Taxidermy | Animal Mounts| Animal Skins | Pan African Art Gallery

Zebra half mount- this is a zebra burchell (Equus Burchelli).Zebra burchells are prolific and are not an endangered species,can be exported worldwide

Swahili Name: Punda Milia Scientific Name: Burchell's zebra (Equus burchellii); Grevy's zebra (Equus grevyi) Size: 45 to 55 inches at the shoulder (Burchell's); 50 to 60 inches (Grevy's) Weight: Burchell's: 485 to 550 pounds (Burchell's); 770 to 990 pounds (Grevy's) Lifespan: 40 years in captivity Habitat: Woodlands to open plains Diet: Herbivores Gestation: 12 months (Burchell's); 13 months (Grevy's) Predators: Lions, hyenas, hunting dogs, leopards, cheetahs Zebras, horses and wild asses are all equids, long-lived animals that move quickly for their large size and have teeth built for grinding and cropping grass. Zebras have horselike bodies, but their manes are made of short, erect hair, their tails are tufted at the tip and their coats are striped. Three species of zebra still occur in Africa, two of which are found in East Africa. The most numerous and widespread species in the east is Burchell's, also known as the common or plains zebra. The other is Grevy's zebra, named for Jules Grevy, a president of France in the 1880s who received one from Abyssinia as a gift, and now found mostly in northern Kenya. (The third species, Equus zebra, is the mountain zebra, found in southern and southwestern Africa.) Physical Characteristics The long-legged Grevy's zebra, the biggest of the wild equids, is taller and heavier than the Burchell's, with a massive head and large ears. Zebras have shiny coats that dissipate over 70 percent of incoming heat, and some scientists believe the stripes help the animals withstand intense solar radiation. The black and white stripes are a form of camouflage called disruptive coloration that breaks up the outline of the body. Although the pattern is visible during daytime, at dawn or in the evening when their predators are most active, zebras look indistinct and may confuse predators by distorting true distance. The stripes on Grevy's zebras are more numerous and narrow than those of the plains zebra and do not extend to the belly. In all zebra species, the stripes on the forequarters form a triangular pattern; Grevy's have a similar pattern on the hindquarters, while others have a slanted or horizontal pattern. Habitat Burchell's zebras inhabit savannas, from treeless grasslands to open woodlands; they sometimes occur in tens of thousands in migratory herds on the Serengeti plains. Grevy's zebras are now mainly restricted to parts of northern Kenya. Although they are adapted to semi-arid conditions and require less water than other zebra species, these zebras compete with domestic livestock for water and have suffered heavy poaching for their meat and skins. Behavior Family groups are stable members maintaining strong bonds over many years. Mutual grooming, where zebras stand together and nibble the hair on each other's neck and back, helps develop and preserve these bonds. Family members look out for one another if one becomes separated from the rest, the others search for it. The group adjusts its traveling pace to accommodate the old and the weak. The females within a family observe a strict hierarchical system. A dominant mare always leads the group, while others follow her in single file, each with their foals directly behind them. The lowest- ranking mare is the last in line. Although the stallion is the dominant member of the family, he operates outside the system and has no special place in the line. Diet Zebras are avid grazers. Both Burchell's and Grevy's zebras are in constant search of green pastures. In the dry season, they can live on coarse, dry grass only if they are within a short distance (usually no farther than 20 miles away) of water holes. Caring for the Young When a foal is born the mother keeps all other zebras (even the members of her family) away from it for 2 or 3 days, until it learns to recognize her by sight, voice and smell. While all foals have a close association with their mothers, the male foals are also close to their fathers. They leave their group on their own accord between the ages of 1 and 4 years to join an all-male bachelor group until they are strong enough to head a family. Predators Zebras are important prey for lions and hyenas, and to a lesser extent for hunting dogs, leopards and cheetahs. When a family group is attacked, the members form a semicircle, face the predator and watch it, ready to bite or strike should the attack continue. If one of the family is injured the rest will often encircle it to protect it from further attack. Did you know? Romans called Grevy's zebras 'hippotigris' and trained them to pull two-wheeled carts for exhibition in circuses. At first glance zebras in a herd might all look alike, but their stripe patterns are as distinctive as fingerprints are in man. Scientists can identify individual zebras by comparing patterns, stripe widths, color and scars.

The buffalo is also known as the African buffalo and the cape buffalo, as the buffalo is found in large herds across Africa but the buffalo is more prominent in South Africa. Although the buffalo and water buffalo (found in Asia) look very similar it not thought that the buffalo and the water buffalo are closely related. The African forest buffalo is a subspecies of the African buffalo but the forest buffalo is about half the size of the standard buffalo. The African buffalo is one of the most successful grazers in Africa. The buffalo inhabits swamps and floodplains as well as the grasslands and forests of the major mountains of Africa. Buffalo can be found from the highest mountains to sea level areas, and the buffalo tends to prefer habitat with dense cover such as reeds and thickets. Herd of buffalo have also been found in open woodland and grassland. Other than the human, the African buffalo has no real natural predators as the buffalo is able to easily defend itself using the buffalos sheer size and power. Lions, crocodiles, leopards and hyena are all amongst those animals that prey on the buffalo although they are usually only successful in catching the buffalo in large numbers. The buffalo has a very unpredictable nature which, along with the size of the buffalo, makes the buffalo a severe threat to humans. There are numerous buffalo attacks on humans every year and the buffalo is thought to be one of the most dangerous animals in Africa behind the hippo and the crocodile. Because of this the African buffalo has not been domesticated unlike the water buffalo in Asia.

Giraffes are the world's tallest mammals, thanks to their towering legs and long necks. A giraffe's legs alone are taller than many humans--about 6 feet (1.8 meters). These long legs allow giraffes to run as fast as 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour over short distances and cruise comfortably at 10 miles (16 kilometers) an hour over longer distances. Typically, these fascinating animals roam the open grasslands in small groups of about half a dozen. Bulls sometimes battle one another by butting their long necks and heads. Such contests aren't usually dangerous and end when one animal submits and walks away. Giraffes use their height to good advantage and browse on leaves and buds in treetops that few other animals can reach (acacias are a favorite). Even the giraffe's tongue is long! The 21-inch (53-centimeter) tongue helps them pluck tasty morsels from branches. Giraffes eat most of the time and, like cows, regurgitate food and chew it as cud. A giraffe eats hundreds of pounds of leaves each week and must travel miles to find enough food. The giraffe's height also helps it to keep a sharp lookout for predators across the wide expanse of the African savanna. The giraffe's stature can be a disadvantage as well--it is difficult and dangerous for a giraffe to drink at a water hole. To do so they must spread their legs and bend down in an awkward position that makes them vulnerable to predators like Africa's big cats. Giraffes only need to drink once every several days; they get most of their water from the luscious plants they eat. Female giraffes give birth standing up. Their young endure a rather rude welcome into the world by falling more than 5 feet (1.5 meters) to the ground at birth. These infants can stand in half an hour and run with their mothers an incredible ten hours after birth. Giraffes have beautiful spotted coats. While no two individuals have exactly the same pattern, giraffes from the same area

Lioness Weight: 126 kg (277 lb) ; Height: 110 cm (44 in) Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, neices etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder. Top of Page Back to Index Page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lioness Hunting Females are mainly the hunters of the pride, while males only hunt when a big kill is involved or the females have not given him a free lunch. The females usually hunt in a group (3 to 8 females) for there is a higher chance of the kill being successfull. One theory these sociable cats hunt together is to control exclusive hunting grounds and to share food with relatives. The females like to hunt in a broad front in an attempt to drive the quarry into an ambush or block the escape eoute of their prey, like wildebeests or zebras grazing alongside a river or woodland edge. When food is scarce, the females wont share the food that they are able to obtain with their cubs, so high cub mortality rates are high during times of prey scarcity. This might seem cruel but it stems from dire necssity. Top of Page Back to Index Page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reproduction The reproductive cycle begins when a female enters a period of sexual reception called "estrus". The females give off a scent from their reproductive organs and when a male sniffs and smells signs of oncoming estrus, they will follow the female until she is ready to mate. Females may signal their interest in mating with elaborate tail movements and by "walking sensually past" a male and assuming a mating position. During mating males often bite the female at the nape of the neck and the act often ends with the female sarling with bared teeth at the male. Females remain in estrus for approximately for four days and mating occurs several times an hour throughout the entire period. If females fail to conceive they will re-enter estrus approximately two weeks later and the cycle begins again.

Type:MammalDiet:HerbivoreAverage life span in the wild:25 yearsSize:Height at the shoulder, 3.5 to 5 ft (1.1 to 1.5 m)Weight:440 to 990 lbs (200 to 450 kg)Group name:HerdSize relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man No animal has a more distinctive coat than the zebra. Each animal's stripes are as unique as fingerprints--no two are exactly alike--although each of the three species has its own general pattern. Why do zebras have stripes at all? Scientists aren't sure, but many theories center on their utility as some form of camouflage. The patterns may make it difficult for predators to identify a single animal from a running herd and distort distance at dawn and dusk. Or they may dissuade insects that recognize only large areas of single-colored fur or act as a kind of natural sunscreen. Because of their uniqueness, stripes may also help zebras recognize one another. Zebras are social animals that spend time in herds. They graze together, primarily on grass, and even groom one another. Plains (Burchell's) zebras are the most common species. They live in small family groups consisting of a male (stallion), several females, and their young. These units may combine with others to form awe-inspiring herds thousands of head strong, but family members will remain close within the herd. Zebras must be constantly wary of lions and hyenas. A herd has many eyes alert to danger. If an animal is attacked, its family will come to its defense, circling the wounded zebra and attempting to drive off predators.

Taxidermy

The word rhinoceros is derived through Latin from the Ancient Greek: ῥ�'νόκερως, which is composed of ῥ�'νο- (rhino-, "nose") and κέρας (keras, "horn"). The plural in English is rhinoceros or rhinoceroses. The collective noun for a group of rhinoceroses is crash or herd. The five living species fall into three categories. The two African species, the white rhinoceros and the black rhinoceros, diverged during the early Pliocene (about 5 million years ago) but the Dicerotini group to which they belong originated in the middle Miocene, about 14.2 million years ago. The main difference between black and white rhinos is the shape of their mouths. White rhinos have broad flat lips for grazing and black rhinos have long pointed lips for eating foliage. A popular -- if unverified -- theory claims that the name white rhinoceros was actually a mistake, or rather a corruption of the word weid ("wide" in Afrikaans), referring to their square lips.[3] White rhinoceros are divided into northern and southern subspecies. There are two living Rhinocerotini species, the Indian rhinoceros and the Javan rhinoceros, which diverged from one another about 10 million years ago. The Sumatran rhinoceros is the only surviving representative of the most primitive group, the Dicerorhinini, which emerged in the Miocene (about 20 million years ago).[4] The extinct woolly rhinoceros of northern Europe and Asia was also a member of this tribe. A subspecific hybrid white rhino (Ceratotherium s. simum �-- C. s. cottoni) was bred at the Dvůr Králové Zoo (Zoological Garden Dvur Kralove nad Labem) in the Czech Republic in 1977. Interspecific hybridisation of black and white rhinoceros has also been confirmed.[5] All rhinoceros species have 82 chromosomes (diploid number, 2N, per cell), except the black rhinoceros, which has 84.

Habitat Lesser Kudus come from the savannas near Acacia and Commiphora shrubs. They have to rely on thickets for protection, so they are hardly ever seen in the open. Their drab brown and striped pelts help them disappear in scrub environments. [edit] Behavior Like many other antelope, male kudu can be found in bachelor groups, but they are more likely to be solitary. Their dominance displays tend not to last long and are generally fairly peaceful, consisting of one male making himself look big by making his hair stand on end. When males do have a face-off, they will lock their horns in a competition to determine the stronger puller; kudus' necks enlarge during the mating season for this reason. Sometimes two competing males are unable to unlock their horns and, if unable to disengage, will die of starvation or dehydration. Males are seen with females only in the mating season, when they join in groups of 5-15 kudus, including offspring. Calves grow very quickly and at six months are fairly independent of their mothers. Pregnant females will leave the herd to give birth to a single offspring. She will leave the newborn lying hidden for 4-5 weeks while coming back only to nurse it, which is the longest amount of time for any antelope species. Then the calf will start meeting its mother for short periods. At 3 or 4 months the calf will be with its mother constantly, and at about 6 months they will permanently join the group. When threatened, the kudu will often run away rather than fight. Wounded bulls have been known to charge the attacker, hitting the attacker with their sturdy horn base rather than stabbing it. Wounded females can keep running for many miles without stopping to rest for more than a minute. They are great kickers and are capable of breaking a wild dog's or jackal's neck or back. They are good jumpers and can clear a 5-foot fence from a standing start. [edit] Diet Kudus are browsers and eat leaves and shoots. In dry seasons, they eat wild watermelons and other fruit for the liquid and the natural sugars that they provide. The lesser Kudu is less dependent on water sources than the greater kudu. [edit] Predators and threats Many predators, such as big cats, wild dogs, hyenas and pythons hunt kudu and their young. Kudu numbers are also affected by humans hunting them for their meat, hides and horns, or using their habitats for charcoal burning and farming. Kudus were highly susceptible to the rinderpest virus (now eradicated after a vaccination program in domestic cattle), and many scientists think recurring epidemics of the disease reduced kudu populations in East Africa. Kudus are highly susceptible to rabies in times of extended drought. They have been known to enter farm houses and other buildings when infected. Infected animals appear tame and have a distinct frothing at the mouth. They are fearless and bulls may sometimes attack humans who get too close to them. [edit] Meat Kudu meat is similar to venison, with a slight gamey/liver-like flavor. It is a very dry and lean meat, so when cooked, it needs to be done carefully so as not to dry out the meat and make it difficult to eat. When prepared correctly, it can be very healthy because of its low fat content.[1] [edit] Use in music A kudu horn, used by Yemenite Jews as a shofar for the holiday of Rosh Hashanah A kudu horn is a musical instrument made from the horn of the kudu antelope. A form of it is sometimes used as a shofar in Jewish ceremonies. It is mostly seen in the Western world in its use as a part of the Scouting movement's Wood Badge training program which, when blown, signals the start of a Wood Badge training course or activity. A horn of this shape, when used by soccer fans, is called kuduzela (compare with vuvuzela).

This family of insect and seed-eating, ground-nesting birds resemble partridges, but with featherless heads, though both members of the genus Guttera have a distinctive black crest, and the Vulturine Guineafowl has a downy brown patch on the nape. Most species of guineafowl have a dark grey or blackish plumage with dense white spots, but both members of the genus Agelastes lack the spots (as do some domestic variants of the Helmeted Guineafowl). While several species are relatively well known, the Plumed Guineafowl and the two members of the genus Agelastes remain relatively poorly known. The species for which the information is known are normally monogamous, mating for life. However, occasional bigamy has been recorded for the Helmeted Guineafowl [1]. All guineafowl are social, and typically live in small groups. These large birds measure from 40-71 cm (16-28 inches) in length, and weigh 700-1600 g (24-56 ounces). The Helmeted and Vulturine Guineafowl generally reside in open or semiopen habitats such as savanna or semideserts, while the remaining species of guineafowl mainly inhabit forests. The Helmeted Guineafowl has been domesticated and introduced outside its natural range, for example in southern France (where they are known as pintade), the West Indies, and the United States. Guinea fowl are sometimes used to control ticks.[2]

Jackals and are opportunistic omnivores; predators of small- to medium-sized animals and proficient scavengers. Their long legs and curved canine teeth are adapted for hunting small mammals, birds, and reptiles, and their large feet and fused leg bones give them a physique well-suited for long-distance running, capable of maintaining speeds of 16 km/h (9.9 mph) for extended periods of time. Jackals are crepuscular, most active at dawn and dusk

this is a zebra burchell (Equus Burchelli).Zebra burchells are prolific and are not an endangered species,can be exported worldwide

The lion (Panthera leo) is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg (550 lb) in weight,[4] it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger. Wild lions currently exist in sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia, with an endangered remnant population in Gir Forest National Park in India, having disappeared from North Africa and Southwest Asia in historic times. Until the late Pleistocene, about 10,000 years ago, the lion was the most widespread large land mammal after humans. They were found in most of Africa, across Eurasia from western Europe to India, and in the Americas from the Yukon to Peru.[5] The lion is a vulnerable species, having seen a major population decline of 30-50% over the past two decades in its African range.[2] Lion populations are untenable outside designated reserves and national parks. Although the cause of the decline is not fully understood, habitat loss and conflicts with humans are currently the greatest causes of concern. Within Africa, the West African lion population is particularly endangered. Lions live for 10-14 years in the wild, while in captivity they can live longer than 20 years. In the wild, males seldom live longer than 10 years, as injuries sustained from continual fighting with rival males greatly reduce their longevity.[6] They typically inhabit savanna and grassland, although they may take to bush and forest. Lions are unusually social compared to other cats. A pride of lions consists of related females and offspring and a small number of adult males. Groups of female lions typically hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. Lions are apex and keystone predators, although they scavenge as opportunity allows. While lions do not typically hunt humans, some have been known to do so. Sleeping mainly during the day, lions are primarily nocturnal, although bordering on crepuscular[7][8] in nature. Highly distinctive, the male lion is easily recognised by its mane, and its face is one of the most widely recognised animal symbols in human culture. Depictions have existed from the Upper Paleolithic period, with carvings and paintings from the Lascaux and Chauvet Caves, through virtually all ancient and medieval cultures where they once occurred. It has been extensively depicted in sculptures, in paintings, on national flags, and in contemporary films and literature. Lions have been kept in menageries since the time of the Roman Empire, and have been a key species sought for exhibition in zoos over the world since the late 18th century. Zoos are cooperating worldwide in breeding programs for the endangered Asiatic subspecies.

Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, nieces etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder

Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, nieces etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder

Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, nieces etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder

Leopards are agile and stealthy predators. Although smaller than other members of the Panthera genus, they are able to take large prey due to their massive skulls that facilitate powerful jaw muscles. Head and body length is usually between 90 and 165 cm (35 and 65 in). The tail reaches 60 to 110 cm (24 to 43 in) long, around the same length as the tiger's tail and relatively the longest tail in the Panthera genus (though snow leopards and the much smaller marbled cats are relatively longer tailed).[3][4] Shoulder height is from 45 to 80 cm (18 to 31 in). The muscles attached to the scapula are exceptionally strong, which enhance their ability to climb trees. They are very diverse in size. Males are about 30% larger than females, weighing 30 to 91 kg (66 to 200 lb) compared to 23 to 60 kg (51 to 130 lb) for females. Large males of up to 91 kg (200 lb) have been documented in Kruger National Park in South Africa; however, males in South Africa's coastal mountains average 31 kg (68 lb) and the females from the desert-edge in Somalia average 23 to 27 kg (51 to 60 lb). This wide variation in size is thought to result from the quality and availability of prey found in each habitat. The most diminutive leopard subspecies overall is the Arabian leopard (P. p. nimr), from deserts of the Middle East, with adult females of this race weighing as little as 17 kg (37 lb).[5][6] Other large subspecies, in which males weigh up to 91 kg (200 lb), are the Sri Lankan leopard (P. p. kotiya) and the Anatolian leopard (P. p. tulliana). Such larger leopards tend to be found in areas which lack tigers and lions, thus putting the leopard at the top of the food chain with no competitive restriction from large prey items.[7] The largest verified leopards weighed 96.5 kg (213 lb) and can reach 190 cm (75 in) in head-and-body length. Larger sizes have been reported but are generally considered unreliable.[8][4] The leopard's body is comparatively long, and its legs are short.[9] Leopards show a great diversity in coat color and rosette patterns. Their rosettes are circular in East Africa but tend to be squarer in southern Africa and larger in Asian populations. Their yellow coat tends to be more pale and cream colored in desert populations, more gray in colder climates, and of a darker golden hue in rainforest habitats. Overall, the fur under the belly tends to be lighter coloured and of a softer, downy type. Solid black spots in place of open rosettes are generally seen along the face, limbs and underbelly.[5] Leopards may sometimes be confused with two other large spotted cats, the cheetah, with which it may co-exist in Africa, and the jaguar, a neotropical species that it does not naturally co-exist with. However, the patterns of spots in each are different: the cheetah has simple black spots, evenly spread; the jaguar has small spots inside the polygonal rosettes; while the leopard normally has rounder, smaller rosettes than those of the jaguar. The cheetah has longer legs and a thinner build that makes it look more streamlined and taller but less powerfully built than the leopard. The jaguar is more similar in build to the leopard but is generally larger in size and has a more muscular, bulky appearance.[1

Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, nieces etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder

The name of the animal was imported into English in the 18th century from isiXhosa iqudu, via Afrikaans koedoe. [edit] Habitat Lesser Kudus come from the savannas near Acacia and Commiphora shrubs. They have to rely on thickets for protection, so they are hardly ever seen in the open. Their drab brown and striped pelts help them disappear in scrub environments. [edit] Behavior Like many other antelope, male kudu can be found in bachelor groups, but they are more likely to be solitary. Their dominance displays tend not to last long and are generally fairly peaceful, consisting of one male making himself look big by making his hair stand on end. When males do have a face-off, they will lock their horns in a competition to determine the stronger puller; kudus' necks enlarge during the mating season for this reason. Sometimes two competing males are unable to unlock their horns and, if unable to disengage, will die of starvation or dehydration. Males are seen with females only in the mating season, when they join in groups of 5-15 kudus, including offspring. Calves grow very quickly and at six months are fairly independent of their mothers. Pregnant females will leave the herd to give birth to a single offspring. She will leave the newborn lying hidden for 4-5 weeks while coming back only to nurse it, which is the longest amount of time for any antelope species. Then the calf will start meeting its mother for short periods. At 3 or 4 months the calf will be with its mother constantly, and at about 6 months they will permanently join the group. When threatened, the kudu will often run away rather than fight. Wounded bulls have been known to charge the attacker, hitting the attacker with their sturdy horn base rather than stabbing it. Wounded females can keep running for many miles without stopping to rest for more than a minute. They are great kickers and are capable of breaking a wild dog's or jackal's neck or back. They are good jumpers and can clear a 5-foot fence from a standing start. [edit] Diet Kudus are browsers and eat leaves and shoots. In dry seasons, they eat wild watermelons and other fruit for the liquid and the natural sugars that they provide. The lesser Kudu is less dependent on water sources than the greater kudu. [edit] Predators and threats Many predators, such as big cats, wild dogs, hyenas and pythons hunt kudu and their young. Kudu numbers are also affected by humans hunting them for their meat, hides and horns, or using their habitats for charcoal burning and farming. Kudus were highly susceptible to the rinderpest virus (now eradicated after a vaccination program in domestic cattle), and many scientists think recurring epidemics of the disease reduced kudu populations in East Africa. Kudus are highly susceptible to rabies in times of extended drought. They have been known to enter farm houses and other buildings when infected. Infected animals appear tame and have a distinct frothing at the mouth. They are fearless and bulls may sometimes attack humans who get too close to them. [edit] Meat Kudu meat is similar to venison, with a slight gamey/liver-like flavor. It is a very dry and lean meat, so when cooked, it needs to be done carefully so as not to dry out the meat and make it difficult to eat. When prepared correctly, it can be very healthy because of its low fat content.[1] [edit] Use in music A kudu horn, used by Yemenite Jews as a shofar for the holiday of Rosh Hashanah A kudu horn is a musical instrument made from the horn of the kudu antelope. A form of it is sometimes used as a shofar in Jewish ceremonies. It is mostly seen in the Western world in its use as a part of the Scouting movement's Wood Badge training program which, when blown, signals the start of a Wood Badge training course or activity. A horn of this shape, when used by soccer fans, is called kuduzela (compare with vuvuzela).

The African buffalo, affalo, nyati, Mbogo or Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large African bovine. It is not closely related to the slightly larger wild Asian water buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear. Owing to its unpredictable nature which makes it highly dangerous to humans, it has not been domesticated unlike its Asian counterpart the domestic Asian water buffalo. Contrary to popular belief, the African buffalo is not the ancestor of domestic cattle, and is only distantly related to other larger bovines. Contents [hide] 1 Description 2 Subspecies 3 Ecology 3.1 Diseases 4 Social behavior 4.1 Vocalizations 4.2 Reproduction 5 Relationship with humans 5.1 Status 5.2 Attacks 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 References 9 External links [edit] Description Skull of an African buffalo The African buffalo is a very robust species. Its shoulder height can range from 1 to 1.7 m (3.3 to 5.6 ft) and its head-and-body length can range from 1.7 to 3.4 m (5.6 to 11 ft). Compared with other large bovids, they are have a long but stocky body (their body length can exceed the Wild water buffalo which is rather heavier and taller) and short but thickset legs, resulting in a relatively short standing height. The tail can range from 70 to 110 cm (28 to 43 in) long. Savannah type buffaloes weigh 500 to 910 kg (1,100 to 2,000 lb), with males, normally larger than females, reaching the upper weight range. A record-sized savannah-type male weighed 1,000 kg (2,200 lb).[2] Forest type buffaloes, at 250 to 455 kg (550 to 1,000 lb), are only half that size.[3][4] Its head is carried low, its top located below the backline. The front hooves of the buffalo are wider than the rear, which is associated with the need to support the weight of the front part of the body, which is more powerful than the back Savannah type buffalo have black or dark brown coats with age. Old bulls have whitish circles around their eyes. Females tend to have more reddish coats. Forest type buffalo are reddish brown in colour with horns that curve out backwards and upwards. Calves of both types have red coats. The horns of African buffalo are very peculiar. A characteristic feature of them is the fact that the adult bull's horns have fused bases, forming a continuous bone shield referred to as a "boss," which can not always be penetrated even by a rifle bullet. From the base the horns diverge, then bend down, and then smoothly curve upwards and outwards. The distance between the ends of the horns of large bulls is more than a metre. The young buffalo horn boss forms fully only upon reaching the age of 5-6 years. In cows the horns are, on average, 10-20% less, and the boss is less prominent. Forest buffalo horns are much smaller and weaker than those of the savannah buffaloes and are almost never fused. They rarely reach a length of even 40 cm. [edit] Subspecies Range of the commonly accepted forms of the African buffalo African forest buffalo at the San Diego Zoo Sudanese buffalo (Syncerus caffer brachyceros) at Pendjari National Park Syncerus caffer caffer (Cape buffalo) - typical subspecies, the largest one, with large males weighing up to 910 kg (2,000 lb). It is peculiar to South and East Africa. Buffalos of this subspecies living in the south of the continent, notably high in size and ferocity - the so-called Cape buffalo. Color of this subspecies is the darkest, almost black. S. c. nanus (Forest buffalo) - smallest subspecies - the height at the withers less than 120 cm and average weight of about 270 kg (600 lb). Color dwarf buffalo red, with darker patches on the head and shoulders in the ears form a brush. Dwarf buffalo is common in forest areas of Central and West Africa. This subspecies is so different from the standard model, which some researchers consider it still a separate species S. nanus Between the typical subspecies and dwarf hybrids are not uncommon S. c. brachyceros (Sudanese buffalo), who is in morphological terms intermediate between those two subspecies. Occurs in West Africa . Its dimensions are relatively small, especially compared to other buffalo, found in Cameroon, which weigh half as the South African subspecies (bull weighing 600 kg (1,300 lb) is considered to be in these places are already very large). S. c. aequinoctialis (Nile buffalo), which is confined to the savannas of Central Africa. It is similar to the Cape buffalo, but somewhat smaller, and its color is lighter. This subspecies is sometimes included in the Sudanese buffalo.[5] S. c. mathewsi (Mountain buffalo) (this subspecies is not universally recognized). It lives in mountainous areas of East Africa. [edit] Ecology Buffalo herd in Masai Mara, Kenya The African buffalo is one of the most successful grazers in Africa. It lives in swamps, floodplains as well as mopane grasslands and forests of the major mountains of Africa. Buffalo prefer habitat with dense cover such as reeds and thickets but can also been found in open woodland.[6] While not particularly demanding with regard to habitat, they require water daily and therefore depend on perennial sources of water. Like the Plains zebra, the buffalo can live on tall, coarse grasses. Herds of buffalo mow down grasses and make way for more selective grazers. When feeding, the buffalo makes use of its tongue and wide incisor row to eat grass more quickly than most other African herbivores. Buffalo do not stay on trampled or depleted areas for long. Buffalo in water Other than humans, African buffalo have few predators and are capable of defending themselves against (and killing) lions.[7] Lions do kill and eat buffalo regularly and in some regions the buffalo are the lions primary prey. It typically takes multiple lions to bring down a single adult buffalo, however there have been several incidents in which lone adult male lions have been able to successfully bring down large bulls. The Nile crocodile will typically attack only old solitary animals and young calves though can kill healthy adults.[3] The cheetah, leopard and spotted hyena are a threat only to newborn calves, though spotted hyenas have been recorded to kill full grown bulls on rare occasion.[8] [edit] Diseases Cape buffalo are susceptible to many diseases including Bovine tuberculosis, Corridor disease and Foot and Mouth. Like with many diseases, these problems will remain dormant within a population as long as the health of the animals is good. These diseases do however restrict the legal movements of the animals and fencing infected areas from unaffected areas is enforced. Some wardens and game managers have managed to protect and breed "disease free" herds which become very valuable because they can be transported. Most well known is Lindsay Hunt's efforts to source uninfected animals from the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Some disease free buffalo in South Africa have been sold to breeders for close to US$130,000. [edit] Social behavior Herd size is highly variable. The core of the herds are made of related females, and their offspring, in an almost linear dominance hierarchy. The basic herds are surrounded by sub-herds of subordinate males, high-ranking males and females and old or invalid animals. The young males keep their distance from the dominant bull, who is recognizable by the thickness of his horns. Bulls in position to spar During the dry season, male buffalo will split from the herd and form bachelor groups.[9] There are two types of bachelor herds: ones made of males aged 4-7 years[10] and those of males 12 years or older.[10] During the wet season the younger bulls rejoin a herd to mate with the females. They stay with them throughout the season to protect the calves.[11] Some older bulls cease to rejoin the herd, as they can no longer compete with the younger, more aggressive males. Males have a linear dominance hierarchy which is based on age and size. Since a buffalo is safer when a herd is larger, dominant bulls may rely on subordinate bulls and sometimes tolerate their copulation.[9] Buffalo herd Adult bulls will spar in play, dominance interactions or actual fights. A bull will approach another lowing with his horns down and wait for the other bull to do the same thing. When sparring the bulls twist their horns from side to side.[12] If the sparring is for play the bulls may rub each other's faces and bodies during the sparring session. Actual fights are violent but rare and brief. Calves may also spar in play but adult females rarely spar at all. African buffalo are notable for their apparent altruism. Female buffalo appear to exhibit some sort of "voting behavior". During resting time, the females will stand up, shuffle around, and sit back down again. They will sit in the direction they think that they should move. After an hour of more shuffling, the females will travel in the direction they decide on. This decision is communal and not based on hierarchy or dominance.[13] When chased by predators a herd will stick close together and make it hard for the predators to pick off one member. Calves are gathered in the middle. A buffalo herd will respond to the distress call of a captured member and try to rescue it.[12] A calf's distress call will get the attention of not only the mother but also the herd. Buffalo will engage in mobbing behavior when fighting off predators. They have been recorded treeing lions for two hours, after the lions have killed a member of their group. Lion cubs can get trampled and killed. In one videotaped instance, known as the Battle at Kruger, a calf survived an attack by both lions and a crocodile after intervention of the herd. [edit] Vocalizations African buffalo make various vocalizations. Many calls are lower pitched versions of those emitted by domestic cattle. Buffalo emit low-pitched 2-4 seconds calls intermittently at 3-6 second to signal the herd to move. To signal to the herd to change direction, leaders will emit "gritty", "creaking gate" sounds.[6] When moving to drinking places, some individuals make long maaa' calls up to 20 times a minute. When being aggressive, buffalo make explosive grunts that may last long or turn into rumbling growl. Cows produce croaking calls when looking for their calves. Calves will make a similar call of a higher pitch when in distress.[6] When threatened by predators, buffalo make drawn about waaaa calls. Dominant individuals make calls to announce their presence and location. A more intense version of the same call is emitted as a warning to an encroaching inferior.[6] When grazing, buffalo will make various sounds such as brief bellows, grunts, honks and croaks. Cape buffalo and her calf [edit] Reproduction Buffalo mate and give birth strictly during the rainy seasons. Birth peak takes place early in the season while mating peaks later. A bull will closely guard a cow that comes into heat, while keeping other bulls at bay.[6][9] This is difficult as cows are quite evasive and attract many males to the scene. By the time a cow is in full estrous only the most dominant bull in the herd/subherd is there.[6] Cows first calve at five years of age, after a gestation period of 11.5 months. Newly born calves remain hidden in vegetation for the first few weeks while being nursed occasionally by the mother before joining the main herd. Calves are held in the centre of the herd for safety. [14] The maternal bond between mother and calf lasts longer than in most bovids. However when a new calf is born the bonding ends and the mother will keep her previous offspring at bay with horn jabs. Nevertheless the yearling will follow its mother for another year or so. Males leave their mothers when they are two years old and join the bachelor groups. [edit] Relationship with humans [edit] Status The current status of African Cape buffalo is dependent on the existence of the animal's value to both trophy hunters and tourists, paving the way for conservation efforts through anti-poaching patrols, village crop damage payouts, and CAMPFIRE payback programs to local areas. Herd in Kenya at sunset The buffalo is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN "as the species remains widespread, with a global population estimated at nearly 900,000 animals, of which more than three-quarters are in protected areas. While some populations (subspecies) are decreasing, others will remain unchanged in the long term if large, healthy populations continue to persist in a substantial number of national parks, equivalent reserves and hunting zones in southern and eastern Africa".[1] In the past, numbers of African Buffalo suffered their most severe collapse during the great rinderpest epidemic of the 1890s, which, coupled with pleuro-pneumonia, caused mortalities as high as 95% among livestock and wild ungulates.[15] Being a member of the Big Five Game family, a term originally used to describe the 5 most dangerous animals to hunt, the Cape Buffalo is a sought after trophy with some hunters paying over $10,000 for the opportunity to hunt one. The larger bulls are targeted for their trophy value although in some areas buffalo are still hunted for meat. [edit] Attacks Known as one of the "big five", "Black Death" or "widowmaker" in Africa, the African buffalo is widely regarded as a very dangerous animal, as it gores and kills over 200 people every year. Buffalo are sometimes reported to kill more people in Africa than any other animal, although the same claim is also made of hippos and crocodiles.[16] Buffalo are notorious among big game hunters as very dangerous animals, with wounded animals reported to ambush and attack pursuers.[17]

The name "blue wildebeest" derives from a conspicuous silvery blue sheen[4] to its short haired hide, differentiating this species from the plainer black wildebeest. (The plural of wildebeest is denoted either "wildebeest" or "wildebeests".) Other common terms for wildebeest include gnu ( /ˈnuː/ or /ˈnjuː/) and nyumbu (Swahili). The name "gnu" originates from the Khoikhoi name for these animals, gnou. The blue wildebeest is sometimes called brindled gnu. The blue wildebeest and black wildebeest or white-tailed gnu (C. gnou) are the two species of the genus Connochaetes, within the family Bovidae, which includes antelopes, cattle, goats, and other even-toed horned ungulates. Western white-bearded wildebeest (C. t. mearnsi), Ngorongoro, Tanzania The animal's specific name taurinus is Latin for "like a bull". [edit] Description It has a beefy muscular front-heavy appearance with a distinctive robust muzzle, it strides with relatively slender legs and moves gracefully and quietly most of the time, belying the reputation for stampeding in herds; however the stampeding characteristic may sometimes be observed. Blue wildebeest from rear angle showing stripes that look like wrinkles Probably the most conspicuous feature of the blue wildebeest are the large horns shaped like parentheses, extending outward to the side and then curving up and inward. In the male the horns can attain a total span of almost 90 cm, while the female's horn width is about half the size of the male's. These cow-like horns of both sexes are somewhat broad at the base and are without ridges. However, as further sexual dimorphism, the male horns have a boss-like structure joining the two horns. The male is larger than the female. It is one of the largest species of antelope. The blue wildebeest can stand 118 to 145 cm (46 to 57 in) high at the shoulder. The head-and-body length can range from 150 to 250 cm (59 to 98 in) and the tail length ranges from 56 to 100 cm (22 to 39 in). Body mass is typically from 120 to 275 kg (260 to 610 lb). The record sized female and male weighed 260 kg (570 lb) and 290 kg (640 lb) respectively.[5][6] Young blue wildebeest are born tawny brown, and begin to take on their adult colouration at age nine weeks. The adult's hue actually varies from a deep slate or bluish gray all the way to light gray or even grayish-brown. The dorsal coat and flanks are slightly lighter in hue than the ventral hide and underparts. Dark brown vertical bands of slightly longer hair mark the neck and forequarters, and from a distance lend a perception of skin wrinkling. The manes of both sexes appear long, stiff, thick and jet black, a colour assumed by the tail and face as well. Sexual dichromism is exhibited by the males displaying decidedly darker colouration than the females. All features and markings of this species are bilaterally symmetric for both sexes. [edit] Distribution and habitat Wildebeest drinking and grazing with zebras Blue wildebeest are found in open and bush-covered savanna in south and east Africa, thriving in areas that are neither too wet nor too arid. They can be found in places that vary from overgrazed areas with dense bush to open woodland floodplains. Wildebeests prefer the bushveld and grasslands of the southern savanna.[7] The terrestrial biome designations for these preferred habitats are savanna, grassland, open forest and scrub forest. Large herds numbering into the thousands may be observed on the Tanzanian Serengeti equatorial plain, and in Zambia in Liuwa Plain National Park, in their annual migration. Smaller herds of about thirty are found in northern Botswana, Zimbabwe[8] and the South African locations of Waterberg, Kruger National Park, and Mala Mala. Some herds can be found almost to the southern tip of South Africa. Blue wildebeests can tolerate arid regions, as long as a potable water supply is available. Since all wildebeests require a long drink every day or two, they must have water within about 15 to 25 km distance. Their blunt muzzles are best equipped for biting short green grasses,[4] since a wide incisor row prevents more selective feeding. Short grasses of these type are usually only found on alkaline or volcanic soils. Blue wildebeests are locally the favored prey item for lions, spotted hyenas, and mature Nile crocodiles. The latter, giant reptiles stalk them at river crossings and explosively grabs them by their face, dragging them into the water to drown. Lionesses usually attack them by ambush and then bite down onto their throat until the wildebeest is suffocated, although has been known to suffocate them by biting on their snouts. The hyena usually kills wildebeests by repeatedly biting to the sides, ultimately causing death by shock and blood-loss. The young also fall prey to cheetahs, leopards, and wild dogs, the latter sometimes also taking adults in if in a large pack. [edit] Conservation Wildebeest killed by trophy hunters (photo 1906-1918) The Serengeti boasts over one million blue wildebeests, but southern Africa's large herds have diminished over the last several centuries under pressure from hunting, cattle ranching and habitat intrusion stemming from overpopulation of humans. In southern Africa some efforts are being made to enhance grasslands and repair damage of cattle grazing and excessive fencing. These activities are particularly evident in the Waterberg Biosphere, where invasive brush (induced by excess cattle grazing) is being extirpated and many fences are coming down to promote wildlife migration.[9] While the species status is considered secure as a whole, there is concern for smaller herds in the southern Africa habitats which have already become marginalized. [edit] Behaviour A herd of wildebeest in the Ngorongoro Crater. The leader in the centre is watching the others. The Serengeti herds are purely migratory and abandon the usual plains after the rainy season has ended to seek higher grasses in wetter areas. Grasslands bordering alkaline lakes or pans are particularly choice dry season (winter) habitats.[3] Herds may be mixed gender with a dominant male, female only, or bachelor only. Blue wildebeest often graze together with other species such as plains zebras for purposes of mutual protection. Zebras in particular are beneficial to co-exist with since they mow down highly vegetated areas leaving the wildebeests to eat the newly exposed and more nutritional short grasses, which is what they prefer. A Blue wildebeest can attain maximum a speed of up to 65 kilometres per hour (40 mph) to 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph)[10] according to the individuals. [edit] Territoriality Blue wildebeest are unusually territorial, adult males occupying their territories for a month or for the entire year. The physical size of territories ranges from one to two hectares. The bulls mark territory boundaries with dung heaps, preorbital gland secretions, hoof scent glands and pawing of the earth. When competing over territory, males grunt quite loudly, make a thrusting motion with their horns and perform other displays of aggression. Territories are advertised by actions of the bull as well as scent marking.[4] Body language used by the territorial male include standing at an erect posture, profuse ground pawing and horning, frequent defecation, rolling on his back and bellowing the sound "ga-noo".[4] To attract the opposite sex at the beginning of courtship the male (and less frequently the female) will rub its preorbital gland on a tree and then proceed with a destructive horning of said tree. This behaviour is not only effective in enticing a mate, but serves the function of providing more grassland for future wildebeest generations by promoting grassland extent. [edit] Reproduction Blue wildebeest, Etosha National Park, Namibia Adult with a calf in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania Blue wildebeests at the waterhole in the Etosha National Park, Namibia Males exhibit rivalry when staking out territory and when competing for females. In the actual clashes between males, they face off resting on bent front knees, exchanging horn thrusts for brief periods. Elaborate individual displays are made in the rivalry and courtship process, where males bellow, snort and protrude their horns into the soil. The mating process is thought to begin at the first full moon at the end of the rainy season. Once territory is established, the male attempts to lure or corral the female into his domain.[11] A female may copulate with several different males, visiting several different territories.[11] Most mating occurs during a three to four week period at the end of the rainy season (March to April), when this species is at its maximum vigour.[11] The female reaches sexual maturity at age three, and the male at age four; however, it is more typically age five when the male has developed sufficient strength and experience to defend territory. Generally fewer than half of the adult males create territories in a given year. In the Serengeti, population densities are so high that there may be 270 territorial bulls within one square kilometer. Estes terms the total volume of noise created during the Serengeti rutting season as "indescribable" in its amplitude and variety of snorting, bellowing and fighting.[3] When the dry season is well underway about August, territories cease to exist. Female wildebeest give birth in the middle of a herd rather than go out alone.[11] The gestation period is approximately 8.5 months, with calves able to stand within seven minutes and run with the herd in less than two hours from birth. These precocial features are warranted since the calves are vulnerable to predators. To escape predation calves remain close to the mother for a significant time, and in fact may suckle for up to one year. In large herds 80 percent of wildebeest offspring survive the first month, compared to a 50 percent survival rate within small herds. [edit] Subspecies C. taurinus consists of five subspecies: C. t. taurinus (blue wildebeest or brindled gnu; southern Africa) individuals are silvery slate gray in colour, the origin of the common name "blue" wildebeest. C. t. johnstoni (Nyassaland wildebeest), occurring in southeastern Tanzania and northern Mozambique), is the largest subspecies. The western white-bearded wildebeest (C. t. mearnsi) is the smallest and is found only in southwestern Kenya and northwestern Tanzania. C. t. mearnsi is the darkest hued wildebeest while C. t. albojubatus (eastern white-bearded wildebeest) is the palest in colouration and found in southeastern Kenya and northeastern Tanzania. The last subspecies, Cookson's wildebeest (C. t. cooksoni), is restricted to the Luangwa Valley.[12] While most subspecies have an at least partially black beard, C. t. mearnsi and C. t. albojubatus both have pale beards, as also suggested by their common names, western and eastern white-bearded wildebeest.

Kudu Physical Characteristics Both the greater kudu and its close cousin the lesser kudu have stripes and spots on the body, and most have a chevron of white hair between the eyes. Males have long, spiral horns. The greater kudu's horns are spectacular and can grow as long as 72 inches, making 2 1/2 graceful twists. Female greater kudus are noticeably smaller than the males. By contrast, lesser kudus are even smaller, about 42 inches at the shoulder; males weigh around 220 pounds while females generally weigh about 50 pounds less. Lesser kudus have smaller horns than the greater kudus and conspicuous white patches on the upper and lower parts of the neck. Although both species are bluish-gray, grayish-brown or rust color, the lesser has five to six more lateral white stripes, for a total of 11 to 15. Both species have a crest of long hair along the spine, and greater kudus also have a fringe under the chin. Help an Emerging National Park More action opportunities ^ Back to top Habitat Lesser kudus are found in acacia and commiphora thornbush in arid savannas; they rely on thickets for security and are rarely found in open or scattered bush. Greater kudus are found in woodlands and bushlands. ^ Back to top Behavior Male kudu sometimes form small bachelor groups, but more commonly they are solitary and widely dispersed. Dominance between males is usually quickly and peacefully determined by a lateral display in which one male stands sideways in front of the other and makes himself look as large as possible. Males only join females, who form small groups of six to 10 with their offspring, during mating season. Calves grow rapidly and at 6 months are fairly independent of their mothers. The pregnant female departs from her group to give birth, leaving the newborn lying out for 4 or 5 weeks, one of the longest periods of all the antelopes. The calf then begins to accompany its mother for short periods of time and by 3 or 4 months is with her constantly. Soon after, the mother and calf rejoin the female's group. Calves grow rapidly and at 6 months are fairly independent of their mothers. ^ Back to top Diet Kudus are browsers and eat leaves and shoots from a variety of plants. In dry seasons, they eat wild watermelons and other fruit for the liquid they provide. The lesser kudu is less dependent on water sources than the greater kudu. ^ Back to top Predators and Threats Many predators, such as big cats, wild dogs, hyenas, eagles and pythons hunt kudu and their young. Kudu numbers are also affected by humans hunting them for their meat, hides and horns, or using their habitats for charcoal burning and farming. Kudus are highly susceptible to the rinderpest virus, and many scientists think recurring epidemics of the disease have reduced kudu populations in East Africa. Did You Know? Their cryptic coloring and markings protect kudus by camouflaging them. If alarmed they usually stand still and are very difficult to spot. Kudus normally restrict their movements to a small home range, but the scarcity of food in dry season may prompt them to roam more widely.

Kudu Physical Characteristics Both the greater kudu and its close cousin the lesser kudu have stripes and spots on the body, and most have a chevron of white hair between the eyes. Males have long, spiral horns. The greater kudu's horns are spectacular and can grow as long as 72 inches, making 2 1/2 graceful twists. Female greater kudus are noticeably smaller than the males. By contrast, lesser kudus are even smaller, about 42 inches at the shoulder; males weigh around 220 pounds while females generally weigh about 50 pounds less. Lesser kudus have smaller horns than the greater kudus and conspicuous white patches on the upper and lower parts of the neck. Although both species are bluish-gray, grayish-brown or rust color, the lesser has five to six more lateral white stripes, for a total of 11 to 15. Both species have a crest of long hair along the spine, and greater kudus also have a fringe under the chin. Help an Emerging National Park More action opportunities ^ Back to top Habitat Lesser kudus are found in acacia and commiphora thornbush in arid savannas; they rely on thickets for security and are rarely found in open or scattered bush. Greater kudus are found in woodlands and bushlands. ^ Back to top Behavior Male kudu sometimes form small bachelor groups, but more commonly they are solitary and widely dispersed. Dominance between males is usually quickly and peacefully determined by a lateral display in which one male stands sideways in front of the other and makes himself look as large as possible. Males only join females, who form small groups of six to 10 with their offspring, during mating season. Calves grow rapidly and at 6 months are fairly independent of their mothers. The pregnant female departs from her group to give birth, leaving the newborn lying out for 4 or 5 weeks, one of the longest periods of all the antelopes. The calf then begins to accompany its mother for short periods of time and by 3 or 4 months is with her constantly. Soon after, the mother and calf rejoin the female's group. Calves grow rapidly and at 6 months are fairly independent of their mothers. ^ Back to top Diet Kudus are browsers and eat leaves and shoots from a variety of plants. In dry seasons, they eat wild watermelons and other fruit for the liquid they provide. The lesser kudu is less dependent on water sources than the greater kudu. ^ Back to top Predators and Threats Many predators, such as big cats, wild dogs, hyenas, eagles and pythons hunt kudu and their young. Kudu numbers are also affected by humans hunting them for their meat, hides and horns, or using their habitats for charcoal burning and farming. Kudus are highly susceptible to the rinderpest virus, and many scientists think recurring epidemics of the disease have reduced kudu populations in East Africa. Did You Know? Their cryptic coloring and markings protect kudus by camouflaging them. If alarmed they usually stand still and are very difficult to spot. Kudus normally restrict their movements to a small home range, but the scarcity of food in dry season may prompt them to roam more widely.

Kudu Physical Characteristics Both the greater kudu and its close cousin the lesser kudu have stripes and spots on the body, and most have a chevron of white hair between the eyes. Males have long, spiral horns. The greater kudu's horns are spectacular and can grow as long as 72 inches, making 2 1/2 graceful twists. Female greater kudus are noticeably smaller than the males. By contrast, lesser kudus are even smaller, about 42 inches at the shoulder; males weigh around 220 pounds while females generally weigh about 50 pounds less. Lesser kudus have smaller horns than the greater kudus and conspicuous white patches on the upper and lower parts of the neck. Although both species are bluish-gray, grayish-brown or rust color, the lesser has five to six more lateral white stripes, for a total of 11 to 15. Both species have a crest of long hair along the spine, and greater kudus also have a fringe under the chin. Help an Emerging National Park More action opportunities ^ Back to top Habitat Lesser kudus are found in acacia and commiphora thornbush in arid savannas; they rely on thickets for security and are rarely found in open or scattered bush. Greater kudus are found in woodlands and bushlands. ^ Back to top Behavior Male kudu sometimes form small bachelor groups, but more commonly they are solitary and widely dispersed. Dominance between males is usually quickly and peacefully determined by a lateral display in which one male stands sideways in front of the other and makes himself look as large as possible. Males only join females, who form small groups of six to 10 with their offspring, during mating season. Calves grow rapidly and at 6 months are fairly independent of their mothers. The pregnant female departs from her group to give birth, leaving the newborn lying out for 4 or 5 weeks, one of the longest periods of all the antelopes. The calf then begins to accompany its mother for short periods of time and by 3 or 4 months is with her constantly. Soon after, the mother and calf rejoin the female's group. Calves grow rapidly and at 6 months are fairly independent of their mothers. ^ Back to top Diet Kudus are browsers and eat leaves and shoots from a variety of plants. In dry seasons, they eat wild watermelons and other fruit for the liquid they provide. The lesser kudu is less dependent on water sources than the greater kudu. ^ Back to top Predators and Threats Many predators, such as big cats, wild dogs, hyenas, eagles and pythons hunt kudu and their young. Kudu numbers are also affected by humans hunting them for their meat, hides and horns, or using their habitats for charcoal burning and farming. Kudus are highly susceptible to the rinderpest virus, and many scientists think recurring epidemics of the disease have reduced kudu populations in East Africa. Did You Know? Their cryptic coloring and markings protect kudus by camouflaging them. If alarmed they usually stand still and are very difficult to spot. Kudus normally restrict their movements to a small home range, but the scarcity of food in dry season may prompt them to roam more widely.

Origins Hyenas originated in the jungles of Miocene Eurasia 22 million years ago, when most early feliform species were still largely arboreal. The first ancestral hyenas were likely similar to the modern banded palm civet; one of the earliest hyena species exhumed, Plioviverrops, was a lithe, civet-like animal that inhabited Eurasia 20-22 millions years ago, and is identifiable as a hyaenid by the structure of the middle ear and dentition. The lineage of Plioviverrops prospered, and gave rise to descendants with longer legs and more pointed jaws, a direction similar to that taken by canids in North America.[7] [edit] Rise and fall of the dog-like hyenas Skull of Ictitherium viverrinum, one of the "dog-like" hyenas. American Museum of Natural History The descendants of Plioviverrops reached their peak 15 million years ago, with more than 30 species having been identified. Unlike most modern hyena species, which are specialised bone-crushers, these dog-like hyenas were nimble-bodied, wolfish animals; one species among them was Ictitherium viverrinum, which was similar to a jackal. The dog-like hyenas were very numerous; in some Miocene fossil sites, the remains of Ictitherium and other dog-like hyenas outnumber those of all other carnivores combined. The decline of the dog-like hyenas began 5-7 million years ago during a period of climate change, which was exacerbated when canids crossed the Bering land bridge to Eurasia. One species, Chasmaporthetes ossifragus, managed to cross the land bridge into North America, being the only hyena to do so. Chasmopothertes managed to survive for some time in North America by deviating from the cursorial and bone-crushing niches monopolised by canids, and developing into a cheetah-like sprinter. Most of the dog-like hyenas had died off by 1.5 million years ago.[7] [edit] Bone-crushing hyenas By 10-12 million years ago, the hyena family had split into two distinct groups; that of the dog-like hyenas and the bone-crushing hyenas. The arrival of the ancestral bone-crushing hyenas coincided with the decline of the similarly built but unrelated Percrocutidae family. The bone-crushing hyenas survived the devastating changes in climate and the arrival of canids, which wiped out the dog-like hyenas, though they never crossed into North America, as their niche there had already been taken by the Borophaginae family. By 5 million years ago, the bone-crushing hyenas became the dominant scavengers of Eurasia, primarily feeding on large herbivore carcasses felled by sabre-toothed cats. One genus, Pachycrocuta, was a 200 kg (440 lb) mega-scavenger that could splinter the bones of elephants. With the decline of large herbivores by the late ice age, Pachycrocuta was replaced by the smaller Crocuta.[7] [edit] Rise of modern hyenas The aardwolf can trace its lineage directly back to Plioviverrops 15 million years ago, and is the only survivor of the dog-like hyena lineage. Its success is partly attributed to its insectivorous diet, for which it faced no competition from canids crossing from North America. Its unrivaled ability to digest the terpene excretions from soldier termites is likely a modification of the strong digestive system its ancestors used to digest foetid carrion.[7] Skeletons of a striped hyena and a spotted hyena, two species of the "bone-crushing" hyenas. Muséum national d'histoire naturelle The striped hyena may have evolved from H. namaquensis of Pliocene Africa. Striped hyena fossils are common in Africa, with records going back as far as the Middle Pleistocene and even to the Villafranchian. As fossil striped hyenas are absent from the Mediterranean region, it is likely that the species is a relatively late invader to Eurasia, having likely spread outside Africa only after the extinction of spotted hyenas in Asia at the end of the Ice Age. The striped hyena occurred for some time in Europe during the Pleistocene, having been particularly widespread in France and Germany. It also occurred in Montmaurin, Hollabrunn in Austria, the Furninha Cave in Portugal and the Genista Caves in Gibraltar. The European form was similar in appearance to modern populations, but was larger, being comparable in size to the brown hyena.[9] The spotted hyena diverged from the striped and brown hyena 10 million years ago.[10] Its direct ancestor was the Indian Crocuta sivalensis, which lived during the Villafranchian.[11] Ancestral spotted hyenas probably developed social behaviours in response to increased pressure from rivals on carcasses, thus forcing them to operate in teams. Spotted hyenas evolved sharp carnassials behind their crushing premolars, therefore they did not need to wait for their prey to die, as is the case for brown and striped hyenas, and thus became pack hunters as well as scavengers. They began forming increasingly larger territories, necessitated by the fact that their prey was often migratory, and long chases in a small territory would have caused them to encroach into another clan's turf.[7] Spotted hyenas spread from their original homeland during the Middle Pleistocene, and quickly colonised a very wide area from Europe, to southern Africa and China.[11] With the decline of grasslands 12,500 years ago, Europe experienced a massive loss of lowland habitats favoured by spotted hyenas, and a corresponding increase in mixed woodlands. Spotted hyenas, under these circumstances, would have been outcompeted by wolves and humans, who were as much at home in forests as in open lands--and in highlands as in lowlands. Spotted hyena populations began to shrink after roughly 20,000 years ago, completely disappearing from Western Europe between 14-11,000 years ago, and earlier in some areas.[12] [edit] Genera of the Hyaenidae (extinct and recent) Reconstruction of Pachycrocuta breviostris A spotted hyena of subfamily Hyaeninae The list follows McKenna and Bells Classification of Mammals for prehistoric genera (1997)[13] and Wozencraft (2005) in Wilson and Reeders Mammal Species of the World for extant genera.[14] The Percrocutids are, in contrast to McKenna and Bell's classification, not included as a subfamily into the Hyaenidae, but as the separate family Percrocutidae. Furthermore, the living brown hyena and its closest extinct relatives are not included in the genus Pachycrocuta, but in the genus Hyaena. The Protelinae (Aardwolves) are not treated as a separate subfamily, but included in the Hyaeninae. Family Hyaenidae

The nyala is found in the eastern part of South Africa, in riverside thickets and dense brush and fringe forests. It is never far from water. Male nyala are far larger than females with distinctly dimorphic color. Spiral horns (male only) twist backwards in the plane of the face, with unpigmented tips. There is a crest of longish hair down the back of the neck, clear along the back, exaggerated in males, which also have shaggy hair down the throat and under the belly. Adult males are basically grey and the females and calves are reddish brown. The crested mane and shag are black and the male's legs shade to rust toward the feet. Both male, female and calves are marked with vertical white stripes along the ribs and flank. There is a white stripe along the back, on either side of the crest, and a white chevron mark between the eyes (less pronounced in the female). There is white under the tail. Quick Facts Genus

Introduction Wild Dogs (Lycaon Pictus) occur in low population numbers as a consequence of large territories. The Wild Dog is one of Africa's most endangered mammal species. Various factors contribute to this poor conservation status. The main contributory factor to the decline in population numbers is persecution by mankind, until recently even within conservation areas. Other factors are diseases like rabies and distemper where Wild Dogs came in contact with domestic animals. Genetic inbreeding may be the possible cause of the Kruger National Park Wild Dog's life expectancy of only 6 years. Appearance This carnivore is a member of the dog family, and measures 750mm at the shoulders. Males are slightly larger than females and weigh 20-30 kg as adults. It has a blotchy yellow, black and white coat. Each individual has a unique coat pattern, which makes it possible to identify every individual in a population with certainty. Diet Wild Dogs prey mainly on small to medium sized animals, of which the Impala is the favourite prey. In East Africa they have been recorded to hunt prey as large as Wildebeest and Zebra. Wild Dogs hunt in packs, and all individuals collaborate in a team effort to chase and wear out pursued prey to exhaustion. Once brought to a standstill, the prey is killed by all the dogs tearing it apart. Wild Dogs do take livestock in some areas, but this is a fairly rare occurrence. In and around Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, Wild Dogs ignored livestock, and in one case in Zimbabwe they ran through a paddock of calves to chase a Kudu in the neighbouring paddock. Breeding Wild Dogs are seasonal breeders. In South Africa pups are born during mid winter after a gestation period of 70 days. Known as the alpha pair, the dominant male and female are the only dogs to breed in a Wild Dog pack. Other members forego the right to breed and act only as helpers in the pack. As large litters of 12 or more pups are born, the female can not suckle offspring for too long. From the age of three weeks, milk is supplemented with regurgitated meat brought to the pups by other pack members. A litter is safe guarded in burrows. Behaviour Packs may vary in size, ranging from one pair and their young, to as many as 50 individuals. Wild Dogs are intensely social animals, spending almost all of their time in close association with each other. It is one of the most efficient of all predators, and will attack victims of all sizes, from large Elands to small Hares. Its organized method of hunting enables it to bring down its prey quickly, sometimes in a few seconds. The prey is fed upon, sometimes while still alive, and may be entirely consumed within a few minutes. Habitat African Wild Dogs can be found in areas of moderately dense bush and open plains. Where they are found Their nomadic movements make simple estimates of their distribution difficult. Until very recently, the range of the Wild Dog included much of sub-Saharan Africa, apart from rainforest areas and deserts. Now, however, they have been extirpated from most of their range, they are extinct in most countries in West and Central Africa, and in the East and the South they are confined to a few areas where human population density remains low. They are found in the Kruger National Park in South Africa, around Phalaborwa Gate, Tshokwane and Skukuza and south of Afsaal; and on the odd game farm.

The kudu is considered to be the most handsome of the tragelaphine antelopes, which includes the bongo, eland, nyala, bushbuck and sitatunga. Kudus, both the greater kudu and its close cousin the lesser kudu, have stripes and spots on the body, and most have a chevron of white hair on the forehead between the eyes. Greater and lesser kudu males have long, spiral horns; occasionally a female will have small ones. The greater kudu's horns are spectacular and can grow as long as 72 inches, making 2 1/2 graceful twists. These beautifully shaped horns have long been prized in Africa for use as musical instruments, honey containers and symbolic ritual objects. In some cultures the horns are thought to be the dwelling places of powerful spirits, and in others they are a symbol for male potency. The horns are seldom used in defense against predators; nor are they an impediment in wooded habitats-the kudu tilts the chin up and lays the horns against the back, moving easily through dense bush. Quick Facts Name: Greater kudu - Tragelaphus strepsiceros; Lesser kudu - Tragelaphus imberbis. Weight: 120 to 315 kg. (Males: 190 to 315 kg and Females: 120 to 215 kg) Height: Males: 122 to 150 cm and Females: 100 to 140 cm The Kudu Habitat: Habitat includes mixed scrub woodland, acacia, and mopane bush on lowlands, hills, and mountains. Kudus studied in the Kruger National Park made seasonal movements, dispersing in woodland in the rains and in the dry season clustering along rivers and the bases of hills where the nutritious, evergreen growth is found. Diet: Herbivorous; A browser, the Kudu eats many kinds of leaves, herbs, fallen fruits, vines, tubers, succulents, and flowers, sometimes varied with a little new grass. Reproduction: Annual in southern Africa, calving February and March when grass is high. Gestation: Gestation 9 months; females may conceive at 2, a year before maturing. Males mature at 5 and keep growing. Predators: Lion, leopard, hyenas. Newborns also vulnerable to smaller carnivores.

The name giraffe has its earliest known origins in the Arabic word zarafa (زرافہ), perhaps from some African language.[3] The name is translated as "fast-walker".[4] There were several Middle English spellings such as jarraf, ziraph, and gerfauntz.[3] It is also possible that the word was derived from the animal's Somali name Geri.[5] The Italian form giraffa arose in the 1590s.[3] The modern English form developed around 1600 from the French girafe.[3] The species name camelopardalis is a Latin word.[6] Kameelperd is also the name for the species in Afrikaans.[7] Other African names for the giraffe include Ekorii (Ateso), Kanyiet (Elgon), Nduida (Gikuyu), Tiga (Kalenjin and Luo), Ndwiya (Kamba), Nudululu (Kihehe), Ntegha (Kinyaturu), Ondere (Lugbara), Etiika (Luhya), Kuri (Ma'di), Oloodo-kirragata or Olchangito-oodo (Maasai), Lenywa (Meru), Hori (Pare), Lment (Samburu) and Twiga (Swahili and others) in the east;[8]:313 and Tutwa (Lozi), Nthutlwa (Shangaan), Indlulamitsi (Siswati), Thutlwa (Sotho), Thuda (Venda) and Ndlulamithi (Zulu) in the south.[7] Taxonomy and evolution Mounted Shansitherium skeleton from the Beijing Museum of Natural History The giraffe is one of only two living species of the family Giraffidae, the other being the okapi. The family was once much more extensive, with over 10 fossil genera described. Giraffids first arose 8 million years ago (mya) in south-central Europe during the Miocene epoch. The superfamily Giraffoidea, together with the family Antilocapridae (whose only extant species is the pronghorn), evolved from the extinct family Palaeomerycidae.[9] The earliest known giraffid was the deer-like Climacoceras. While the progressive elongation of the neck and limbs can be found throughout the giraffid lineage, it became more pronounced in genera such as Giraffokeryx, Palaeotragus (possible ancestor of the okapi), Samotherium and Bohlinia.[9] Bohlinia entered China and northern India in response to climate change. From here, the genus Giraffa evolved and, around 7 mya, entered Africa. Further climate changes caused the extinction of the Asian giraffes, while the African ones survived and radiated into several new species. G. camelopardalis arose around 1 mya in eastern Africa during the Pleistocene.[9] Some biologists suggest that the modern giraffe descended from G. jumae;[10] others find G. gracilis a more likely candidate.[9] It is believed that the main driver for the evolution of the giraffes was the change from extensive forests to more open habitats, which began 8 mya.[9] The giraffe was one of the many species first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. He gave it the binomial name Cervus camelopardalis. Morten Thrane Brünnich classified the genus Giraffa in 1772.[11] In the early 19th century, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck believed that the giraffe's long neck was an "acquired characteristic", developed as generations of ancestral giraffes strived to reach the leaves of tall trees.[12] This theory was eventually rejected, and scientists now believe that the giraffe's neck arose through Darwinian natural selection--that ancestral giraffes with long necks thereby had a competitive advantage that better enabled them to reproduce and pass on their genes.[12] Subspecies "Approximate geographic ranges, fur patterns and phylogenetic relationships between some giraffe subspecies based on mitochondrial DNA sequences. Colored dots on the map represent sampling localities. The phylogenetic tree is a maximum-likelihood phylogram based on samples from 266 giraffes. Asterisks along branches correspond to node values of more than 90 percent bootstrap support. Stars at branch tips identify paraphyletic haplotypes found in Maasai and Reticulated giraffes".[13] Up to nine subspecies of giraffe are recognized (with population estimates as of 2010): G. c. camelopardalis,[14] the nominate subspecies, is known as the Nubian giraffe. It is found in eastern South Sudan and south-western Ethiopia. Fewer than 250 are thought to remain in the wild, although this number is uncertain.[15] It is rare in captivity, although a group is kept at Al Ain Zoo in the United Arab Emirates.[16] In 2003, this group numbered 14.[17] G. c. reticulata,[14] known as the reticulated[14] or Somali giraffe, is native to north-eastern Kenya, southern Ethiopia and Somalia. It is estimated that no more than 5,000 remain in the wild,[15] and based on International Species Information System records, more than 450 are kept in zoos.[18] G. c. angolensis, the Angolan or Namibian giraffe, is found in northern Namibia, south-western Zambia, Botswana and western Zimbabwe. A genetic study on Namibian giraffes suggests that the northern Namib Desert and Etosha National Park populations form a separate subspecies.[19] It is estimated that no more than 20,000 remain in the wild;[15] and approximately 20 are kept in zoos.[18] G. c. antiquorum,[14] the Kordofan giraffe, has a distribution which includes southern Chad, the Central African Republic, northern Cameroon and north-eastern DR Congo. Populations in Cameroon were formerly included in G. c. peralta, but this was incorrect.[20] No more than 3,000 are believed to remain in the wild.[15] Considerable confusion has existed over the status of this subspecies and G. c. peralta in zoos. In 2007 it was shown that all alleged G. c. peralta in European zoos were, in fact, G. c. antiquorum.[20] With this correction approximately 65 are kept in zoos.[18] G. c. tippelskirchi,[14] known as the Maasai giraffe[14] or Kilimanjaro giraffe, can be found in central and southern Kenya and in Tanzania. It is estimated that no more than 40,000 remain in the wild,[15] and approximately 100 are kept in zoos.[18] G. c. rothschildi[14] is known variously as the Rothschild giraffe,[14] Baringo giraffe or Ugandan giraffe. Its range includes parts of Uganda and Kenya.[2] Its presence in South Sudan is uncertain.[21] Fewer than 700 are believed to remain in the wild,[15] and more than 450 are kept in zoos.[18] G. c. giraffa, the South African giraffe, is found in northern South Africa, southern Botswana, southern Zimbabwe and south-western Mozambique. It is estimated that no more than 12,000 remain in the wild,[15] and approximately 45 are kept in zoos.[18] G. c. thornicrofti,[14] called the Thornicroft giraffe[14] or Rhodesian giraffe, is restricted to the Luangwa Valley in eastern Zambia. No more than 1,500 remain in the wild,[15] with none kept in zoos.[18] G. c. peralta,[14] commonly known as the West African giraffe,[14] Niger giraffe[22] or Nigerian giraffe,[22] has a lighter coat pelage than other subspecies.[8]:322 It is endemic to south-western Niger.[2] Fewer than 220 individuals remain in the wild.[15] Giraffes in Cameroon were formerly believed to belong to this subspecies, but are actually G. c. antiquorum.[20] This error resulted in some confusion over its status in zoos, but in 2007 it was established that all "G. c. peralta" kept in European zoos actually are G. c. antiquorum.[20] The endangered West African giraffe Giraffe subspecies are distinguished by their coat patterns. The reticulated and Maasai giraffe represent two extremes of giraffe patch shapes. The former has well-defined geometric patches while the latter has jagged star-like ones. Giraffes from the northern half of the species' range have patches more like the reticulated giraffe while those from the south are more like the Maasai giraffe[8]:317-- the Angolan and South African giraffe at a lesser extant.[23] There are also differences in the width of the lines separating the patches. The West African giraffe has thick lines while the Nubian and reticulated giraffe have thin ones.[8]:321-22 A 2007 study on the genetics of six subspecies--the West African, Rothschild, reticulated, Maasai, Angolan and South African giraffe--suggests that they may in fact be separate species. The study deduced from genetic drift in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) that giraffes from these populations are reproductively isolated and rarely interbreed, even though no natural obstacles block their mutual access.[13] This includes adjacent populations of Rothschild, reticulated and Maasai giraffes. The Maasai giraffe may also consist of a few species separated by the Rift Valley. Reticulated and Maasai giraffes have the highest mtDNA diversity, which is consistent with the fact that giraffes originated in eastern Africa. Populations further north evolved from the former while those to the south evolved from the latter. Giraffes appear to select mates of the same coat type, which are imprinted on them as calves.[13] The implications of these findings for the conservation of giraffes were summarised by David Brown, lead author of the study, who told BBC News: "Lumping all giraffes into one species obscures the reality that some kinds of giraffe are on the brink. Some of these populations number only a few hundred individuals and need immediate protection."[24] Appearance and anatomy Closeup of the head of a giraffe at the Melbourne Zoo Giraffe skeleton on display at the Museum of Osteology, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Fully grown giraffes stand 5-6 m (16-20 ft) tall, with males taller than females.[11] The average weight is 1,600 kg (3,500 lb) for an adult male and 830 kg (1,800 lb) for an adult female.[25] Despite its long neck and legs, the giraffe's body is relatively short.[26]:66 Located at both sides of the head, the giraffe's large, bulging eyes give it good all-round vision from its great height.[27]:25 Giraffes see in color[27]:26 and their senses of hearing and smell are also sharp.[12] The animal can close its muscular nostrils to protect against sandstorms and ants.[27]:27 The giraffe's prehensile tongue is about 50 cm (20 in) long. It is purplish-black in color, perhaps to protect against sunburn, and is useful for grasping foliage as well as for grooming and cleaning the animal's nose.[27]:27 The upper lip of the giraffe is also prehensile and useful when foraging. The lips, tongue and inside of the mouth are covered in papillae to protect against thorns.[11] The coat has dark blotches or patches (which can be orange, chestnut, brown or nearly black on color[12]) separated by light hair (usually white or cream in color[12]). Each individual giraffe has a unique coat pattern.[23] The coat pattern serves as camouflage, allowing it to blend in the light and shade patterns of savanna woodlands.[9][14] The skin underneath the dark areas may serve as windows for thermoregulation, being sites for complex blood vessel systems and large sweat glands.[28] The skin of a giraffe is mostly gray.[25] It is also thick and allows them to run through thorn bush without being punctured.[27]:34 Their fur may serve as a chemical defence, as it is full of parasite repellents that give the animal a characteristic scent. There are at least eleven main aromatic chemicals in the fur, although indole and 3-methylindole are responsible for most of the smell. Because the males have a stronger odor than the females, it is suspected that it also has a sexual function.[29] Along the animal's neck is a mane made of short, erect hairs.[11] The 1 m (3.3 ft) tail ends in a long, dark tuft of hair and is used as a defense against insects.[27]:36 Skull and ossicones Both sexes have prominent horn-like structures called ossicones, which are formed from ossified cartilage, covered in skin and fused to the skull at the parietal bones.[23] Being vascularized, the ossicones may have a role in thermoregulation.[28] Appearance is a reliable guide to the sex or age of a giraffe: the ossicones of females and young are thin and display tufts of hair on top, whereas those of adult males end in knobs and tend to be bald on top.[23] There is also a median lump, which is more prominent in males, at the front of the skull.[11] Males develop calcium deposits that form bumps on their skulls as they age.[12] A giraffe's skull is lightened by multiple sinuses.[26]:70 However, as males age, their skulls become heavier and more club-like, helping them become more dominant in combat.[23] The upper jaw has a grooved palate and lacks front teeth.[27]:26 The surface of the giraffe's molars are rougher than those of some other mammals.[27]:27 Legs, locomotion and posture The front legs of a giraffe are slightly longer than its hind legs. The radius and ulna of the front legs are articulated by the carpus, which, while structurally equivalent to the human wrist, functions as a knee.[30] The foot of the giraffe reaches a diameter of 30 cm (12 in), and the hoof is 15 cm (5.9 in) high in males and 10 cm (3.9 in) in females.[27]:36 The rear of each hoof is low and the fetlock is close to the ground, allowing the foot to support the animal's weight.[11] Giraffes lack dewclaws and interdigital glands. The giraffe's pelvis, though relatively short, has an ilium that is outspread at the upper ends.[11] A giraffe has only two gaits: walking and galloping. Walking is done by moving the legs on one side of the body at the same time, then doing the same on the other side.[23] When galloping, the hind legs move around the front legs before the latter move forward,[12] and the tail will curl up.[23] The animal relies on the forward and backward motions of its head and neck to maintain balance and the counter momentum while galloping.[8]:327-29 The giraffe can reach a sprint speed of up to 60 km/h (37 mph),[31] and can sustain 50 km/h (31 mph) for several kilometers.[32] A giraffe rests by lying with its body on top of its folded legs.[8]:329 To lie down, the animal kneels on its front legs and then lowers the rest of its body. To get back up, it first gets on its knees and spreads its hind legs to raise its hindquarters. It then straightens its front legs. With each step, the animal swings its head.[27]:31 The giraffe sleeps intermittently around 4.6 hours per day, mostly at night.[33] It usually sleeps lying down, however, standing sleeps have been recorded, particularly in older individuals. Intermittent short "deep sleep" phases while lying are characterized by the giraffe bending its neck backwards and resting its head on the hip or thigh, a position believed to indicate paradoxical sleep.[33] If the giraffe wants to bend down to drink, it either spreads its front legs or bends its knees.[23] Giraffes would probably not be competent swimmers as their long legs would be highly cumbersome in the water,[34] although they could possibly float.[35] When swimming, the thorax would be weighed down by the front legs, making it difficult for the animal to move its neck and legs in harmony[34][35] or keep its head above the surface

The Elephant {Loxodonta Africana} The African Elephant The African Elephant is the largest living land mammal, one of the most impressive animals on earth. The Elephant's muscular trunk serves as a nose, hand, extra foot, signaling device and a tool for gathering food, siphoning water, dusting, digging and a variety of other functions. The long trunk permits the elephant to reach as high as 23 feet. It is capable of powerful twisting and coiling movements used for tearing down trees or fighting. The trunk of the African elephant has two finger-like structures at its tip. The tusks, another remarkable feature, are greatly elongated incisors (elephants have no canine teeth). Tusks grow for most of an elephant's lifetime and are an indicator of age. They are

Family: Crocodylidae Length: 2.5 to 5.5 m Weight: up to 1000 kg or more. Diet Description: up to 70% of the adult diet is fish. Other prey items may include zebras, hippos, porcupines, pangolins, and migrating wildebeest. Nile Crocodile Sexual maturity: relates to size. Males are mature at about 10 feet, approximately 10 years of age, females at about 6.5 feet, approximately 10 years of age). Incubation: females nest in November and December on sandy shorelines, dry stream beds, or riverbanks. A female can lay 25 to 100 eggs, which she covers with sand, then guards until they hatch 3 months later. When young crocodiles are hatching, either parent may help them out of the egg by rolling it between their tongue and palate. This cracks the shell allowing for an easier escape. Life span: average about 45 years in the wild, may live up to 80 years in captivity. Interesting Fact: When fish are migrating, crocodile hunt cooperatively by forming a semi-circle across the river and herding the fish. They then eat the fish that are closest to them.

Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, nieces etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder

Quick Facts Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae Habitat: Steppes, savannahs and bushland. Distribution: Africa (and the Middle East). Pure genetic stock of the African Wild Cat is today only found in remote areas. Elsewhere interbreeding with domestic cats has taken place. Appearance: Sandy brown to yellow grey in colour, with black stripes on the tail. Fur is short. Size: Slightly larger than a domestic cat. Head to body length: 45 to 75 cm | Tail 20 to 38 cm | Weight: 3 to 6.5 kg Diet: Carnivore. Eats primarily mice, rats and other small mammals. They also eat birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects if available. Reproduction: A female gives birth to an average of 3 kittens. Gestation is approximately 65 days. Mating occurs between July and January and young are born between September to March. Kittens are born blind and need full care of the mother. Most kittens are born in the wet season, when there is sufficient food. They stay with their mother for five to six months, and are fertile after one year. African Wild Cat Behaviour: The African Wild Cat is generally solitary except when mating, or when the female is raising kittens. Both males and females establish territories which they mark and defend. The territory of a male overlaps with that of a few females, who defend the territory against intruders. African wild cats are nocturnal in the warm weather and diurnal (mainly active during the night and twilight) during very cold weather. Life Span: 12 - 15 years Threats: Loss of habitat and hybridisation with domestic cats Predators: Wild cats are preyed upon as young cats by larger predators, such as foxes, wolves, other cats, and large birds of prey, such as owls, eagles and hawks. African Wild cats are fierce when threatened and can protect themselves from animals larger than themselves.

A civet ( /ˈsɪvɨt/) is a small, lithe-bodied, mostly nocturnal mammal native to tropical Asia and Africa, especially the tropical forests. The term civet applies to over a dozen different mammal species. Most of the species diversity is found in southeast Asia. The most well-known civet species is the African Civet, Civettictis civetta, which historically has been the main species from which was obtained a musky scent used in perfumery. The word civet may also refer to the distinctive musky scent produced by the animals. Civets are also called "toddycats" in English and "musang" in Malay. The latter may lead to some confusion as "musang" also refers to foxes, but civets are more commonly encountered by humans. Contents [hide] 1 Taxonomy 2 Physical characteristics 3 Habitat 3.1 Sri Lanka, Bangladesh 4 Relationship with humans 4.1 Coffee 4.2 Pets 4.3 Urban environments 4.4 Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) 5 References 6 External links [edit] Taxonomy The common name is used for a variety of carnivorous mammalian species, mostly of the family Viverridae. (The African Palm Civet (Nandinia binotata) is genetically distinct and belongs in its own monotypic family, Nandiniidae). [edit] Physical characteristics Illustration of an African Civet Civets have a broadly cat-like general appearance, though the muzzle is extended and often pointed, rather like an otter or a mongoose. They range in length from about 17 to 28 in (43 to 71 cm) (excluding their long tails) and in weight from about 3 to 10 lb (1.4 to 4.5 kg). The civet produces a musk (also called civet) highly valued as a fragrance and stabilizing agent for perfume. Both male and female civets produce the strong-smelling secretion, which is produced by the civet's perineal glands. It is harvested by either killing the animal and removing the glands, or by scraping the secretions from the glands of a live animal. The latter is the preferred method today. Animal rights groups, such as the World Society for the Protection of Animals, express concern that harvesting musk is cruel to animals. Between these ethical concerns and the availability of synthetic substitutes, the practice of raising civets for musk is dying out. Chanel, maker of the popular perfume Chanel No. 5, claims that natural civet has been replaced with a synthetic substitute since 1998.[1] [edit] Habitat Viverrids are native to Africa (except the area immediately south of the Mediterranean), Madagascar, the Iberian Peninsula, southern China, South and Southeast Asia. Favoured habitats include woodland, savanna, and mountain biomes and, above all, tropical rainforest. In consequence, many are faced with severe loss of habitat; several species are considered vulnerable and the Otter Civet is classified as endangered. Some species of civet are very rare and elusive and hardly anything is known about them, e.g., the Hose's Civet, endemic to the montane forests of northern Borneo, is one of the world's least known carnivores.[2] [edit] Sri Lanka, Bangladesh In Sri Lanka, the Asian palm civet species is known as "Uguduwa" by the Sinhala speaking community. The terms Uguduwa and Kalawedda are used interchangeably by the Sri Lankan community to refer to the same animal. However, the term Kalawedda is mostly used to refer to another species in the civet family, the Small Indian Civet. Sri Lanka also has an endemic civet species called Golden Palm Civet. In Bangladesh and in Bangla speaking areas of India this animal is known as "Khatash" and is now extremely rare in all parts of Bangladesh. [edit] Relationship with humans [edit] Coffee Main article: Kopi Luwak Kopi Luwak, also known as caphe cut chon (fox-dung coffee) in Vietnam and kape alamid in the Philippines, is coffee that is prepared using coffee cherries that have been eaten and partially digested by the Asian Palm Civet, then harvested from its fecal matter.[3][4] The civets digest the flesh of the coffee cherries but pass the beans inside, leaving their stomach enzymes to go to work on the beans, which adds to the coffee's prized aroma and flavor.[3] Only around 1,000 pounds (450 kg) of civet coffee make it to the market each year, and 1 pound (0.45 kg) can cost up to $600 in some parts of the world and about $100 a cup in others.[5] [edit] Pets Some of the indigenous people in Peninsular Malaysia, the Orang Asli, may occasionally keep pet civets. [edit] Urban environments Palm civets often venture into urban and suburban environments, with people often complaining about civet feces or noise from the animals climbing on roofs [6]. Some studies have undertaken to examine and mitigate human-animal conflict in these cases. The Raffles Museum of Biodiversity at the National University of Singapore has adopted the palm civet as its mascot and volunteers call themselves "Toddycats"

Type:MammalDiet:CarnivoreSize:Head and body, 4.25 to 6.25 ft (1.3 to 1.9 m); tail, 3.5 to 4.5 ft (1.1 to 1.4 m)Weight:66 to 176 lbs (30 to 80 kg)Protection status:Near ThreatenedSize relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man Leopards are graceful and powerful big cats closely related to lions, tigers, and jaguars. They live in sub-Saharan Africa, northeast Africa, Central Asia, India, and China. However, many of their populations are endangered, especially outside of Africa. The leopard is so strong and comfortable in trees that it often hauls its kills into the branches. By dragging the bodies of large animals aloft it hopes to keep them safe from scavengers such as hyenas. Leopards can also hunt from trees, where their spotted coats allow them to blend with the leaves until they spring with a deadly pounce. These nocturnal predators also stalk antelope, deer, and pigs by stealthy movements in the tall grass. When human settlements are present, leopards often attack dogs and, occasionally, people. Leopards are strong swimmers and very much at home in the water, where they sometimes eat fish or crabs. Female leopards can give birth at any time of the year. They usually have two grayish cubs with barely visible spots. The mother hides her cubs and moves them from one safe location to the next until they are old enough to begin playing and learning to hunt. Cubs live with their mothers for about two years--otherwise, leopards are solitary animals. Most leopards are light colored with distinctive dark spots that are called rosettes, because they resemble the shape of a rose. Black leopards, which appear to be almost solid in color because their spots are hard to distinguish, are commonly called black panthers.

Fast Facts Type:MammalDiet:CarnivoreSize:Head and body, 4.25 to 6.25 ft (1.3 to 1.9 m); tail, 3.5 to 4.5 ft (1.1 to 1.4 m)Weight:66 to 176 lbs (30 to 80 kg)Protection status:Near ThreatenedSize relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man Leopards are graceful and powerful big cats closely related to lions, tigers, and jaguars. They live in sub-Saharan Africa, northeast Africa, Central Asia, India, and China. However, many of their populations are endangered, especially outside of Africa. The leopard is so strong and comfortable in trees that it often hauls its kills into the branches. By dragging the bodies of large animals aloft it hopes to keep them safe from scavengers such as hyenas. Leopards can also hunt from trees, where their spotted coats allow them to blend with the leaves until they spring with a deadly pounce. These nocturnal predators also stalk antelope, deer, and pigs by stealthy movements in the tall grass. When human settlements are present, leopards often attack dogs and, occasionally, people. Leopards are strong swimmers and very much at home in the water, where they sometimes eat fish or crabs. Female leopards can give birth at any time of the year. They usually have two grayish cubs with barely visible spots. The mother hides her cubs and moves them from one safe location to the next until they are old enough to begin playing and learning to hunt. Cubs live with their mothers for about two years--otherwise, leopards are solitary animals. Most leopards are light colored with distinctive dark spots that are called rosettes, because they resemble the shape of a rose. Black leopards, which appear to be almost solid in color because their spots are hard to distinguish, are commonly called black panthers.

Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, nieces etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder

Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, nieces etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder

Appearance The Ostrich (struthio camelus) is a member of a group of birds known as ratites, that is they are flightless birds without a keel to their breastbone. Of the 8,600 bird species which exist today, the ostrich is the largest. Standing tall on long, bare legs, the Ostrich has a long, curving, predominantly white neck. The humped body of the male is covered in black patches and the wings and tail are tipped with white. The female is brown and white. These huge birds, which sometimes reach a height of 2.6 m and a weight of 135 kg, cannot fly, but are very fast runners. Diet Ostriches are mainly vegetarian, eating grass, succulents berries and seeds, though they will also eat insects. They swallow large numbers of pebbles which help grind the harder food in the gizzard and aid digestion. Breeding Ostriches normally mate for life, and they share the task of incubating the eggs. Ostriches form bisexual groups with a complex structure. Territorial males compete for flocks of 3 to 5 hens. Mating includes elaborate displays of hisses and dancing. Once divided into mating groups, ostriches in some areas use communal nests to hold anywhere from 14 to 60 eggs. The nest is a hole scraped in bare ground about 1 to 2 feet deep. The average egg is 6 inches in length, 5 inches in width, weighs about 3 pounds, and is shiny and whitish in color. Eggs take approximately 35 - 40 days to hatch. The male, which has mostly black feathers, sits on the eggs at night, and the drab, brown female who lays up to 20 eggs, covers them during the day. In this way, the nest is much harder to see. If threatened while sitting on the nest, which is simply a cavity scooped in the earth, the hen presses her long neck flat along the ground, blending with the background. Ostriches, contrary to popular belief, do not bury their heads in the sand. Once the young ones hatch, it is usually the male ostrich which looks after the chick until they are old enough to fend for themselves. The Domesticated Ostrich Ostriches were almost wiped out in the 18th century due to hunting for feathers. By the middle of the 19th century, due to the extensive practice of ostrich farming the ostrich population increased. The movement changed to domesticating and plucking ostriches, instead of hunting. Ostriches have been succesfully domesticated and are now farmed throughout the world, particularly in South Africa, for meat, feathers and leather. The leather goes through a tanning process and is then manufactured into fashion accessories such as boots and bags. Habitat Most wild ostriches are found in fragmented groups in West, East and South Africa with the majority living in protected game reserves on the east of the continent. They are well adapted to living in dry conditions and are able to survive dehydration of up to 25%.

Name Nyala Scientific Name Tragelaphus angasii Average Weight Male 108 kg Average Weight Female 62 kg Shoulder Height Male 112cm Shoulder Height Female 97cm Mating Season Throughout the year This elegant and slender member of the spiral horned tribe is native to Zululand. His name translates in the Zulu language to

Latin name: Syncerus caffer Weight: Females up to 700 kg. Males up to 1000 kg. Lifespan: 17 years Gestation Period: 11 months Habitat: Grassland and open woodlands Behaviour: The Cape buffalo is considered by many to be the most dangerous of the big 5. Large herds of buffalo are generally relaxed when compared to single buffalo or small groups, which are extremely unpredictable. Lone bulls are very nervous as they don't have the safety and security of numbers and are therefore very quick to charge at any sign of danger. A charging buffalo is difficult to stop and many hunters have fallen victim to them, even after shooting warning shots. Large breeding herds can reach up 1500 individuals, rarely more. With so many buffalo, the herd has to keep on the move in search of good grazing and water. The old, sick and weak individuals often fall behind until eventually losing their herd. Old bulls that were previously with the herd will often form small groups known as bachelor herds. The bachelors normally settle down into smaller areas of 5 or 10 km² that has sufficient water and food to survive on. When the breeding herds pass through their area, they will sometimes rejoin for a short period before remaining behind once again. Another name for an old buffalo bull is "dagga boy". Dagga is the mixture sand, water and cement, used in building, a dagga boy is the person that mixes the dagga. Old buffalo bulls love wallowing in mud and after sitting in the sun for a while, the dried mud on their bodies looks like the dried cement on a dagga boy's arms and legs, hence the nick name. Mud wallowing is very good for the buffalo's skin as it helps remove unwanted parasites such as ticks and mites. When an animal submerges into water, a small air-bubble develops around the tick's mouth, where the mouth enters the host's skin. This air-bubble supplies the tick with extra oxygen, allowing it to stay under water without drowning. Mud on the other hand is too thick to allow for these small air-bubbles, resulting in the suffocation of ticks. After good wallowing session, the buffalo then rubs its body against, large rocks, trees or termite mounds to remove the mud along with the ticks. The horns of buffalo give a good indication of the sex. The male's horns are slightly thicker than the females and the male has a very prominent boss. The bull in particular makes a regular habit of rubbing and polishing his horns and boss on trees. The purpose of this may be to prevent flies from laying eggs in the cracks of its horns. Eggs laid in the horns eventually hatch into larva and start boring through the keratin layers causing significant damage to the buffalo's horns. Diet: The buffalo is a herbivore, feeding mostly on grass but in the drier seasons they will also eat more leaves. Breeding: Within a breeding herd there are a number of dominant males. Only these males are able to mate with the females. At the age of 5 years the female gives birth to her first calf after a gestation of 11 months. The newborn calf has a light brown to auburn colouration which helps camouflaging it while being hidden away and suckled for the first few weeks, until it is strong enough to keep up with the herd. The calf will often stay with its mother until the time when she gives birth to a new calf, which is around every 2 years. Enemies: Lions are capable of hunting mature buffalo which may take just a few minutes to pull down or even a couple hours with less experienced lion. Spotted hyena and leopard normally hunt the young calves which are less of a risk as buffalo often team together and put up a good fight and are very capable of killing lions and the other predators. Diseases: Cape buffalo have a very low white blood cell count when compared to other animals which results in a weak immune system and makes them susceptible to diseases such as foot and mouth disease and bovine tuberculoses. The tuberculosis is extremely contagious and by sharing the same drinking water it spreads very quickly through the herd. Buffalo that have T.B. can live for many years as long as they aren't malnutritioned. During dry seasons or drought the effects of the T.B. may kill many buffalo. Predators such as lion that hunt T.B. infected buffalo are also at risk after eating the meat of these animals. Posted by African Wildlife Labels: Cape Buffalo 1 comment: Stephen Scott said... Thank you for the interesting article - I love Buffalo. On my first visit to Kruger, the very first animal that we saw was a buffalo - it was about 5h45 and the he came out of the grass so close to us that all we could do was stare in awe. Nostalgia rules! I've got two buffalo paintings planned, my photo collection does not allow for more than that. 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These clumsy clowns of the wild, with their humped shoulders, sloping backs and rocking-horse gait may justifiably snort and grunt in alarm, toss their massive heads about nervously and search the air for scents of predators: being the favourite prey of lions they have to be ever on the alert. They are gregarious, and occur in herds of 20 to 30 individuals; they may also form much larger herds numbering thousands. Like the black wildebeest, their social organization consists of territorial males, female herds, and bachelor groups. On their massive migrations, the younger, non-territorial bulls travel at the perimeter of the herd, often relying on the timidity of accompanying zebra for an early warning if predators are about. Exceptionally inquisitive, blue wildebeest often stand and stare at an intruder, before suddenly whirling round and galloping off. Blue wildebeest are tough and although normally timid, will fight ferociously when cornered. A single calf is born, usually between December and January. The young stay close to their mothers, who will suckle only their own calf The Blue Wildebeest is actually a dark silver-grey, sometimes with a brown tinge, although in some lights it does appear bluish-grey. They have humped shoulders, deep necks, and more lightly-built hindquarters: the slope from shoulder to hindquarters is also more pronounced than in black wildebeest. Driven by their need for water and their partiality for fresh, sprouting grass, blue wildebeest have an amazing ability to track down a rainstorm - even if it is many kilometres away. Sometimes in herds of thousands, they will follow the sound of thunder, or perhaps the sight of rain clouds, until they reach the freshly fallen rain. They are associated with savanna woodland, as in addition to abundant drinking water they also require adequate shade. SIZE: Shoulder height (m) 1,5 m (f) 1,35 m; mass (m) 250 kg, (f) 180 kg. Both sexes have horns. COLOUR: Greyish brown, appearing slate blue in certain light, with darker vertical stripes on neck and flanks. Black, erect mane and horselike tails. GESTATION PERIOD: 8.5 months POTENTIAL LONGEVITY: 20 years RECORD LENGTH OF HORNS: 83 cm MOST LIKE: The Black Wildebeest, which is shorter and lighter than the blue wildebeest; the former has a yellowish-white tail that almost reaches the ground. HABITAT: Open savanna, woodland with short grass; open grass plains. Water essential.

Taxidermy

Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, nieces etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder

Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, nieces etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder

The rhinoceros is a large, primitive looking mammal that in fact dates from the Miocene era millions of years ago. In recent decades rhinos have been relentlessly hunted to the point of near extinction. Since 1970 the world rhino population has declined by 90 percent, with five species remaining in the world today, all of which are endangered. The white or square-lipped rhino is one of two rhino species in Africa. It in turn occurs as two subspecies, the southern and the northern. The southern dwindled almost to extinction in the early 20th century, but was protected on farms and reserves, enabling it to increase enough to be reintroduced. The northern white rhino has recovered in Democratic Republic of Congo from about 15 in 1984 to about 30 in the late 1990s. This population has been threatened by political conflict and instability. Quick Facts Name: Black Rhinoceros - Diceros bicornis Name: White Rhinoceros - Ceratotherium simum The White Rhino: The white rhino's name derives from the Dutch "weit," meaning wide, a reference to its wide, square muzzle adapted for grazing. The white rhino, which is actually grey, has a pronounced hump on the neck and a long face. The Black Rhino: The black, or hooked-lipped rhino, along with all other rhino species, is an odd-toed ungulate (three toes on each foot). It has a thick, hairless, grey hide. Both the black and white rhino have two horns, the longer of which sits at the front of the nose. Size: The rhinoceros stands about 60 inches at the shoulder. Weight: Black Rhino: 1 to 1½ tons. White Rhino: over 2 tons. Habitat: Grassland and open savannahs. Black rhinos have various habitats, but mainly areas with dense, woody vegetation. White rhinos live in savannahs with water holes, mud wallows and shade trees. Diet: Vegetarian. Black Rhino - browser. White Rhino - grazer. Diet Description: The black rhino is a browser, with a triangular-shaped upper lip ending in a mobile grasping point. It eats a large variety of vegetation, including leaves, buds and shoots of plants, bushes and trees. The white rhino is a grazer feeding on grasses. The Rhinoceros Socialisation: Rhinos live in home ranges that sometimes overlap with each other. Feeding grounds, water holes and wallows may be shared. The black rhino is usually solitary. The white rhino tends to be much more gregarious. Rhinos are also rather ill-tempered and have become more so in areas where they have been constantly disturbed. While their eyesight is poor, which is why they will often charge without apparent reason, their sense of smell and hearing are very good. They have an extended "vocabulary" of growls, grunts, squeaks, snorts and bellows. When attacking, the rhino lowers its head, snorts, breaks into a gallop reaching speeds of 30 miles an hour, and gores or strikes powerful blows with its horns. Still, for all its bulk, the rhino is very agile and can quickly turn in a small space. The rhino has a symbiotic relationship with oxpeckers, also called tick birds. In Swahili the tick bird is named "askari wa kifaru," meaning "the rhino's guard." The bird eats ticks it finds on the rhino and noisily warns of danger. Although the birds also eat blood from sores on the rhino's skin and thus obstruct healing, they are still tolerated Lifespan: 35 to 40 years. Reproduction: Young are born after a gestation period of 16 months. Predators: Humans. Man is the cause of the demise of the rhino. In the wild, the adult black or white rhino has no true natural predators and, despite its size and antagonistic reputation, it is extremely easy for man to kill. A creature of habit that lives in a well-defined home range, it usually goes to water holes daily, where it is easily ambushed. The dramatic decline in rhino is unfortunate in an era of increasing conservation but efforts are underway to save the rhino from extinction.

this is a zebra burchell (Equus Burchelli).Zebra burchells are prolific and are not an endangered species,can be exported worldwide

Appearance Physically, rams and ewes are remarkably similar. Their mass can be as much as 85 kg. A characteristic of the Blesbok is the prominent white blaze on the face and a horizontal brown strip which divides this blaze above the eyes. Body colour is brown with a lighter coloured saddle on the back, and the rump an even lighter shade. The legs are brown with a white patch behind the top part of the front legs. Lower legs whitish. Both sexes carry horns, ringed almost to the tip. Female horns are slightly more slender. Diet The Blesbok is a grazing species, showing preference for short grass, and particularly favours fresh green grass appearing after a veld burn. Breeding The Blesbok is a seasonal breeder. Rutting occurs during March to May. Births peak during November and December after a gestation period of about 240 days. Females give birth to single calves. Behaviour The Blesbok is closely related to the Bontebok. Historically, the distributions of these two species did not overlap. Interbreeding on lands where both subspecies are now located has been recorded. Prefered habitat is open grasslands with water. Where they are found The Blesbok's distribution is restricted to the Republic of South Africa. Its historic range includes the Eastern Cape, Free State, southern parts of the former Transvaal, marginally in KwaZulu-Natal along the upper reaches of the Tugela River and into Lesotho, west of the Maluti Mountains. It was once one of the most abundant antelope species of the African plains, but Blesbok have become scarce since 1893 due to relentless hunting for their skins and meat. Recently, population numbers have recovered dramatically due to vigorous conservation in game reserves and farms. Unfortunately, Blesbok have been introduced to areas far beyond their original range. Today they are commonly found on enclosed land in smaller herds, and numbers are estimated at 120 000.

Latin Name Tragelaphus angasi Conservation Status Conservation Dependent Location Southern Africa Colour Male: Dark Grey Female: Red/Brown Length 1.4 - 1.6 m (4.5 - 5.25 ft) Tail 40 - 55 cms (16 - 22 inches) Weight 55 - 125 Kgs (120 - 280 lbs) Life Expectancy Up to 16 Yrs Main Characteristics Nyala are medium sized antelopes and they have a body length between 1.4 and 1.6 m (4.5 - 5.25 ft), a tail length between 40 and 55 cms (16 - 22 inches) and they weigh between 55 and 125 kgs (120 - 280 lbs). Male Nyala are much larger and heavier than females. Male Nyala have a dark grey coloured head and body with indistinct stripes along their torso. Their lower legs are tan in colour and they have have a fringe of hair along their underside and a thin crest on their back. They have horns that measure up to 70 cms (28 inches) in length and a white "V" between their eyes. Female and juvenile Nyala are red/brown in colour and they have distinctive, vertical white stripes along their body. They do not have any horns but they have a white "V" between their eyes. They spend most of the day, particularly the hottest part, under the shade and they tend to feed during the evening and early in the morning. They have an alarm call that is a "dog-like" bark. Habitat Nyala are found near dense bush in the dry savanna woodlands of southern Africa. They prefer areas that are close to a water source and good quality grass. Females live in groups that consist of 2 - 30 individuals. It is not uncommon for groups of female Nyala to be related as young females stay in close proximity to their mother once they are independent. Males also form loose groups but these are more transitory. Neither male or female groups are territorial and their home ranges often overlap. Diet Nyala feed upon grasses, leaves, twigs, fruits and flowers. They drink daily when water is plentiful but they are able to survive in areas when water is only seasonally available. Breeding Nyala breed throughout the year although most young are born in spring and there is a small peak in the autumn. After a gestation period of 7 months, 1 calf (sometimes 2) is born. At birth the young Nyala weighs approximately 5 kg (11 lbs) and they remain hidden from predators for approximately 18 days. They are weaned at around 7 months old but they remain with their mother until her next calf is born. Nyala are sexually mature by the time they are 18 months old. Predators Common predators of Nyala include lions, hyenas, leopards and african wild dogs. If a predator is detected a member of the group will let out a barking call and the other Nyala in the area will react and run away. Nyala also react to the warning calls from other species such as impala, baboons, and kudu. Subspecies There are no subspecies of the Nyala. Interesting Facts George French Angas was an English artist and naturalist and that is where "angasi" is derived from. Best matches for nyala facts There are no subspecies of the Nyala. Interesting Facts George French Angas was an English artist and naturalist and that is where "angasi" is derived from. Jump to text » More matches »« Fewer matches

Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, nieces etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder

Burchell Zebra Burchell's zebras inhabit savannas, from treeless grasslands to open woodlands. They sometimes occur in tens of thousands in migratory herds on the Serengeti plains. The Burchell's zebra's social system is based on a harem of females led by a stallion. The zebra, though water dependent, is a very adaptable grazer, able to eat both short young shoots and long flowering grasses.

Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, nieces etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder

Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, nieces etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder

The blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), also called the common wildebeest or the white-bearded wildebeest, is a large antelope and one of two species of wildebeest.[2] Males can grow to a 145 cm (57 in) shoulder height and attains a body mass of over 275 kg (610 lb).[3] They range the open plains, bushveld, and dry woodlands of Southern and East Africa, living for more than twenty years. The male is highly territorial, using scent markings and other devices to protect his domain. The largest population is in the Serengeti, numbering over one million animals. They are a major prey item for lions, hyenas, and crocodiles. Contents [hide] 1 Names 2 Description 3 Distribution and habitat 3.1 Conservation 4 Behaviour 4.1 Territoriality 4.2 Reproduction 5 Subspecies 6 References 7 External links [edit] Names The name "blue wildebeest" derives from a conspicuous silvery blue sheen[4] to its short haired hide, differentiating this species from the plainer black wildebeest. (The plural of wildebeest is denoted either "wildebeest" or "wildebeests".) Other common terms for wildebeest include gnu ( /ˈnuː/ or /ˈnjuː/) and nyumbu (Swahili). The name "gnu" originates from the Khoikhoi name for these animals, gnou. The blue wildebeest is sometimes called brindled gnu. The blue wildebeest and black wildebeest or white-tailed gnu (C. gnou) are the two species of the genus Connochaetes, within the family Bovidae, which includes antelopes, cattle, goats, and other even-toed horned ungulates. Western white-bearded wildebeest (C. t. mearnsi), Ngorongoro, Tanzania The animal's specific name taurinus is Latin for "like a bull". [edit] Description It has a beefy muscular front-heavy appearance with a distinctive robust muzzle, it strides with relatively slender legs and moves gracefully and quietly most of the time, belying the reputation for stampeding in herds; however the stampeding characteristic may sometimes be observed. Blue wildebeest from rear angle showing stripes that look like wrinkles Probably the most conspicuous feature of the blue wildebeest are the large horns shaped like parentheses, extending outward to the side and then curving up and inward. In the male the horns can attain a total span of almost 90 cm, while the female's horn width is about half the size of the male's. These cow-like horns of both sexes are somewhat broad at the base and are without ridges. However, as further sexual dimorphism, the male horns have a boss-like structure joining the two horns. The male is larger than the female. It is one of the largest species of antelope. The blue wildebeest can stand 118 to 145 cm (46 to 57 in) high at the shoulder. The head-and-body length can range from 150 to 250 cm (59 to 98 in) and the tail length ranges from 56 to 100 cm (22 to 39 in). Body mass is typically from 120 to 275 kg (260 to 610 lb). The record sized female and male weighed 260 kg (570 lb) and 290 kg (640 lb) respectively.[5][6] Young blue wildebeest are born tawny brown, and begin to take on their adult colouration at age nine weeks. The adult's hue actually varies from a deep slate or bluish gray all the way to light gray or even grayish-brown. The dorsal coat and flanks are slightly lighter in hue than the ventral hide and underparts. Dark brown vertical bands of slightly longer hair mark the neck and forequarters, and from a distance lend a perception of skin wrinkling. The manes of both sexes appear long, stiff, thick and jet black, a colour assumed by the tail and face as well. Sexual dichromism is exhibited by the males displaying decidedly darker colouration than the females. All features and markings of this species are bilaterally symmetric for both sexes. [edit] Distribution and habitat Wildebeest drinking and grazing with zebras Blue wildebeest are found in open and bush-covered savanna in south and east Africa, thriving in areas that are neither too wet nor too arid. They can be found in places that vary from overgrazed areas with dense bush to open woodland floodplains. Wildebeests prefer the bushveld and grasslands of the southern savanna.[7] The terrestrial biome designations for these preferred habitats are savanna, grassland, open forest and scrub forest. Large herds numbering into the thousands may be observed on the Tanzanian Serengeti equatorial plain, and in Zambia in Liuwa Plain National Park, in their annual migration. Smaller herds of about thirty are found in northern Botswana, Zimbabwe[8] and the South African locations of Waterberg, Kruger National Park, and Mala Mala. Some herds can be found almost to the southern tip of South Africa. Blue wildebeests can tolerate arid regions, as long as a potable water supply is available. Since all wildebeests require a long drink every day or two, they must have water within about 15 to 25 km distance. Their blunt muzzles are best equipped for biting short green grasses,[4] since a wide incisor row prevents more selective feeding. Short grasses of these type are usually only found on alkaline or volcanic soils. Blue wildebeests are locally the favored prey item for lions, spotted hyenas, and mature Nile crocodiles. The latter, giant reptiles stalk them at river crossings and explosively grabs them by their face, dragging them into the water to drown. Lionesses usually attack them by ambush and then bite down onto their throat until the wildebeest is suffocated, although has been known to suffocate them by biting on their snouts. The hyena usually kills wildebeests by repeatedly biting to the sides, ultimately causing death by shock and blood-loss. The young also fall prey to cheetahs, leopards, and wild dogs, the latter sometimes also taking adults in if in a large pack. [edit] Conservation Wildebeest killed by trophy hunters (photo 1906-1918) The Serengeti boasts over one million blue wildebeests, but southern Africa's large herds have diminished over the last several centuries under pressure from hunting, cattle ranching and habitat intrusion stemming from overpopulation of humans. In southern Africa some efforts are being made to enhance grasslands and repair damage of cattle grazing and excessive fencing. These activities are particularly evident in the Waterberg Biosphere, where invasive brush (induced by excess cattle grazing) is being extirpated and many fences are coming down to promote wildlife migration.[9] While the species status is considered secure as a whole, there is concern for smaller herds in the southern Africa habitats which have already become marginalized. [edit] Behaviour A herd of wildebeest in the Ngorongoro Crater. The leader in the centre is watching the others. The Serengeti herds are purely migratory and abandon the usual plains after the rainy season has ended to seek higher grasses in wetter areas. Grasslands bordering alkaline lakes or pans are particularly choice dry season (winter) habitats.[3] Herds may be mixed gender with a dominant male, female only, or bachelor only. Blue wildebeest often graze together with other species such as plains zebras for purposes of mutual protection. Zebras in particular are beneficial to co-exist with since they mow down highly vegetated areas leaving the wildebeests to eat the newly exposed and more nutritional short grasses, which is what they prefer. A Blue wildebeest can attain maximum a speed of up to 65 kilometres per hour (40 mph) to 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph)[10] according to the individuals. [edit] Territoriality Blue wildebeest are unusually territorial, adult males occupying their territories for a month or for the entire year. The physical size of territories ranges from one to two hectares. The bulls mark territory boundaries with dung heaps, preorbital gland secretions, hoof scent glands and pawing of the earth. When competing over territory, males grunt quite loudly, make a thrusting motion with their horns and perform other displays of aggression. Territories are advertised by actions of the bull as well as scent marking.[4] Body language used by the territorial male include standing at an erect posture, profuse ground pawing and horning, frequent defecation, rolling on his back and bellowing the sound "ga-noo".[4] To attract the opposite sex at the beginning of courtship the male (and less frequently the female) will rub its preorbital gland on a tree and then proceed with a destructive horning of said tree. This behaviour is not only effective in enticing a mate, but serves the function of providing more grassland for future wildebeest generations by promoting grassland extent. [edit] Reproduction Blue wildebeest, Etosha National Park, Namibia Adult with a calf in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania Blue wildebeests at the waterhole in the Etosha National Park, Namibia Males exhibit rivalry when staking out territory and when competing for females. In the actual clashes between males, they face off resting on bent front knees, exchanging horn thrusts for brief periods. Elaborate individual displays are made in the rivalry and courtship process, where males bellow, snort and protrude their horns into the soil. The mating process is thought to begin at the first full moon at the end of the rainy season. Once territory is established, the male attempts to lure or corral the female into his domain.[11] A female may copulate with several different males, visiting several different territories.[11] Most mating occurs during a three to four week period at the end of the rainy season (March to April), when this species is at its maximum vigour.[11] The female reaches sexual maturity at age three, and the male at age four; however, it is more typically age five when the male has developed sufficient strength and experience to defend territory. Generally fewer than half of the adult males create territories in a given year. In the Serengeti, population densities are so high that there may be 270 territorial bulls within one square kilometer. Estes terms the total volume of noise created during the Serengeti rutting season as "indescribable" in its amplitude and variety of snorting, bellowing and fighting.[3] When the dry season is well underway about August, territories cease to exist. Female wildebeest give birth in the middle of a herd rather than go out alone.[11] The gestation period is approximately 8.5 months, with calves able to stand within seven minutes and run with the herd in less than two hours from birth. These precocial features are warranted since the calves are vulnerable to predators. To escape predation calves remain close to the mother for a significant time, and in fact may suckle for up to one year. In large herds 80 percent of wildebeest offspring survive the first month, compared to a 50 percent survival rate within small herds. [edit] Subspecies C. taurinus consists of five subspecies: C. t. taurinus (blue wildebeest or brindled gnu; southern Africa) individuals are silvery slate gray in colour, the origin of the common name "blue" wildebeest. C. t. johnstoni (Nyassaland wildebeest), occurring in southeastern Tanzania and northern Mozambique), is the largest subspecies. The western white-bearded wildebeest (C. t. mearnsi) is the smallest and is found only in southwestern Kenya and northwestern Tanzania. C. t. mearnsi is the darkest hued wildebeest while C. t. albojubatus (eastern white-bearded wildebeest) is the palest in colouration and found in southeastern Kenya and northeastern Tanzania. The last subspecies, Cookson's wildebeest (C. t. cooksoni), is restricted to the Luangwa Valley.[12] While most subspecies have an at least partially black beard, C. t. mearnsi and C. t. albojubatus both have pale beards, as also suggested by their common names, western and eastern white-bearded wildebeest.

The name "gemsbok" in English is derived from Afrikaans gemsbok, itself derived from the Dutch name of the male chamois, gemsbok. Although there are some superficial similarities in appearance (especially in the facial pattern), the chamois and the oryx are not closely related. The usual pronunciation in English is /ˈɡɛmzb�'k/.[3] [edit] Description Gemsbok are light brownish-grey to tan in colour, with lighter patches to the bottom rear of the rump. Their tails are long and black in colour. A blackish stripe extends from the chin down the bottom edge of the neck through the join of the shoulder and leg along the lower flank of each side to the blackish section of the rear leg. They have muscular necks and shoulders and their legs have white 'socks' with a black patch on the front of both the front legs and both genders have long straight horns. Comparably, the East African Oryx lacks a dark patch at the base of the tail, has less blackish on the legs (none on the hindlegs), and less blackish on the lower flanks. Gemsbok are the largest species in the Oryx genus. They stand about 1.2 m (3.9 ft) at the shoulder.[4][5] The body length can vary from 190 to 240 cm (75 to 94 in) and the tail measures 45 to 90 cm (18 to 35 in).[6][7] Male Gemsbok can weigh between 220-300 kg (490-660 lb) while females weigh 100-210 kg (220-460 lb). A drinking gemsbok with a group of Helmeted Guineafowl in the foreground [edit] Horns Gemsbok are widely hunted for their spectacular horns that average 85 centimetres (33 in) in length. The only outward difference between males and females is their horns, and many hunters mistake females for males each year. In males, these horns are perfectly straight, extending from the base of the skull to a slight outward and rearward angle. Females have longer thinner horns that have a slight outward and rearward curve in addition to their angle. Female Gemsbok use their horns to defend themselves and their offspring from predators while male Gemsbok primarily use their horns to defend their territory from other males.[8] Gemsbok are one of the few antelope species where female trophies are sometimes more desirable than male ones. A gemsbok horn can be fashioned into a natural trumpet and, according to some authorities, can be used as a shofar.[9] [edit] Behaviour Gemsbok live in herds of about 10-40 animals, which consist of a dominant male, a few non-dominant males, and females. Gemsbok are mainly desert-dwelling and do not depend on drinking to supply their physiological water needs. They can reach running speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph). [edit] Introduction to North America In 1969 the New Mexico State Department of Game and Fish decided to introduce Gemsbok to the Tularosa Basin in the United States. The introduction was a compromise between those who wanted to preserve nature and those who wanted to use it for profit and promotion.[10] 93 were released from 1969 to 1977. The current population is estimated to be 3,000. The reason the Gemsbok thrived is because their natural predators, including the Lion, are not present.[11]

Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, nieces etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder

Male and female lions live in a large group named a pride with their cubs. With every pride we know that there are a king or kings of the pride, but where would the pride be without resident queens - the female lion - the lioness. The number of lionesses in a pride can be from two to twenty. This number can vary on the availibility of food in the territory. If food is scarse then some females will have to disperse and find another pride. All females within a pride are usually but mostly related, e.g. sisters, aunts, nieces etc. There is no rank hierachy among females and no two are likely to be found together more than half the time. All female residents know one another and when they meet, the lion greeting ceremony (rubbing and low purring) reaffirms their social ties. If a female shows no self assurance to meet and greet, this sends a signal that it doesn't belong in the pride and is treated as an intruder

DESCRIPTION: Tall and majestic with the most spectacular horns, one of Africa's most sought after trophies. This animal certainly ranks as one of Africa's most handsome species. Ernest Hemingway called this shy and elusive animal "the gray ghost". The short smooth coat varies in general color from grayish-fawn to grayish brown, with old bulls becoming grayer and their necks becoming darker in the breeding season. Both sexes have a short upright mane from the top of the head to the shoulders, where it forms a crest and continues down the spine. Distinctive features include a white chevron-shaped mark extending from the eyes across the upper nose and exceptionally large pink ears. There are numerous white markings, including 6-10 vertical stripes across the back and down the flanks, variable white patches on the sides of the face and white on the top lip and chin. The black-tipped, bushy tail is white underneath and there are black garters on the upper legs. HORNS: Males only, have horns rising from the top of the head in wide spirals with a distinct ridge along their length, diverging slightly as they slant back from the head. The spirals are normally up to 2 1/2 turns, occasionally having 3 full turns. Average horn lengths are between 40 - 56" with lengths longer than 58" being rare. These beautifully shaped horns have long been prized in Africa for use as musical instruments, containers and symbolic ritual objects. Though rare, there have been cases of female Kudu's growing horns that are very unlike the males usually being thin. HABITAT: Preferred habitat includes mixed scrub woodland, acacia and bush on lowlands, hills and mountains. They are particularly partial to rugged broken country where they have a cover of woodland and a nearby supply of water. Can survive on farms, provided sufficient cover remains. DIET: Feed mainly by browsing and are able to pick out scanty, high quality foods from much poorer surrounding vegetation. They eat fruit, seed pods, flowers and leaves, often choosing plants that others reject because of unpleasant taste. They occasionally graze on new, fresh green grass. HABITS: Kudu rely on concealment and spend nearly all their time hidden in thick bush. When disturbed, a kudu will usually stop and listen to assess the situation and then move away quietly or dash off after giving a loud, sharp alarm bark, which is regarded as the loudest of all the antelope species. In flight they run with heads level to the ground with their horns laid back to avoid tangling in branches. Kudu often stop and look back after running for a short distance, which is frequently a fatal habit. Hearing, sight and scent are very well developed. They are tremendous jumpers and can clear a 6 foot fence from a standing position and clear a 9 foot fence under stress. Cows, calves and sub-adults form small family herds, usually with 6-7 and up to 12 members. Adult bulls live alone or in bachelor groups of 2-6, joining female herds in the mating season. Social grooming occurs in both family and bachelor herds. During the mating season, bulls compete for access to females by displays and clashing horns. Dominance is usually quickly and peacefully determined by a lateral display in which one male stands sideways in front of the other and makes himself look as large as possible. If the other is suitably impressed, dominance is established. Males of about the same size and age engage in sparring contests in which they approach one another slowly, lock horns and push back and forth until one gives up. Fights are rare and combatants are very rarely injured, but remains of animals have been found where the two combatants had locked horns in such a way that they could not disengage. The pregnant female departs from her group to give birth in tall grass or any other sufficiently dense cover, where the calf remains concealed for up to 2 months. The mothers visit their hidden offspring on a daily basis until the youngsters are strong enough to join the female herds.

this is a zebra burchell (Equus Burchelli).Zebra burchells are prolific and are not an endangered species,can be exported worldwide

Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct.[1] Three living species of elephant are recognized: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant and the Indian or Asian elephant;[2] although some group the two African species into one[3] and some researchers also postulate the existence of a fourth species in West Africa.[4] All other species and genera of Elephantidae are extinct. Most have been extinct since the last ice age, although dwarf forms of mammoths might have survived as late as 2,000 BCE.[5] Elephants and other Elephantidae were once classified with other thick-skinned animals in a now invalid order, Pachydermata. Elephants are the largest living land animals on Earth today.[6] The elephant's gestation period is 22 months, the longest of any land animal.[7] At birth, an elephant calf typically weighs 105 kilograms (230 lb).[7] They typically live for 50 to 70 years, but the oldest recorded elephant lived for 82 years.[8] The largest elephant ever recorded was shot in Angola in 1955.[9] This male weighed about 10,900 kg (24,000 lb),[10] with a shoulder height of 3.96 metres (13.0 ft), 1 metre (3.3 ft) taller than the average male African elephant.[10] The smallest elephants, about the size of a calf or a large pig, were a prehistoric species that lived on the island of Crete during the Pleistocene epoch.[11] Elephants are a symbol of wisdom in Asian cultures and are famed for their memory and intelligence; their intelligence level is thought to be comparable to that of dolphins[12][13][14][15] and primates.[16][17] Aristotle once said the elephant was

Male and female lions live in a large

Burchell's zebras inhabit savannas, from treeless grasslands to open woodlands. They sometimes occur in tens of thousands in migratory herds on the Serengeti plains. The Burchell's zebra's social system is based on a harem of females led by a stallion. The zebra, though water dependent, is a very adaptable grazer, able to eat both short young shoots and long flowering grasses.

Burchell's zebras inhabit savannas, from treeless grasslands to open woodlands. They sometimes occur in tens of thousands in migratory herds on the Serengeti plains. The Burchell's zebra's social system is based on a harem of females led by a stallion. The zebra, though water dependent, is a very adaptable grazer, able to eat both short young shoots and long flowering grasses.

Type:MammalDiet:OmnivoreAverage life span in the wild:Up to 25 yearsSize:Head and body, 34 to 59 in (86 to 150 cm); tail, 10 to 14 in (25 to 36 cm)Weight:110 to 190 lbs (50 to 86 kg)Group name:ClanSize relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man hyenas are famed scavengers and often dine on the leftovers of other predators. But these hardy beasts are also skilled hunters that will take down wildebeest or antelope. They also kill and eat birds, lizards, snakes, and insects. In an increasingly overpopulated Africa, hyenas and humans come into frequent contact. In fact, the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania actually leave their dead to be consumed by hyenas. However, these intelligent and bold animals will raid food stores and crops and are blamed for many livestock and even some human deaths. In some areas they have been heavily hunted as destructive pests. Spotted hyenas are the largest of three hyena species. Brown and striped hyenas are the other two. Although hyenas appear similar to dogs, they are actually more closely related to cats. They live throughout much of Africa and eastwards through Arabia to India. Spotted hyenas live together in large groups called clans that may include up 80 individuals and are led by females. Spotted hyenas have good hearing and sharp eyesight at night. They are fast and can run for long distances without tiring. Packs work together effectively to isolate a herd animal, sometimes one that is ill or infirm, and pursue it to the death. The victors often squabble over the spoils, either among themselves or with other powerful animals like lions. Spotted hyenas are quite vocal and make a wide variety of sounds, including the "laughing" that has long been associated with their name.