African Rhinoceros:
The African Black Rhino being critically in danger and the African White Rhino having 2 sub-species are the two species in which the African Rhinoceros occur.
Considered as success story for conservation is one of the African White Rhino’s sub-species, since it has recovered from the brink (edge) of extinction.
On the other hand, the other sub-species are in the danger of extinction.

Diceros Bicornis and Cerato thenum simum are the Zoological names of the African Black Rhino and the African White Rhino respectively.

Range: The Eastern, Southern and Central Africa are the regions, which the African Rhinoceros finds most suitable to stay in, while South Africa is preferred by the African White Rhinoceros to the Central part of Africa.

Estimated Population: In the wild, approximately 3,600 African Black Rhinos are in existence and trying to survive. The designation of all the four African Black Rhino’s sub-species is so much in danger. 2 sub-species are in existence.

The Northern white Rhino’s life is critically endangered to such as extent that in Garamba National Park in Congo, only 30 are surviving, yet in South Africa, the Southern White Rhino has recovered and is being protected, to the extent that 11,000 White Rhinos are surviving.

Physical characteristics:
A thick grey-black hide is the colour of the Black Rhinos, which have in a row, two horns i.e. a larger one at the front of a smaller one. Similarly White Rhinos have two horns made of Keratin and looks like human nails and hair.
60-150cm is the height to which the large horn at the front can grow. This horn increases as age increases and can only be seen after a year.

Of the land mammals, the adult White rhinos come next to the largest, the African elephants. 2-3 tons is normal weight of these Rhinos, and grey is their actual colour.
A wide mouth and 2 horns, one larger than the other, are the components of the Rhinos. The White Rhino derived its name from ‘weit’ a word widely used by Afrikaans, being transformed overtime to ‘white’.

Habitat: Next to rivers, watering holes and forested are considered the most suitable
habitat for the Black Rhino.

Diet:  Grass plus shrubs are the foods fed on by the herbivores Rhinos. Several hours are
spent searching for food in a day.

Behaviour: If tempered with, the male Black Rhino will seriously react and act due to
the fact that they are aggressive. This is not surprising since Rhinos are known to be solitary animals. Their dung and urine is what is used to mark their territory. The young ones of the Black Rhinos until they are over 2 years old, do they stop following their mothers. Wallowing in mud pools and taking off time to cool off in water, are hobbies that Rhinos love exercising.

Status: Rhino horns are very useful in making Chinese medicine and for that matter
therefore, Rhinos are continually poached. In the wild, approximately 3,600 African Black Rhinos are in existance and trying to survive, because their lives are threatened.
The Northern African White Rhino, which from being in a terrible situation, is now successfully recovered.

Africa is also home of such exotic animals like wildebeest, zebras, spring bok, giraffe and hippos other than above-mentioned big five African wildlife attractions by which majority of the tourists are attracted. Take a tour in Kenyan national parks and you wont miss these captivating creatures.
In addition, a lot of bird species and marine life can be caught sight of in Kenya.

If disturbed, the Cape Buffalo can mean to be very aggressive, though in most cases, it is a very placid animal.
Cape Buffalo herds use their large curving horns in a venture to fight off such predators as lions and as well, form protective rings around their offsprings in a venture to safe guard them.

All around the Kenyan national parks can you sight the Cape Buffalo with Kenya wild life.

Syncerus caffer is the Cape Buffalo’s Zoological name.

Range: Forested areas of Eastern and Southern Africa and savannah are the places where
the Cape Buffalo is normally located.

Estimated Population: In approximation, 500,000 Cape Buffalos are in existance in the
wild.

Physical Appearance: You can easily mistake Cape Buffalo for Big Black Cows, though
their shoulders together with their haunches are powerfully muscled. Their horns, rising from the tops of their heads and sweeping down wards and side ways before they curl up again, are enormously curved.
In terms of weight, adult males are sometimes over 700Kg, with their horns spanning a meter.

Habitat: Next to water sources, no matter where they are situated, whether in forested
areas or in the savannah, is where the Cape Buffalo prefers spending it’s life. However, for wallowing, swampy and open pastureland areas are the most preferred.

Diet: Great quantities of greenery are highly are highly eaten by the Cape Buffalo since
they are herbivores. Grass and leaves are the main food to the Cape Buffaloes,
which in a venture to avoid the heat of the day, usually eat at night.

Behaviour: Females great in number, males and their young ones constitute the herds in
which Cape Buffaloes live.
From hundred Cape Buffaloes to larger seasonal congregations of thousands, is the
range within which Buffalo herds fall.
Male Buffaloes usually divide themselves is such a way that young males stay in one bachelor herd, while adult ones live in a neither. Mooing and Bellowing are the techniques applied by Cape Buffalo members of the herd to communicate to one another.

Status: National Parks situated in the Eastern and Southern regions of Africa contain most of the stabilized populations of Cape Buffaloes, because they are in conflict with human habitation while in areas other than these. Also, such diseases like Rinderpest, are a threat to their lives.

Of the huge cats in Africa, the African lion is the largest. However, worldwide, the lion follows the tiger in size and height. It’s the leading predator in the dusty African savannah, where it camouflages with the help of its tawny mane.

The African Lion is regarded as a power symbol by the local tribes people.
Traditionally, killing a lion was a ritual, which a boy had to fulfil before becoming a man, for several of the local tribes present in Kenya. While on tours to Kenya with Kenya wild life safari, you can view the African lions since they are now protected species kept in the Kenya national parks.
Panthera Leo is the African Lion’s Zoological name.

Range:     South Eastern Africa is where the African lion                             mainly prefers living.
Savannah, semi desert and grassy plains, is where it                     loves spending its life.

Estimated population: In the wild, there are approximately                                             16,500 to 30,000 African
lions.
Physical Appearance: World wide, the African lion comes                                                     second to the tiger in
largeness. A dark tuft of fur at the                                                 end, is what comprises a fully
grown male lion, which  sometimes                                                 reaches 9 feet long, inclusive
of is it’s 3 foot long tail.

Grown lions are usually over 200kg in terms of weight and 4 feet tall in terms of height.
Female lions, though not as huge and tall as male ones, are in the same way fierce, and are in most cases tawny or sandy in terms of colour. Orange-yellow to dark brown, is the range or colours in which the male lions lie. The manes usually black in colour, are the unique identifiers of the male lions.

Habitat:  Forests including scrub jungle or open grasslands,                     are the most favourite places
for the African lions. In most cases, lions are seen on                 the ground or where they
can easily survey their territory, say on rocky                             outcrops, though they sometimes climb trees but to                 a small extent.

Diet:     Since lions are carnivores, they usually hunt for their                 prey and among what they
feed on is the antelope, zebra or wildebeest. As if                         that’s not enough, they are
sometimes observed to attack and fight the young                 hippos or elephants till they get
them.

The lions only go hunting for prey when they are                     hungry. It is important to note that
a few of the hunts are successful. It, many a time, goes             without eating for a day,
after having killed and eaten it’s full, until it hunts again.

Behavior: Sociable animals, lions are, and live in groups known as prides, which
usually are comprised of 15 members, including female lions, their cubs and
males. Other Big cats are solitary (live in isolation), but lions are not.

Hunting for prey is done by the female lions, while defence of the pride’s territory is done or provided by the male ones.
Roaring and scent marking are the techniques employed by the lions, to establish their territory boundaries. Female lions bite the necks of their prey as a tactic of killing them, but first, they stalk (follow) their prey up to a time when they manage to approach nearby and then attack.
The moment the young male lions approach 3 years of age, they get expelled from the pride. However, the young lionesses have a liberty to either stay in the same pride or join another one.
The stubbornness and solitariness of the male lions make them not to join any other pride and so they form their own.

Status: Approximately, there are 10,000 to 15,000 African lions in the wild, and are
known to be dangerous species. Threats to the African lion are on an increasing
scale, some of which include; Diseases, encroachment of grazing lands, genetic
inbreeding and human population pressure.

The leopard is a very captivating creature, having a sleek golden yellow coat and in it, being the dark rosettes. The leopard is addition, comprises a long tail and powerfully built limbs though they are small.
Various parks in Africa have this animal.

Though the most smallest of the Big cats, the leopard is the most adaptable and numerous environments in Africa contain this creature.

Many a time, the leopard is observed resting on tree braches and this is because it is rated the strongest climber amongst the Big cats. Unlike the African lion, the leopard is a solitary animal, which, in case of an attack from poachers, can easily and fiercely defend itself. It loves spending it’s life in areas which are forested. The leopard is a carnivore and for that matter, it is a shrewd hunter, with a prey base which is wide.

You cant miss the leopards while on safari tours with Kenya Wild Safari in Kenya, since with a sleek golden yellow coat marked with dark rosettes, this animal has a spectacular appearance.

Panthera Pardus is the Leopard’s Zoological name.

Range: River valleys and forested areas are the most preferred habitats by the leopards.
They are therefore cited in most parts in the African continent right below the
Sahara.
Mt. Kilimanjaro slopes is another area where they have been discovered.

Estimated Population: Approximately 500,000 leopards are in existence world wide,
with Africa containing the majority.
Poaching and human encroachment pose a big threat to the lives of many leopard
sub-species.

Physical characteristics: In terms of weight, leopards range from 80 to 150 pounds,
while from 3 to 8 feet long is the range of their height, inclusive of which is
their long tails.
Stocky compact bodies with short powerfully built limbs, are the components of
the leopards.
They are able to climb trees due to their shoulders and jaws, which are quite
strong. The cubs of leopards and other animals become aware of the leopard
by the white underside of it’s tail.

Habitat: Numerous environments such as tropical forests all through to semi-desert
regions, are areas where leopards are cited since of the Big cats, they are the
most adaptable. Around human settlement areas and forested boundaries are the
other places where leopards can possibly inhabit.

Diet: Shrewd and fierce hunters leopards are, due to their being carnivores. They can
even attack prey larger than themselves due to their fierceness.
Wild boar, rodents, baboons, fish, antelopes and monkeys are the main prey on which these leopards feed.
The technique used in protection of the killed prey of the leopards from such predators like hyena and lions, is by dragging them [killed prey] up to the tree branches.

Behavior: Unlike the African lions, which are not solitary hunters, leopards are.
A range over lapping the ranges of numerous female leopards is inhabited by the
male ones. In addition, many days may be spent with the females in breeding
season, by the male leopards.

A litter of 1-3 cubs may be born by the female leopards under normal circumstances. After a period of 8 weeks is when the cubs can emerge from their den and for a bout 2 years, keep their mother company.

Status: Activities such as sport, together with the fact that the leopards are regarded as
predators to livestock by farmers and certain tribes, leads to hunting and exterminating of leopards in Africa respectively.
Additionally, because of their exquisite pets, leopards are greatly hunted.
Leopard populations are in urgent need of protection since they are larger in number compared to the other Big cats.

The Big Five African Wildlife Attractions include;the African lion, African elephant, the leopard, the cape buffalo and the rhino

On planet earth, the most huge land mammal, which is both brilliant and so strong, is the African Elephant.
Over 12 feet high and 6-10 tons, is the height and weight of male African elephants, which are male. African elephants in terms of weight and height is huge compared to the Asian Elephants.

The Asian elephants have only one finger at the tip of their trunk, unlike the African elephants, which have two and in addition, they have bigger ears. Huge tusks, which are the huge incisor teeth of the upper jaw, are contained by African elephants, both male and female.
Hunters for the spectacular tusks of the African elephants, the poachers, are a big threat to their lives.
A species that stays in the open savannah and another, which is inhabited by the Central  African forests, are the two different sub species in which the African elephants occur.

Loxodonto Africana is the African elephant’s Zoological name.

Range: Eastern, Central and Southern Africa are regions where the African elephant is
mainly found.

Grasslands, forests, rift valleys and possibly semi-desert areas, is where it loves
spending its life.

Estimated population: In the world, approximately 500,000 African elephants are in
existance.

Physical appearance: Greyish-brown is the colour of the African elephants. Spraying
over their bodies is the technique that they apply in order to prevent
themselves from being attacked by insects and the harsh sun.
The African elephant can look different due to the colour of the soil whose
dust is sprinkled on its body e.g. red, black or even white.

Habitat: A species that stays in the open savannah in Southern, Central and Eastern
Africa i.e. the Larger African Bush Elephant and another that is inhabited in the
rainforest in the Congo basin i.e. the smaller African Forest Elephant, are the
two different sub species in which the African elephants occur.

Diet: Large quantities of food are required by the elephants, which are herbivores, in
order to maintain their large bodies.
Over 200Kg of vegetation within a day can be consumed by an adult male elephant.
Among things that elephants eat are the grass, shrubs, leaves and usually stripe
naked the barks of trees.
Many hours are spent foraging for food in a day, by these huge animals.

Large quantities of water are drunk by these elephants, by spraying it into their
mouths using their trunks after sucking it.
Additionally, they are observed to feed on standing crops in areas of human
encroachment and they also enjoy fruits.

Behaviour: Matriarch, the elderly female African elephant, is the one, which leads the
groups in which the African elephants live.

Adult males, some female elephants and their young ones, make up the family group.
Many a time, on reaching puberty stage, the young male elephants opt to live in bachelor herds other than their own families. Such predators like lions are sent off by use of the elephant’s tusks, in a venture to protect their off springs.
These brilliant other than being able to communicate to one another using a whole range of sounds, inclusive of which is infrasound, they are also sociable, playful, gregarious and in addition, are known for giving a helping hand to the sick and elder counterparts.

Various functions such as greeting one another, drinking, lifting objects and smelling, are performed by their trunks.

In search for food or water, the African elephants migrate every year across the country side and are known to have perfect memories. 60-70 years is the life expectancy of African elephants in the wild.

Status: Poaching, human population pressure and habitat loss, are the main threats to the
African elephants. African elephants continue to confine themselves to wildlife reserves, which are isolated, at an increasing rate.