Tagged with ‘big five’

The only extant (living) species in the Order Proboscidae are the elephants. The order, however, includes a number of other now extinct species. The earliest record of a member in this group was a small pig-like creature called Moertherium. It lived in a swamp area in what is now modern day Egypt some 50 million years ago. There were a number of other species like it who in turn evolved into the Woolly Mammoths and Imperial Mammoths. Read the rest »

The lion has been one of the most talked about animals on the African plains, and not surprisingly has been the main topic of conversation around camp fires for thousands of years. The lion is the greatest of all the African cats, the largest in the world being the Asian tiger, and fortunately these cats never share the same habitat.

The lion’s most distinctive feature is the mane of the males. These manes are generally a tan colour, graduating to black. Adult male lions reach 120 cm (3.9 ft) tall at the shoulder and weigh up to a massive 200 Kg (440 lb.), the heaviest recorded being 260 Kg (572 lb.). The female are predictably smaller, averaging 10 cm (2.5 in.) smaller and 70 Kg (154 lb.) lighter. Read the rest »

The words Big Five conjure up mental images of the wild African bush where lion, rhino, elephant, hippopotamus and buffalo roam free. Being able to see all of the Big Five on any safari is a major privilege.

However, if you have a game ranger with serious savvy he may also point out the Little Five. Read the rest »

According to the Shona People, leopards that remain in the hills leading a natural existence are to be disregarded. However sometimes one of these great cats will come into the kraal and sit down, and will remain impervious to any attempts made to dislodge it.

These leopards are really spirits, and a medium must be sought to communicate with them. Their visit may be a warning, or just to observe that all is well with the tribe. Only mediums are able to speak with them. The leopard will proclaim its identity to the medium, state the purpose of its visit and then vanish. Read the rest »