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 shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) is a very large stork-like bird. It derives its name from its enormous shoe-shaped bill. It has a somewhat stork-like overall form and has previously been classified with the storks in the order Ciconiiformes based on...
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 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 western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla ) is one of two Critically Endangered subspecies of the western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla ) that lives in montane, primary and secondary forest and lowland swampland in central Africa in Angola,...
The Gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica) is a viper species found in the sub-Saharan Africa. Like all other vipers, it is a highly venomous snake. It is the largest member of the genus Bitis, and it has the longest fangs of any venomous snake - up to 2...
The secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey found only in Africa. John Frederick Miller described the species in 1779. Although a member of the order Accipitriformes, which also includes many other...
The Western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) is a great ape found in Africa, one of two species of the hominid genus Gorilla. Two subspecies are recognized and both are listed Critically Endangered.
The African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus) is the nominate subspecies of the leopard, native to many countries in Africa. It is widely distributed in most of sub-Saharan Africa, but the historical range has been fragmented in the course of habitat...
The Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is a small Old World vulture widely distributed from the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa to India. The contrasting underwing pattern and wedge-shaped tail make this bird distinctive in flight as it...
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 Martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) is a large eagle native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of the most persecuted bird species in the world. Due to its habit of taking livestock and regionally valuable game, local farmers and game wardens...
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...
Rüppell's vulture (Gyps rueppelli) is a large bird and its name comes from the 19th-century German zoologist and explorer Eduard Rüppell. It is native to the Sahel region and East Africa and its current population is decreasing due to loss of...
The Giant pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) is the biggest and the rarest of the African species of pangolin. It looks like an armored animal and behaves in the secretive manner of a spy. Its footprints look the same as a small elephant’s. This unusual...
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 White-headed vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis) is an Old World vulture native to Africa. This species is unique among African vultures as it shows a degree of reversed sexual dimorphism, where females are somewhat larger than males.
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 African golden cat (Caracal aurata) remains little known by science, though within Africa there is much tribal superstition about it. It is also called the ‘leopard’s brother’ because, according to local people, it follows the leopard. It is...
The White-backed vulture (Gyps africanus) is the most common large vulture in Africa and is an accomplished scavenger that eats the carcasses of large animals. Hundreds of these vultures gather to feed on large dead animals. They gorge themselves so...
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.
The lappet-faced vulture or Nubian vulture (Torgos tracheliotos ) is an Old World vulture belonging to the bird order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genus Torgos. It is not...
The tawny eagle (Aquila rapax ) is a large bird of prey. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Its heavily feathered legs illustrate it to be a member of the subfamily Aquilinae, also known as "booted eagles". Tawny eagles have an...
The Northwest African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki)is a cheetah subspecies native to the Sahara and the Sahel. It was described by German zoologist Max Hilzheimer in 1913 under the scientific name Acinonyx hecki.
The hooded vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus ) is an Old World vulture in the order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genus Necrosyrtes, which is sister to the larger Gyps genus, both...
The black crowned crane (Balearica pavonina ) is a part of the family Gruidae, along with its sister species, the grey crowned crane. It is topped with its characteristic bristle-feathered golden crown. It is usually found in the shallow wetlands of...
The Сentral chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) is a subspecies of the chimpanzee closely related to the other great apes such as gorillas, orangutans, and humans. Central chimpanzees are considered highly intelligent apes. They are also highly...
The Long-tailed pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla), also called the African black-bellied pangolin, or Ipi, is a diurnal, arboreal pangolin species belonging to the family Manidae, in the order Pholidota. The common names for this species stem from...
The Kordofan giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum) is a subspecies of giraffe. Its English name is a reference to Kordofan in Sudan.
The Eastern chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) is a subspecies of the Common chimpanzee.
The West African slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus) is a critically endangered species of African crocodile. It is one of five species of crocodile in Africa. The scientific name cataphractus is retained for the West African species...
The Abyssinian ground hornbill or northern ground hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus ) is an African bird, found north of the equator, and is one of two species of ground hornbill. It is the second largest species of African hornbill, only surpassed by...
The Red-fronted gazelle (Eudorcas rufifrons) is widely but unevenly distributed gazelle across the middle of Africa. It was first described by British zoologist John Edward Gray.
The dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis ), also known as the African dwarf crocodile, broad-snouted crocodile (a name more often used for the Asian mugger crocodile) or bony crocodile, is an African crocodile that is also the smallest extant...
The grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus ), also known as the Congo grey parrot, Congo African grey parrot or African grey parrot, is an Old World parrot in the family Psittacidae. The Timneh parrot (Psittacus timneh) once was identified as a subspecies...
The European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) is a member of the bird family Columbidae, the doves and pigeons. It breeds over a wide area of the south western Palearctic including north Africa but migrates to northern sub-Saharan Africa to winter.
The grey-cheeked mangabey (Lophocebus albigena ), also known as the white-cheeked mangabey, is an Old World monkey found in the forests of Central Africa. It ranges from Cameroon down to Gabon. The grey-cheeked mangabey is a dark monkey, looking in...
The Lelwel hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel ), also known as Jackson's hartebeest, is an antelope native to Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.The Lelwel...
