For a lot of people who decide to visit Africa their main interest is to view the Wildlife.
No other continent offers the same opportunities to see such diverse spectrum of wildlife often in very close proximity.
There are over 1,100 different species of mammals in Africa and over 2,600 species of birds.
Four of the five fastest land animals live in Africa - fastest is the cheetah at 70 mph, wildebeest, lion and Thomson's gazelle all about 50 mph
Africa straddles the equator which bestows a rich diversity of wildlife and landscapes on the world’s second largest continent.
Large predators roam the sweeping savannas among huge herds of grazing herbivores, while apes, monkeys and snakes inhabit its dark, dense forests. Widely regarded as the place where human life originated, Africa is home to many of the world's best loved and most fascinating animals, as well as to some of its most endangered.
Ostriches Can Sprint over 40 miles an Hour
Ostriches can sprint up to 43 miles (70 kilometers) an hour and use their wings as rudders to change direction.
Giraffes have blue tongues
Giraffe are rather bizarre looking animals anyway, let alone the fact that their tongues are dark blue and average around 20 inches in length. The length of their tongues allows them to browse for very highest, juiciest leaves on their favorite acacia trees.
Crocodiles Have Been Around for Over 200 Million Years
Crocodiles have been around for 200 million years, outwitting dinosaurs by 60 million years, no wonder they look so prehistoric. Crocodiles have the strongest bite of any animal on earth, but the muscles they use to open their jaws are not so strong, so it is relatively easy to hold their mouth shut. Crocodiles keep their mouths open to stay cool.
An elephant calf often sucks its trunk for comfort
Elephants are gentle giants and can grow to be over 14 feet tall and 30 feet wide. They drink 30-50 gallons of water every day and are vegetarians, consuming up to 375 lbs of vegetation every day which can take them up to 16 hours to consume! Elephants are very social animals, they communicate using a variety of low frequency grumbles and rumbles which can be picked up 6 miles away. They live in family groups of up to 100 members, headed by a matriarch. Elephants are social and affectionate animals.
The vegetarian hippo is one of Africa’s most deadly animals
Male hippos actively defend their territories and humans tend to get killed by hippos when they stand on a riverbank or beach that a male hippo considers to be his territory. Females have also been known to get extremely aggressive if they sense anyone coming in between their babies, who stay in the water while they feed on the shore. Hippos can run at speeds of over 20 miles an hour and they have enormous jaws host up to 20 inch canines. Hippos are vegetarian and consume up to a hundred pounds of the green stuff every day.
Black Mamba Venom Can Kill a Dozen Men Within an Hour
The Black Mamba is one of Africa's most dangerous snakes and feared in East, Central and Southern Africa. It's aggressive when cornered and will not hesitate to strike. It can reach speeds of up to 12 mph (20 km/ph). If a Black Mamba encounters prey it can strike up to 12 times, each time delivering enough neuro and cardio-toxic venom to kill a dozen men within 1 hour. Without anti-venom, the mortality rate is 100%
Hyenas are more closely related to cats than dogs
Hyenas are more closely related to cats than dogs, and even more closely related to meerkats. Hyenas are the most common of all large carnivores in Africa, they are true survivalists. They live in clans, with some groups numbering over 70 members.
Pangolin Retract Their Tongues Into a Special Chest Cavity
Pangolins have long sticky tongues, when not in use they pull it back into a special sheath that retracts into their chest cavity. Pangolins roll into a ball when threatened. They have anal scent glands that emit strong, foul smelling secretions. Pangolins are toothless, solitary and sleep in burrows. It's estimated that the Pangolin has been around for about 40 million years.
Lions sleep for 20 hours a day
The African lion (Panthera leo) king of the sub-Saharan savanna, has been admired by man for its beauty and strength for thousands of years. It's one of the most exciting animals to see on safari. But you're more likely to see one sleeping than hunting because lions rest for 20 hours a day on average. Lions don't purr like house cats, and the cute tufts on the ends of their tail emerge at around 5 months of age.
Dung Beetles Use the Milky Way as Compass
Dung beetles have a preference for herbivore excrement. They can roll poop over 50 times their own weight and sometimes even hitch a ride on a host animal until their dinner is served. Adult dung beetles generally feed on wet poop, their young ones munch the dry stuff. And scientists have recently discovered that they use the Milky Way as their compass.
