Africa has an incredibly diverse array of fauna and flora, much of it subject to continuing conservation efforts to sustain, maintain and regenerate it. In this section we present an overview of the more commonly known species making up the wildlife and plants you are most likely to encounter in the bush.
Most Popular Animals
The Big Five animals are all classed as dangerous game, or ‘high profile species’. All animals, big or small, are potentially dangerous, but these animals in particular have been put in this class due to a combination of factors, including size and strength, aggressive behaviour, and known cases of fatalities to humans. These are the animals all field guides and game rangers are most cautious of, and if you are game viewing alone on a self-drive, you should treat them with the same respect.
In addition to the Big Five animals, the hippo, ostrich, crocodiles and spotted hyaena all fall within the high-profile species category, as follows:
Hippopotamus – Hippopotamus amphibius
Hippos are large and powerful creatures, weighing in at 1,500Kg and standing 1.5m at the shoulders. They can remain underwater for up to 6 minutes, and despite their lumbering appearance, they can run on land at speeds up to 25mph! They can live for 40 years, depending on habitat and environment.
Hippos have very sensitive skin, being susceptible to sun burn and dehydration, and spend most of the daylight hours submerged in water, although they will leave the water on overcast days. They also leave the water at night to feed on select species of grass. Due to their size and regular feeding habits, they create quite visible paths through the reed beds and tall grasses besides the water.
It is essential to avoid these hippo paths in the late afternoon, at night and in the early morning if you are on foot. Hippos kill more people in Africa than any other vertebrate animal, partly due to their territorial and aggressive behaviour, and if they encounter a human on their path back to the water, they see that as a threat and will attack without further provocation. They have also been known to attack boats and canoes. If you are on a canoeing safari, one of the guide’s priorities will be keeping a very safe distance from any hippos you spot.
Whilst primarily herbivores, hippos have been observed eating meat, feeding off carcasses. They have, however, also been observed saving drowning antelope, returning the creature to the bank. These strange and unpredictable behaviours make them all the more fascinating!
Another common behavioural observation is their habit of charging into camps and apparently stamping out camp fires. Why they do this is unknown. Perhaps they don’t like the smell of what’s cooking!
Ostrich – Struthio camelus
Ostriches don’t look particularly intimidating, but they should be treated with respect. Male (cock) ostriches can be very aggressive and they have a powerful kick, stronger than any rugby player that has ever walked the earth!
It is the ostrich male who actually incubates the eggs and rears their young. They are extremely protective and there have been cases of these birds injuring and even killing people who were rash enough to get too close.
The call of an ostrich male is quite similar to a lion’s territorial roaring, being a deep, guttural rumbling. Either way, if you hear this sound close by whilst on foot, you know to keep a safe distance!
Nile Crocodile – Crocodylus niloticus
Crocodiles need little introduction. The Nile Crocodile is one of the high-profile game species that deserves its reputation as a cold blooded killer. They are the only animal species to regard humans as natural prey, and they will quite happily try to add you to their ‘menu du jour’ if you get too close to them or their watery home! In fact anything around a watering hole, aside from elephants, are fair game to crocodiles. Even lions have fallen victim to these giant prehistoric reptiles.
The Nile Crocodile is the only crocodile species to occur in Southern Africa. They are the second largest species of crocodile in the world after the Australian Salt-water Crocodile, and they weigh in at 1,000Kg, attaining lengths of up to 6m. They can move very fast on land and in water, and even their tail can inflict serious wounds.
Crocodiles have very good senses and although they may appear static and perhaps even asleep whilst bathing on the banks near water, they most probably know you’re there.
They have one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom, and all the muscles in their jaws are designed to be snapped closed with devastating power. The muscles that open their jaws, however, are extremely weak and a human can quite easily hold their mouth shut with one hand. But we don’t suggest that you test this.
When approaching water on foot, be very cautious. Crocodiles have been known to wander off into the bush, to ambush unsuspecting prey on dry land. If you know there are crocodiles in the immediate area, do not approach the water.
Despite their fierce reputation as predators, they have strong parental instincts and female crocodiles guard their young very aggressively. They are fascinating creatures.
Spotted Hyaena – Crocuta crocuta
Hyaenas have their own taxonomic family, Hyaenidae, and they are not related to dogs (Canidae) as some people may think.
Whilst hyaenas are generally thought of as scavengers, they are perfectly capable of hunting and they will often hunt in packs, or even singularly if the opportunity arises. A weakened or injured animal is ideal prey for a hyaena.
They have very strong jaws capable of crushing bone. When they feed, they eat virtually everything, flesh, meat and bone. They are also known to chase lions off their kill when the hyaenas manage to out number the lions. Lions and hyaena are mortal enemies and lions will kill hyaena whenever the opportunity arises, but not to eat.
Hyaena society is interesting in that the clans are led by a dominant female, and indeed all female hyaenas are socially higher ranking than males.
Their senses are very good, and they can smell carrion from kilometers away. They generally live for around 25 years, which is a good lifespan for bushveld animals.
The well known ‘laugh’ of the hyaena is not a celebratory expression but a sign of fear and anxiety. If you hear a hyaena ‘laughing’, it is probably being chased and harassed by lions, which as you can imagine, is not a laughing matter.
Hyaenas, whilst not prone to attacking humans, have been known to enter campsites in search of food. During these occasions they have bitten sleeping people on the face which has proved fatal. But they will not readily approach an awake and mobile human, and they are easy to scare away.
