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 Black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is a species of highly venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. It is native to parts of sub-Saharan Africa. It is the second-longest venomous snake after the King cobra. Despite its reputation as a...
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 Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is a large cosmopolitan raptor in the family Falconidae. It is renowned for its speed during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest bird in the world, as well as the fastest...
The meerkat (Suricata suricatta) or suricate is a small mongoose found in southern Africa. They live in rock crevices in stony, often calcareous areas, and in large burrow systems in plains. They use a broad variety of calls to communicate with one...
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 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...
The serval (Leptailurus serval ) is a wild cat native to Africa. It is rare in North Africa and the Sahel, but widespread in sub-Saharan countries, except rainforest regions. Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and hunting it is either...
The caracal (Caracal caracal) is a medium-sized wild cat. It was first scientifically described by German naturalist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber in 1776. Typically nocturnal, the caracal is highly secretive and difficult to observe. It was...
The Common ostrich (Struthio camelus), or simply ostrich, is a species of flightless bird native to certain large areas of Africa and is the largest living bird species. It is one of two extant species of ostriches, the only living members 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...
The Barn owl (Tyto alba) is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds. It is found almost everywhere in the world except for the polar and desert regions, Asia north of the...
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 buzzard (Buteo buteo) is a medium-to-large bird of prey which has a large range. It is an opportunistic predator that can take a wide variety of prey, but it feeds mostly on small mammals. The Common buzzard appears to be the most common...
The Common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, Cuculiformes, which includes the roadrunners, the anis, and the coucals. It is a brood parasite, which means it lays eggs in the nests of other bird species, particularly...
The Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is a very large bird of prey and the only member of the genus Gypaetus. This bird is also identified as Huma bird or Homa bird in Iran and north west Asia. The Bearded vulture is the only known vertebrate...
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 impala (Aepyceros melampus) is a medium-sized antelope that is found in Africa. It was first described to European audiences by German zoologist Hinrich Lichtenstein in 1812. Active mainly during the day, the impala may be gregarious or...
The Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. In fact, it has the largest natural distribution of any of the world's passerines, ranging over 251 million square kilometers globally. In Anglophone Europe...
The Black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) is the smallest wild cat in Africa. The first black-footed cat known to science was discovered in the northern Karoo of South Africa and described in 1824. This rare and secretive cat usually rests in burrows...
The boomslang (Dispholidus typus) is a large, highly venomous snake in the family Colubridae. It is native to Africa and its common name means "tree snake" in Afrikaans.
Described as "The bird which made the breeze to blow" the wingspan of a Wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) is the longest of any bird. It lives up to its name when it takes fishing trips that last 10-20 days and can cover 10,000 km while using...
The springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) is a medium-sized antelope found mainly in southern and southwestern Africa. The sole member of the genus Antidorcas, this bovid was first described by the German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von...
The African wildcat (Felis lybica) is a small wildcat species. In Cyprus, an African wildcat was found in a burial site next to a human skeleton in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B settlement Shillourokambos. The graves are estimated to have been...
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 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 Common quail (Coturnix coturnix) is a small ground-nesting game bird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. With its characteristic call, this species of quail is more often heard than seen. It is widespread in Europe and North Africa, and should...
The White stork (Ciconia ciconia) is a large bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. It eats a wide range of animal prey and takes most of its food from the ground. It does not pair for life but both members of the pair build a large stick nest, which...
The Common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species that belongs to the falcon family Falconidae. This species occurs over a large range and in Britain, where no other kestrel species commonly occurs, it is generally just called...
Common swifts (Apus apus) are medium-sized aerial birds known for their superb flying ability. These birds never settle voluntarily on the ground, where they would be vulnerable to accidents and predation, and non-breeding individuals may spend up...
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 King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) is the second largest species of penguin. This species was exploited commercially in the past for its blubber, oil, meat, and feathers but today, it is fully protected.
The Black kite (Milvus migrans) is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors. It is thought to be the world's most abundant species of Accipitridae. Unlike others in the group, Black kites...
The Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) is a tern in the family Laridae. These amazing birds perform the longest migrations known in the animal world. They have a circumpolar breeding distribution and see two summers each year. Arctic terns nest once...
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 Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of heron named for its association with cattle. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard its two subspecies as full species, the Western cattle...
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 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...
