30 weird and mind-blowing facts about African safari animals

Africa’s vast and beautiful animal kingdom includes creatures of all shapes and sizes who have learnt to survive in some of the most challenging conditions on earth.

The wild animals of Africa are some of the most incredible creatures in the world. On this continent you will find the fastest, largest, and weirdest animals on the earth, many of which are unfortunately endangered species.

1.      HIPPOS CAN’T SWIM-Their method of travel is very simple – they walk underwater. They can’t even float!

2.      BUFFALO ARE OUT FOR REVENGE- Buffalo are known as the most dangerous member of the Big Five. When hunted by humans or attacked lions, they have a reputation for circling back on their predators and counter-attacking.

3.      RHINOS HAVE VERY BAD EYESIGHT- They have very small eyes and their vision is so poor that they will occasionally attack trees and charge at rocks by accident.

4.      LIONS ARE LOUD- They have the loudest roar of any big cat species.  A male lion’s roar can be heard from up to eight kilometers away, allowing them to communicate with each over long distances – usually to declare their territory, signal to stray members of the pride and scare-off rivals.

5.      ZEBRAS ARE TRULY UNIQUE- A zebra’s stripes act like a fingerprint – each individual’s pattern is unique. Foals recognise their mothers by the pattern of their stripes, as well as by scent and call. Their stripes are also their best defense mechanism. When in danger, they gather together to confuse colour-blind predators, such as lions, who mistake their pattern for grass.

6.      AFRICA’S ANIMALS COULD WIN A MARATHON- Four of the five fastest animals in the world can be found on African soil: the cheetah, the wildebeest, the lion and the Thompson’s gazelle.

7.      LEOPARDS SMELL LIKE BUTTERED POPCORN- When leopards mark their territory it gives off the very distinct odour of buttered popcorn.

8.      GIRAFFES ARE MILD INSOMNIACS- They may be the tallest animal in the world, but giraffes sleep for the shortest length of time – only about 30 minutes every day. And what’s even more shocking is that these daily dozes only occur in five-minute stretches at any one time.

9.      ELEPHANTS ARE THUMB-SUCKERS TOO- But instead of thumbs, they suck on their trunks. That’s right, not only can elephant trunks be used to breathe, smell, touch, communicate, eat and drink, but they also provide a source of comfort.

10.  Four of the five fastest land animals in the world are found on the African continent. They are the Cheetah, Wildebeest, Lion, and the Thomson’s gazelle. The Wildebeest, Lion, and the Thomson’s gazelle can reach a speed of up to 50 mph (80.47 KPH) for short burst. The Cheetah can hit an unbelievable 70 mph (112.65 KPH) for short burst.

11.  The AFRICAN ELEPHANT is by far the largest living land mammal. It can weigh up to seven tons (6350.29 kilograms). This incredible animal is an endangered species.

12.  What large animal kills the most people in Africa? Not the lion, and not the crocodile; it is in fact the HIPPO. The males are very territorial and will attack anything that enters their area. Females aggressively protect their babies. Hippos have even been known to kill crocodiles.

13.  CAPE BUFFALO are also extremely dangerous; in fact they kill approximately two hundred people annually. They quickly charge and gore anyone they perceive as a threat.

14.  Besides being one of the fastest animals in the world the THOMPSON’S GAZELLE has an amazing sense of smell, sight, and hearing. These senses, along with it’s speed, often enable it to sense and escape a predators attack.

15.  RHINOS are known to have a bad temper which along with their size and sharp horn make them extremely dangerous.

16.  The stomach acid of a VULTURE is strong enough to destroy many dangerous diseases such as anthrax and cholera, which they may ingest when eating a carcass.

17.  Female baboons with a young black baby will be temporarily elevated in status due to the other baboons’ fascination in her baby.

18.  Research suggests that 74-94% of male GIRAFFE like having sex with one another.

19.  During the chase a CHEETAH can be off the ground for as much as 50% of the time.

20.  BUSH BABIES practice “urine-washing.” This is the process by which they urinate into cupped hands before wiping it on their feet. When they climb and jump through the trees they mark their territory.

21.  When there is a dispute over who should take over from a deceased alpha female DWARF MONGOOSE a groom-off will ensue. The two combatants could groom each other for up to four days. The winner will be the one that proves themselves more persistent. Both will end drenched in saliva.

22.  To protect the GIRAFFE’s brain from sudden changes in blood pressure when it lowers its head to drink, it has valves to stop the backflow of blood and elastic-walled vessels that dilate and constrict to manage flow. NASA has done research on the blood vessels in giraffe legs to get inspiration for human space suits.

23.  The HONEY BADGER is believed to utilize when raiding beehives is to first fumigate it using their foul-smelling anal glands.

24.  WILD DOGS  have developed large stomachs to transport food back to the den. They then regurgitate it for the pups and stay-at-home dogs. They can do this for great distances so long as they don’t rest. At that point the digestive process will begin.

25.  The word CHAMELEON is derived from the Greek, khamai, meaning “on the ground” or “dwarf” and leon meaning “lion.” Chameleon therefore translates as “dwarf lion.” This is said to be due to its ferocious behaviour.

26.  ELEPHANTS do not have sweat glands but they do cool down when water evaporates off their body. In times of extreme conditions, they sometimes put their trunk down their throat and suck water up which they then squirt over their body.

27.  OSTRICH- Whilst most birds have four toes the ostrich only has two. This appears to be an adaptation for running. However, they run on just one toe with the second used for balance.

28.  When in long grass, VERVET MONKEYS will stand erect to get a better view. Likewise, when running they will jump off their hind legs to get elevation in a practice called “spyhopping.”

29.  It’s believed that modern big cats have evolved from a leopard prototype which was well adapted for taking the smaller prey that the sabre-toothed could not catch.

30.  PIGLETS are very playful animals, playing together and on their own. The latter may include a game of “whirling,” tail chasing.