Mention a Safari to Africa

7/31/2019 Mention a Safari to Africa

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Mention a safari to Africa, and one animal springs immediately to mind - lion! This, the so-called Kingof Beasts, is on everybody's list of animals to see. This fascination is no doubt due to the size andawesome power of this large cat, and its hunting prowess. But it may also have something to do with

the human psyche, for our hominid ancestors on the African plains had to contend with lions ascompetitors and enemies on a daily basis. Perhaps they still dwell deep in our subconscious mind!

THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT - Gardeners of the Savannah

The African Elephant is the largest land mammal and perhaps the continent's most charismaticcreature. Few animals are as closely linked to the welfare of mankind - for elephants have thepotential to greatly modify the vegetation of landscapes, destroy the crops of subsistence farmers aswell as create wealth through their valuable ivory tusks. There is little doubt that elephants haveplayed a vital role in the economic history of the continent. Today, visitors to Africa's wildlifereserves and wilderness areas are captivated by the power and grace of these magnificent animalsand by their apparent sensitivity and compassion.

WHITE RHINOCEROS - Great Grazer

Perhaps the first thing people wonder about the white rhinoceros is why it has its name. It iscertainly not white in colour and actually has the same skin tone as its cousin, the black rhino. Infact, the name is thought to have been derived from the Dutch word "weid" meaning "wide" in

reference to the animal's broad, wide mouth.

BLACK RHINOCEROS - Black Beauty

The Black Rhinoceros has a hooked, prehensile nose, carrying its head high on its shoulders, asopposed to the low-hanging head and hump-shoulders of its relative, the grazing White Rhino.Predominantly a browser of short woody trees and shrubs, the Black Rhinoceros uses its pointedupper lip to grasp leaves and twigs, employing its double horns to dig roots or break branches too farout of reach. Its grey, wrinkled skin varies in colour due to the mud and dust in which it frequentlywallows to cool down and protect against flies and sun. The two species of African rhino are similarin height, averaging about 1.6m at the shoulder, but the Black Rhinoceros has roughly half the massof a White Rhinoceros, weighing in at a demure 1000 kg.

BUFFALO - Flanks of Ebony, Horns of Steel


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A large herd of buffalo is an unforgettable sight. Heads raised, horns glinting, massive fringed earsand noses twitching in search of danger. Closely related to the domestic cow, the African buffalo isone of the most successful and perhaps ecologically important mammals on the African continent.

Buffalo are completely dependent upon surface water, so are absent from arid and semi-arid regionsbut are widespread and common in savannah, woodland and forest environments. Not surprisingly,however, they provide good meat and few now survive beyond the borders of wildlife reserves andother protected areas. Buffalo are also host to several diseases which are lethal to domestic cattleand so have been eliminated from areas suitable for ranchlands.

LEOPARD - Prince of Darkness

Few animals possess the mysterious aura of the leopard. 'Prince of

Darkness' and 'Silent Hunter' are frequent epithets for this traditionally

elusive cat. Like the lion, the leopard has been held in awe by generations

of people across Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Although an infrequent

man-killer, leopards elicit fear and dread among rural people whose

domestic animals may be at risk to these cunning predators. The leopard is

the most adaptable of the large predators and may still be found in close

proximity to man, even, sometimes, on the outskirts of large cities. It is able

to survive in just about any environment, being at home in forest,

savannah, desert, or mountain top. The body of a leopard

was once found in the snowfields on Mount Kilimanjaro

at an altitude of some 4500 metres!

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Mention a Safari to Africa