Get to know more about your ‘Big Five’
In days of yore, it was considered a great victory for hunters to bag one of these animals.
Most South Africans are pretty clued up as to what animals make up our ‘Big Five’, but not many know much about these specific animals, or how they came to be collectively known as the Big Five.
The lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo were grouped together because these were among the most poached animals in Africa, and were the most dangerous and difficult to hunt on foot.
In days of yore, it was considered a great victory for hunters to bag one of these.
Also, their status came from the fact that game spotters are very lucky to see one, let alone all, of these in the wild.
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The rhino is now on the endangered species list and, along with the other Big Five, the only acceptable shots are those taken with a camera.
These animals are not just popular with South Africans, but have attracted many tourists to the country too, because it is only only on the African continent that all five can be seen in the wild.
1. Lion – These are the only animals in the big cat family that live in prides (groups) and their roar can be heard up to 8kms away. The lionesses do all of the hunting – usually at night, and once done, the males eat first. In some cases, the darker a lion’s mane, the older he is.
2. Leopard – These big cats are known for their climbing abilities and great night vision. They are nocturnal and unlike the social lions, prefer to be on their own. Leopards are also known for spending a lot of time in trees, and if not hunting or feasting on their prey which they’ve pulled up a tree, they’re usually sleeping.
3. Elephant – These are also social animals and what many people don’t know is that they actually love swimming. Another interesting fact about elephants is that much like humans, they also bury their dead and sometimes stay at the grave site for several days.
4. Rhino – Rhinos are nocturnal herbivores and are divided into five groups. Two of these are found here – the black rhino and the white rhino. These animals are endangered and because of their precious horns, are still being poached which has decreased their numbers drastically over the years.
5. Buffalo – These wild cattle are known to be unpredictable and often aggressive animals. Buffalo can drink up to 40 litres of water a day so are usually found near watering holes. This is where lions hang around waiting to prey on them, but because buffalos are so big and strong, it usually takes several lions to take one down. Over the years, buffalos are said to have killed more hunters in Africa than any other animal.
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