Endemic Animals of South Africa

The Black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou) is one of the two closely related wildebeest species. It was first described in 1780 by Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann. Black wildebeest live in three distinct social groups and communicate using a variety of visual and vocal communications. Less

The bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus ) is an antelope found in South Africa, Lesotho and Namibia. D. pygargus has two subspecies; the nominate subspecies (D. p. pygargus ), occurring naturally in the Fynbos and Renosterveld areas of the Western Cape, and the blesbok (D. p. phillipsi ) occurring in the Highveld.The bontebok is related to the common tsessebe. Less

The Armadillo girdled lizard (Ouroborus cataphractus) is a species of lizard native to desert areas along the western coast of South Africa. In 2011, it was moved to its own genus based on molecular phylogeny, but formerly it was included in the genus Cordylus. Less

Chersobius signatus is the world's smallest species of tortoise (family Testudinidae). The species is commonly known as the speckled tortoise and also known locally as the speckled padloper and internationally as the speckled Cape tortoise. A member of the genus Chersobius, it is endemic to South Africa. Less

The sungazer (Smaug giganteus, syn. Cordylus giganteus ), also known as the giant girdled lizard, giant dragon lizard, or giant zonure, is the largest species of the Cordylidae, a family of lizards from sub-Saharan Africa. This threatened species is endemic to Highveld grasslands in the interior of South Africa. In 2011, it was assigned to the new genus Smaug, along with seven other species previously belonging to the genus Cordylus, based on a ...
comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the Cordylidae. Less

The blesbok or blesbuck (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi ) is an subspecies of the bontebok antelope endemic to South Africa, Eswatini and Namibia. It has a distinctive white face and forehead which inspired the name, because bles is the Afrikaans word for a blaze such as one might see on the forehead of a horse. Less

The Riverine rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis) is the only member of its genus because of the unique traits that separate it from the other leporids. It is one of the most endangered mammals in the world. Less

The Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra) is a subspecies of Mountain zebra that is found in certain mountainous regions of South Africa. It is the smallest of all existing zebra species and also the most geographically restricted. Less

The orange-breasted sunbird (Anthobaphes violacea ) is a species of small, predominantly nectar-feeding bird that is endemic to the fynbos shrubland biome of southwestern South Africa. It is the only member of the genus Anthobaphes, in the family Nectariniidae (the sunbirds and spiderhunters), though it is sometimes placed in the genus Nectarinia. The birds are sexually dimorphic, with females being olive green while the males are orange to ...
yellow on the underside with bright green, blue and purple on the head and neck. Less

The Cape or southern grysbok (Raphicerus melanotis ) is a small antelope that is endemic to the Western Cape region of South Africa between Albany and the Cederberg mountains. Less

The Cape parrot (Poicephalus robustus ) or Levaillant's parrot is a large, temperate forest dwelling parrot of the genus Poicephalus endemic to South Africa. It was formerly grouped as a subspecies along with the savanna-dwelling brown-necked parrot (Poicephalus fuscicollis ) and grey-headed parrot (P. f. suahelicus ), but is now considered a distinct species. Less

The Cape dwarf chameleon (Bradypodion pumilum ) is a chameleon native to the South African province of the Western Cape, where it is restricted to the region around Cape Town.As with most chameleons, its tongue is twice the length of its body and it can be shot out of its mouth using a special muscle in the jaw. This gives the chameleon the ability to catch insects some distance away. Less

The Cape sugarbird (Promerops cafer ) is one of the eight bird species endemic to the Fynbos biome of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. Less

The geometric tortoise is a critically endangered species of tortoise and one of three members of the genus Psammobates. It is found in a very small section in the South-Western Cape of South Africa. Less

The Cape siskin (Crithagra totta ) is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is an endemic resident breeder in the southern Cape Province of South Africa.This locally common but shy and unobtrusive siskin is found in the southwestern and southern Cape's rocky slopes, coastal cliffs and fynbos-covered mountains. It also occurs in towns and the suburbs of Cape Town. Less

The Knysna woodpecker (Campethera notata ) is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, moist savanna, and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss. It belongs to a species complex that includes the golden-tailed and Mombasa woodpeckers. Less

The protea canary (Crithagra leucoptera ), also known as the protea seedeater, white-winged seedeater or Layard's seedeater, is a small passerine bird in the finch family. Less

The bush blackcap (Sylvia nigricapillus ) is a species of bird in the family Sylviidae. It is endemic to South Africa and Eswatini. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

The red lark (Calendulauda burra ), also known as the ferruginous lark or ferruginous sand-lark, is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in western South Africa and possibly Namibia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

Victorin's warbler (Cryptillas victorini ) or Victorin's scrub warbler, is a species of African warbler, formerly placed in the family Sylviidae. It was recently split from the genus Bradypterus and now belongs to a monotypic genus Cryptillas.It is endemic to the fynbos of South Africa's coastal Afromontane area.The common name and scientific name commemorates Johan Fredrik Victorin (1831-1855), a Swedish traveler who visited South Africa. Less

Botha's lark (Spizocorys fringillaris ) is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae.It is endemic to South Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland and pastureland. It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

The Agulhas long-billed lark (Certhilauda brevirostris ), also known as the Agulhas lark or Agulhas longbill is a small passerine bird. It is an endemic resident breeder in the Western Cape, South Africa. Its restricted range is centred on the Agulhas arable farmlands, from east of the Hottentots-Holland mountain range to Mossel Bay, and occupies a maximum of 15,000 km2 (5,800 sq mi). Less

Scopus xenopus is an extinct species of hamerkop that lived during the Pliocene of South Africa. It was first described by Storrs L. Olson in 1984. Compared to S. umbretta, the modern hamerkop, S. xenopus was larger and had a foot structure more adapted to swimming. Less

The Cape bulbul (Pycnonotus capensis ) is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is an endemic resident breeder in coastal bush, open forest, gardens and fynbos in western and southern South Africa. This species nests mainly in the southern spring from September to November. The nest is a thick-walled cup concealed by foliage in a small tree or shrub. Less

The forest buzzard (Buteo trizonatus ), is a species of bird of prey found in Africa, though some authorities have placed it as a subspecies of another species, the mountain buzzard, Buto oreophilus. This is a resident breeding species in woodlands in southern and eastern South Africa. Less

The Cape Rockjumper or rufous rockjumper (Chaetops frenatus ) is a medium-sized insectivorous passerine bird endemic to the mountain Fynbos of southernmost South Africa. Less

The chorister robin-chat (Cossypha dichroa ) (previously known as the chorister robin) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae.It is found in South Africa and Eswatini. Its distribution stretches from the southern Western Cape through the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland and Mpumalanga to northern Limpopo.Its natural habitat is evergreen forests, especially in the mist belt region.This is a large robin-chat, about 20 cm in length. ...
The chorister robin-chat is identified by its dark upperparts (the ear coverts and lores are slightly darker than the rest of the face, head, neck and back) and yellow-orange underparts. It has no white eye stripe. Juveniles have a sooty, mottled tawny-buff above and below and its tail is red-orange with a dark centre.The chorister robin-chat is generally solitary. This robin-chat skulks in dense foliage in the forest canopy. In winter it may forage on ground, but usually gleans insects from leaves. It also follows other fauna in its habitat that might disturb insects, which it then hawks. Its diet consists mainly of insects, millipedes, spiders, ticks and fruit in winter. The chorister robin-chat breeds from October to January; it peaks during November. There has been a record where it plays host to red-chested cuckoo, a brood parasite.The chorister robin-chat moves from the interior to coastal forests in winter. Less

The forest canary (Crithagra scotops ) is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae.It is found in South Africa and Eswatini.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.The forest canary was formerly placed in the genus Serinus but phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences found that the genus was polyphyletic. The genus was therefore split ...
and a number of species including the forest canary were moved to the resurrected genus Crithagra. Less

Rudd's lark (Heteromirafra ruddi ) is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is endemic to South Africa. Its natural habitat is high-altitude grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss. Less

The blue-mantled crested flycatcher or African crested flycatcher (Trochocercus cyanomelas ) is a species of bird in the family Monarchidae found in eastern and south-eastern Africa.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. Less

The Knysna warbler or Knysna scrub warbler (Bradypterus sylvaticus ) is a very shy and cryptic warbler, endemic to the coastal regions of South Africa. Its population is small and probably declining, due to natural and artificial fragmentation of its habitat, and limited dispersal and reproductive ability. Less

The Karoo lark should not be confused with the similarly named Karoo long-billed lark. The Karoo lark (Calendulauda albescens ) or red-backed lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is endemic to South Africa where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. Less

The southern tchagra (Tchagra tchagra ) is a passerine bird found in dense scrub and coastal bush in southern and south-eastern South Africa and Swaziland.This species is a bushshrike, a group closely related to the true shrikes in the family Laniidae, and formerly included in that family. Less

The Drakensberg prinia or saffron-breasted prinia (Prinia hypoxantha ) is a small passerine bird. It lives in eastern South Africa and Eswatini.It lives in the Drakensberg's forest edges, wooded gullies and bracken covered slopes. The Drakensberg prinia was formerly considered to be a subspecies P. m. hypoxantha of the Karoo prinia, P. maculosa. Less

The western leopard toad (Sclerophrys pantherina ) is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. The species is endemic to the low-lying areas of the Cape Peninsula, the Cape Flats and the Agulhas flats of the Western Cape, South Africa. Less

The arum frog, Horstock's arum-frog, arum lily frog, or Horstock's reed frog (Hyperolius horstockii ) is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to South Africa. Less

The Natal forest tree frog (Leptopelis natalensis ) is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae, subfamily Leptopelinae, and is endemic to the eastern coastal area of South Africa. A typical tree frog, it has large eyes and a broad mouth. Its colouration is highly variable: Some may be bright green, others cream coloured, and some may be cream with olive-green blotches.Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, ...
subtropical forests, swamps, intermittent freshwater marshes, and rural gardens.It is threatened by habitat loss.These frogs usually live in the foliage and branches of forest trees. They lay eggs on banks of ponds and quiet streams, or on broad leaves near the water's edge. The tadpoles hatch and drop into the water where they grow and develop into frogs. Its call is somewhat akin to "bwee YACK-yack". The first part of the call being described as "soft buzzing". Less

Rose's ghost frog (Heleophryne rosei ), or Table Mountain ghost frog, is a species of frog in the family Heleophrynidae endemic to South Africa. It is a medium-sized species with purple or brown blotches on a pale green background and large discs on its fingers and toes. It has a very restricted range, being only known from the slopes of parts of Table Mountain. The tadpoles live in permanent streams but these are in danger of drying up because ...
of the establishment of pine plantations. Because of its small range and changes in its habitat, this frog is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Less

Pickersgill's reed frog (Hyperolius pickersgilli, also Avoca reed frog) is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to South Africa. It occurs in the coastal lowlands of KwaZulu-Natal between Sezela and St Lucia. Less

The micro frog (Microbatrachella capensis ), or Cape Flats frog, is a species of frog less than 2 cm (0.8 in) long in the family Pyxicephalidae, in the monotypic genus Microbatrachella. Its color varies from rufous brown with dark mottling, to tan or green, depending on the population. It is endemic to the south-western Cape area of South Africa, with a single population found on the Cape Flats of Cape Town and several populations on the eastern s ...
ide of False Bay. It typically lives in wetlands in coastal fynbos habitats, but its total area of occupancy is very small, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it as being "critically endangered". Less

The sand toad, Cape sand toad, common Cape toad, or narrow-headed toad (Vandijkophrynus angusticeps ) is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae (true toads). It is endemic to South Africa and found in southwestern and southern part of Western Cape Province to extreme southwestern Eastern Cape Province, from Nieuwoudtville in the west to Humansdorp in the east, along the coastal flats and Cape Fold Mountains from the sea level to 1,500 m ...
(4,900 ft) asl. Less

The Knysna banana frog (Afrixalus knysnae ) is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae.It is endemic to South Africa. Less