
They are extremely aggressive animals. A charge by a Rhino, with is loud
snorts, it's a terrifying affair.
They readily attack predators including
humans. They are also short sighted, but their sense of smell and hearing is
very acute.
Adult males can weight up to 1200 kg, females being slightly
smaller. Their life span is about 40 years.
Diet: Rhinos are browsers, eating leaves, fruit, flowers, but also herbs.
Breeding: Mating is always preceded by courtship behaviour that includes
snorting and sparring with the horns.
Mating is repeated several times
during a period of 2 to 3 days, and may last about 30 minutes at a time. A
single calf, weighing about 35 kg is born after a gestation period of about 15
months.
The buffalo
Habitat:
Buffalo
are
adaptable
animals,
being
occupy
open
grasslands,
extremely
able
to
wooded
savanna and thickets.
Habits: Highly gregarious animals,
buffalo associate in herds of up to
1000 or more individuals.
Despite being very aggressive and extremely dangerous animals (more
hunters are killed by buffaloes than any other animal), buffaloes are very
peaceful amongst themselves. The dominant bull normally is the oldest bull
in the herd. Both sexes have horns, but those of males are more robust and
heavier. Males can attain a mass of about 800 kg and they have a life span of
approximately 20 years.
Diet: Buffalo are exclusively grazers.
Breeding: Female buffalo become sexually matured at the age of 5 years.
The gestation period is 11 months and one single calf is born.
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