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...
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 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 Hammer-headed bat (Hypsignathus monstrosus) is a megabat that is found in Africa. It is the largest bat in continental Africa, with wingspans approaching 1 m (3.3 ft), and males almost twice as heavy as females. The Hammer-headed bat is...
The African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) is a large species of eagle found throughout sub-Saharan Africa near large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply. It may resemble the Bald eagle in appearance; though related, each species...
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 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 Gambian pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus) is a species of pouched rat of the giant pouched rat genus Cricetomys. It is among the largest muroids in the world, growing to about 0.9 m (3 ft) long, including the tail, which makes up half of its...
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 western green mamba (Dendroaspis viridis ) is a long, thin, and highly venomous snake species of the mamba genus, Dendroaspis. This species was first described in 1844 by American herpetologist Edward Hallowell. The western green mamba is a...
The West African potto (Perodicticus potto) is a nocturnal strepsirrhine primate found in tropical West Africa. It is also known as Bosman's potto, after Willem Bosman, who described the species in 1704. In some English-speaking parts of Africa,...
