Lion
If you have read the book The Man-Eaters of Tsavo or perhaps watched the movie by the same title, then you know that African lions are very ferocious hunters.
Like many other animals however, lions do not normally attack men unless cornered or injured.
That does not mean you should attempt to get any close to a lion in the jungle. In your safaris, it is only wise to stay in your vehicle at all times.
Like many other animals however, lions do not normally attack men unless cornered or injured.
That does not mean you should attempt to get any close to a lion in the jungle. In your safaris, it is only wise to stay in your vehicle at all times.
Some fun facts about the African lions:
• Unlike all the other African big cats, lions are social animals, living in prides consisting of up to three males, several more females and their cubs.
• Though they are the reputed “king of the jungle”, lions are actually quite lazy. Their renowned hunting prowess is mostly because they hunt in groups. A lion can not chase their prey for very long distances.
• The female lions (lionesses) do most of the hunting, while the males defend their pride’s territory.
• Only the males have manes, the long bushy hair around their necks and heads. However, some maneless male lions are found in Tsavo national park in Kenya, and in Senegal in West Africa.
Leopard
In my opinion, the leopard is the most beautiful of the African wild animals. Sadly, it is also a very elusive cat, not easily spotted during the day. Among all the big cats of Africa, leopards are the most adaptable, and can be found living in greatly varied environments.
If you are not very familiar with African animals, you can easily confuse between a leopard and a cheetah. But if you have a keen eye, you will notice that they are remarkably different from their body-build to the shape of their skin spots.
Some fun facts about Leopards:
• They are nocturnal, hunting mostly at night and spending the day resting on tree branches.
• After a successful kill, leopards prefer to drag the bodies of their prey up the tree branches, away from other stronger predators like the spotted hyenas and lions.
• Despite their relatively small size, leopards are very strong and bring down much larger animals. Some unbelievable incidences concerning leopards have been recorded, like a leopard killing a crocodile in Kruger national park in South Africa.
Rhino
Both species are endangered species, having been almost wiped out by poachers. Due to their size, rhinoceros have no other natural predators apart from man.
Some interesting facts about African rhinos
• They have a very poor eyesight, but very good sense of smell and hearing.
• Due to the poor eyesight, rhinos tend to charge very easily at offending objects.
• The white rhino is primarily a grazer, feeding mostly on grass, while the black rhino is a browser, feeding on leaves, bushes, plant shoots, etc.
• Despite the color reference, the two species have no remarkable difference in skin color.
