Animals in Africa

The Okapi was one of the last mammals to be "discovered" by the scientific community (1900). It lives in the dense rainforests of northern Zaire. You can learn more about the Okapi by travelling here.

The Hippopotamus, whose name means "river horse", is a plant-eating water-loving giant. You can learn more about the Hippopotamus by travelling here.

The Colobus monkey is native to Africa. Its name is translated to mean "mutilated thumb" because of this 'missing' digit. You can learn more about the Colobus Monkey by travelling here.

The Nile crocodile is found widely in Africa. This animal lives almost everywhere on the continent except in the Sahara and on the northern coast. This reptile was known by ancient peoples and described by the Greek historian, Herodotus. You can learn more about the crocodile by travelling here.

The plains zebra grazes two-thirds of the day on red oat grass, leaves, bark, roots and stems. Zebra stripes also fathered the "razzle dazzle" comoflauge used during World War II. You can learn more about the zebra by travelling here.

Thompson's gazelle is one of the most abundant species of gazelle. Thompson's gazelles stand between 2 and 3 feet tall. Males are larger than females. The bodies of these gazelles are slender, and they have long legs. Both sexes have horns. You can learn more about the Thompson's Gazelle by travelling here.

Flamingoes are the some of the only creatures designed to survive in the caustic environment of a volcanic lake. You can learn more about Flamingoes by travelling here.

Crowned cranes most closely resemble the ancestors of the crane family. One characteristic that belies their ancient heritage is that only Black and Grey Crowned Cranes can roost in trees. Unlike other cranes, crowned cranes have long hind toes (called the "hallux") positioned low on the foot which allows them to grasp a branch. You can learn more about East African Crowned Crane by travelling here. You can learn more about West African Crowned Crane by travelling here.

Bursts of high speed give the cheetah a great advantage as a predator. You can learn more about the Cheetah by travelling here.

The African lion can be found in open grasslands, savannas, deserts, dry forests, and woodland areas of of central Africa. Lions live in small family groups called prides. You can learn more about the African Lion by travelling here.