#BIG FIVE SAFARI ANIMALS SKIN#

#BIG FIVE SAFARI ANIMALS SKIN#

The thin skin can easily dehydrate, which is why hippos stay submerged in daylight. Hippos live in groups of 10 or more, presided over by a dominant male. This huge mammal (up to 2,000kg/2 tons) is common in the waterways of the Kruger Park and Zululand, and has been reintroduced to Cape TownвЂ™s Rondevlei Nature Reserve. Elephants are active 16вЂ“20 hours a day, eating, drinking, bathing or travelling in search of food вЂ“ they canД®at up to 150kg (330lb) of vegetation in 24 hours. Males usually leave the family at around age 12, to drift between herds, roam singly or form bachelor groups. Females live in loose-knit herds, in which the oldest cow plays matriarch. The largest land mammal, the African elephant can reach 3.4 metres (11ft) at the shoulder and weigh 6,300kg (over 6 tons). Common but secretive in most game reserves, leopards are most likely to be seen in private reserves bordering Kruger National Park. A leopard will often carry a fresh kill (impala, baboons and monkeys are favoured) up a tree, safe from the reach of less dextrous carnivores. It is a solitary animal, hunting mainly at night. The leopard is bulkier than other spotted cats, from which it can be distinguished by its pugilistic build and elegant coat of black rosettes set against an off-white to russet background. Some prides specialise in hunting buffalo or giraffe, but most feed on impala, zebra or wildebeest, seizing the prey by the throat and suffocating it. Most of the hunting is done by females, working as a team, usually at night, but males will usually be first to eat at a kill. Prides consist of six to a dozen females and their cubs, with one or more dominant males. Tawny or fawn in colour, with manes ranging from gold to black on the male, the lion is the largest of AfricaвЂ™s three big cats, and also the most sociable. Looking to explore private, tailor-made trips to South Africa? Fahranaaz, our local expert, is ready to customise your experience from start to finish. The list that follows gives you an overview of some of the most popular animals to spot. The Kruger National Park and bordering private reserves (now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park) is South AfricaвЂ™s premier game-viewing destination, but hundreds of smaller reserves such as Pilanesberg and Kapama Private Game Reserve protect familiar safari species alongside regional specialities. For those who go on safari, however, it is the classic African woodland savannah of the northeast that holds the greatest allure, harbouring a wide range of favourites including the so-called 'Big Five:' elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino. Its richly varied mammal fauna, comprising 230 land and 43 marine species, is linked to an ecological diversity that includes no fewer than six major terrestrial biotic zones, ranging from desert to montane forest. If you're going on safari in South Africa, you're in for a treat the country is known for its absolutely spectacular wildlife.

Big five safari animals