Tell about Wildlife of Africa ?

Sand skink spends most of its life underground in it burrow. It uses its flattened tail to propel itself through the sand. It preys on small mammals such as mice as well as birds’ eggs. If attacked the sand skink can shed its tail confusing its attacker and enabling it to get away.

You’re likely to see a hippopotamus while on safari in Africa, although typically in the water. The semiaquatic animals hang out in the rivers and lakes of sub-Saharan Africa. Hippos are the third-largest land mammals (after elephants and rhinos), weighing in at over 3,000 pounds.

The massive herbivore is responsible for more human deaths per year than any other large animal in Africa. However, the true definition of “deadliest animal” remains up for debate, as a compelling case can be made for the tiny, malaria-carrying mosquito.

Sand grouse must drink regularly. This often means flying long distances. Sand Grouse obtain water for their young by immersing themselves in water and carrying droplets back to their nests in their feathers.

Whether it’s taking the appropriate medications, or keeping your distance from wildlife, it’s always a good idea to follow common safety practices when traveling abroad.

In South Africa, “Springbok” can refer to two things: its national animal, or its national rugby team. The animal is a graceful, medium-sized antelope found in southwestern and southern Africa. On safari, you’ll find springboks most active either at dawn or dusk.

The fennec lives in small colonies among sand dunes into which it burrows to avoid the heat. It burrows so quickly. It disappears from sight in seconds.

Rainforests dominate western central Africa. The warm, wet environment is home to many animals. Herbivores such as gorillas feed on leaves. Fruit that falls from the canopy provides food for pigs and porcupines while animals such as tree pangolins forage in the trees.

Small Spotted Genet This cat–like animal spends the day asleep in the branches of a tree, becoming active at night. An agile climber it stalks its prey–birds, small mammals and insects like a cat, before seizing it with a sudden pounce.

The mountain gorilla is confined to a small area of rainforest at a point where the boundaries of Uganda, Zaire and Rwanda meet. It is a massively built animal but is nor normally aggressive. The females build nests where they sleep with their young.

Crocodiles are found across the globe, including in much of Africa. The slender-snouted crocodile is found in freshwater habitats throughout central and western Africa’s tropical forests, while the larger and more aggressive Nile crocodile lives in fresh and brackish water throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

The Red Colobus is one of five species of specialized leaf-eating primates spread across Africa. It lives in the forest canopy in family groups of about 20 animals, rarely descending to the ground.

The mountains of Ruwenzori, Kenya and Kilimanjaro have distinctive plants and animals. Rodents inhabit moorland while the scarlet–tufted malachite sunbird lives in close association with giant lobelias.

The gelada is the sole survivor of a group of ground–dwelling primates now found only in Ethiopia. It lives in open country at high altitude close to cliffs and rock faces where it retreats if alarmed. It eats seeds, roots, grass and fruit.

The dwarf crocodile, smallest of all living crocodiles, lives in western Africa’s tropical forests.Like the hippopotamus, the crocodile makes most lists of Africa’s most dangerous animals and contributes to some human deaths each year. As always with unpredictable wildlife, it’s best to keep a safe distance!

Rock hyraxes live in colonies of 50 or more among rocky outcrops. They remain alert for signs of danger such as eagles and leopards.

The crowned hawk eagle is widely distributed throughout the mountainous regions of east Africa and Zaire wherever there are suitable forests containing the monkeys that are its chief food.

Africa’s mountain plants include some of the most extraordinary vegetation in the world. Plants small elsewhere have grown into giants, including the giant lobelia, tree heath and giant groundsel which reaches 9m (30ft) in height

South Africa’s bushveld and savannah regions are still home to large numbers of the mammals universally associated with Africa.

The Kruger National Park alone has well over 10 000 elephants and 20 000 buffaloes – in 1920 there were an estimated 120 elephants left in the whole of South Africa.

The white rhino has also been brought back from the brink of extinction and now flourishes both in the Kruger National Park and the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park in KwaZulu-Natal. Attention now is on protecting the black rhino.

South Africa – such as Pilanesberg in North West province – and numerous smaller reserves and private game lodges.

African large animals are the hippo, giraffe, kudu, wildebeest (the famous gnu) and zebra, all frequently seen in South Africa’s conservation areas.

In South Africa they include the nocturnal bushbabies, vervet and samango monkeys, and chacma baboons which – encouraged by irresponsible feeding and under pressure through loss of habitat – have become unpopular as raiders of homes on the Cape Peninsula.

eight whale species found in South African waters (including the dramatic black-and-white killer whale), the most frequently seen by humans is the southern right whale.