The lion (Panthera leo ) is a large cat of the genus Panthera native to Africa and India. It is the most widely recognized animal symbol in human culture and it has been extensively depicted in sculptures and paintings, on national flags, and in...
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at 80 to 128 km/h (50 to 80 mph) with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being 93 and 98 km/h (58...
The leopard (Panthera pardus) is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera, a member of the cat family, Felidae. The leopard is distinguished by its well-camouflaged fur, opportunistic hunting behavior, broad diet, strength, and its...
The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the Pygmy hippopotamus. Its name comes from the ancient Greek...
The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) is the largest wild canine in Africa, and the only extant member of the genus Lycaon; it is distinguished from Canis by dentition highly specialized for a hypercarnivorous diet, and by a lack of dewclaws....
The chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) is a species of great ape native to the forest and savannah of tropical Africa. When its close relative the bonobo was more commonly known as the Pygmy chimpanzee, this species was often called the Common chimpanzee...
The aardvark (Orycteropus afer) is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa. Unlike most other insectivores, it has a long pig-like snout, which is used to sniff out food. It roams over most of the southern two-thirds of the...
A highly misunderstood animal, the Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) has the reputation of being cowardly and sly, but it is actually a fascinating and intelligent creature with a very interesting social system. It looks like a dog but is closer...
The White rhino (Ceratotherium simum) is the second-largest mammal in the world. An alternative name for this species is the "Square-lipped rhinoceros", referring to the hairless, square upper lip of the animal. The word "rhino" derives from an...
African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) are large, heavy cow-like animals native to Africa. They are widely regarded as among the most dangerous animals on the African continent, and according to some estimates they gore, trample, and kill over 200 people...
The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) is one of two living African elephant species. It is the largest living terrestrial animal and is distributed across 37 African countries. Since 2021, it has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red...
The Common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) is a wild member of the pig family (Suidae) found in sub-Saharan Africa. It is the only pig species that has adapted to grazing and savanna habitats.
The Golden jackal (Canis aureus) is a wolf-like canid. Despite its name, the Golden jackal is not closely related to the African Black-backed jackal or Side-striped jackal, which are part of the genus Lupulella, being instead closer to wolves and...
The aardwolf (Proteles cristata) is an insectivorous mammal, native to Africa. It belongs to the same family as the hyena; however, unlike many of its carnivorous relatives, the aardwolf does not hunt large animals. Its name means "earth-wolf" in...
The Rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) is a medium-sized terrestrial mammal native to Africa and the Middle East. It is also commonly referred to in South Africa as the dassie. These cute animals are the only extant terrestrial afrotherians in the...
The Plains zebra (Equus quagga, formerly Equus burchellii) is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. It is the most recognizable grazing animal on the African continent. Their closest relatives are donkeys and horses. The...
The Common eland (Taurotragus oryx) is an antelope species from East and Southern Africa. It was scientifically described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1766. The Common eland is used by humans for leather, meat, and milk, and has been domesticated in...
The African golden wolf (Canis lupaster) is a canine that plays a prominent role in some African cultures. It was previously classified as an African variant of the Golden jackal. In 2015, a series of analyses on the species' mitochondrial DNA and...
The Greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a woodland antelope found in Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, Greater kudus are sparsely populated in most areas due to declining habitat, deforestation, and poaching.
The Black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas) is a medium-sized canine native to eastern and southern Africa. These regions are separated by roughly 900 kilometers. Compared to other members of the genus Canis, the Black-backed jackal is a very...
The Northern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is the world’s tallest living animal native to North Africa. The giraffe has intrigued various ancient and modern cultures for its peculiar appearance and has often been featured in paintings, books, and...
The Northern lion (Panthera leo leo) is a lion subspecies, which is present in West Africa, northern Central Africa and India. In West and Central Africa, it is restricted to fragmented and isolated populations with a declining trajectory. The...
The Bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) is a species of fox that lives in the African savanna. Fossil records indicate this canid first appeared during the middle Pleistocene. It is named for its large ears, which have a role in thermoregulation. The...
The waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) is a large antelope found in sub-Saharan Africa. It was first described by Irish naturalist William Ogilby in 1833. The waterbuck is predominantly a grazer and is mostly found on grassland.
The hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus) is an African antelope. It is the only member of the genus Alcelaphus. Hartebeest are gregarious animals. They are very alert and non-aggressive. Hartebeest were formerly widespread in Africa, but populations...
The klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragus) is a small, sturdy antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. It was first described by German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1783. A gregarious animal, the klipspringer forms...
The Giant eland (Taurotragus derbianus) is the largest species of antelope. It is also called "Lord Derby's eland" in honor of Edward Smith-Stanley, 13th Earl of Derby. It was due to his efforts that the Giant eland was first introduced to England...
The Olive baboon (Papio anubis) is a member of the Old World monkeys. The species is the most wide-ranging of all baboons, being native to 25 countries throughout Africa.
The Ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) is an unusual animal that belongs to a group of pangolins which are among the most critically endangered and illegally trafficked animals in the world. They are armor-plated, distinguished from other mammals...
The Red river hog (Potamochoerus porcus) is a wild member of the pig family that lives in Africa. It is rarely seen away from rainforests, and generally prefers areas near rivers or swamps.
The Senegal bushbaby (Galago senegalensis) is a small, nocturnal primate, a member of the galago family Galagidae. It is sthought that the name "bush baby" may come either from the animals' cries or from their appearance.
The Tree pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) is a species of pangolins ("scaly anteaters"), and is native to equatorial Africa. It is the most common of the African forest pangolins.
Burchell's zebra (Equus quagga burchellii ) is a southern subspecies of the plains zebra. It is named after the British explorer and naturalist William John Burchell. Common names include the bontequagga, Damaraland zebra, and Zululand zebra (Gray,...
The roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus ) is a savanna antelope found in western, central, and southern Africa.The roan antelope is one of the largest species of antelope; only eland, bongo and large male greater kudu can exceed them in weight. They...
The sitatunga or marshbuck (Tragelaphus spekii ) is a swamp-dwelling antelope found throughout central Africa, centering on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, parts of Southern Sudan, Equatorial Guinea,...
The lesser kudu (Tragelaphus imberbis ) is a forest antelope found in East Africa. It is placed in the genus Tragelaphus and family Bovidae. It was first scientifically described by the English zoologist Edward Blyth in 1869. The head-and-body...
The oribi (; Ourebia ourebi ) is a small antelope found in eastern, southern and western Africa. The sole member of its genus, it was described by the German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1783. Eight subspecies are identified....
The blue monkey or diademed monkey (Cercopithecus mitis ) is a species of Old World monkey native to Central and East Africa, ranging from the upper Congo River basin east to the East African Rift and south to northern Angola and Zambia. It...
The common patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas ), also known as the wadi monkey or hussar monkey, is a ground-dwelling monkey distributed over semi-arid areas of West Africa, and into East Africa.
Grant's gazelle (Nanger granti ) is a species of gazelle distributed from northern Tanzania to South Sudan and Ethiopia, and from the Kenyan coast to Lake Victoria. Its Swahili name is swala granti. It was named for a 19th-century British explorer,...
The golden monkey (Cercopithecus kandti ) is a species of Old World monkey found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, including four national parks: Mgahinga, in south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga and...
The kob (Kobus kob ) is an antelope found across Central Africa and parts of West Africa and East Africa. Together with the closely related reedbucks, waterbucks, lechwe, Nile lechwe, and puku, it forms the Reduncinae tribe. Found along the northern...
