The Mighty Lion
The king of the animal kingdom rules supreme over the grasslands and savannah of Africa as the second largest cat in the world. It occupies the top spot in the food chain and is regarded as an apex predator. The lion’s lackadaisical demeanour, sleeping for up to 20 hours a day, shouldn’t be mistaken for its overall approach to life. Male lions, distinguishable by their impressive manes that also act as protection, defend their territories of up to 260 square kilometres with a fierce determination.
It is up to the females to provide food for the whole pride, that also includes a variety of youngsters ranging from cubs to sub-adults. The lionesses rely on teamwork to bring down their prey, anything from smaller antelopes to even elephants in some instances, that they mostly hunt at night. Most of Africa’s lion population can be found in the eastern and southern parts of the continent. From around 400,000 animals 75 years ago, their numbers have drastically fallen to less than 20,000—mostly due to the interference of man.
More of the Big Five
Rhino
The Big Five
Both species of rhino have two horns from keratin growing at the front of their faces. They use it when feeding, to dig up roots, or break branches.
Elephant
The Big Five
As a senior member of the herd, a matriarch leads several adult cows and their off-spring that includes younger cows and sub-adult bulls.
Leopard
The Big Five
The leopard has the greatest distribution of all cats across sub-Saharan Africa. The least social, yet perhaps the most beautiful of the African Big Cats
Buffalo
The Big Five
The Cape buffalo may present itself as just another bovine. However, its unpredictable mood has given rise to nicknames such as “ widowmaker”.