African Animal Facts: 27 Extraordinary Things You Never Knew
Africa’s wildlife is nothing short of spectacular.
From the majestic African elephants to the speedy cheetahs and the elusive leopards.
This enormous continent is home to some of the world’s most remarkable animals. There are few other places in the world where you can witness such a diversity of animals in their natural habitat.
Here we’ll explore some of the most fascinating facts about Africa’s epic wildlife, from their unique adaptations to their important role in the ecosystem.
Let’s jump into some epic African animal facts:
1. Hippos
Baby hippos are born in the water and have to swim to the surface for their first breath.
Contrary to popular belief, hippo milk is not pink. It’s actually the usual boring white-ish colour. Sorry.
However, they do secrete a fluid through their skin that turns pink/red in full sun, and eventually brown. The fluid seems to act as a sunscreen and an antibiotic.
If you see a hippo lying in the sun, looking a little sunburned, this is what’s actually going on there.
2. Pangolin
Pangolins are the most trafficked animals in the world.
They’re sold for their scales, which are made of keratin like our fingernails and rhino horns.
They’re thought to be medicinal in China and are a delicacy in parts of Asia.
They’re found in Asia and in southern, central, and East Africa. helping to keep the insect population in check. A baby pangolin is called a pangopup.
3. Dung Beetles
Dung beetles are very important to the ecosystem in Africa. So important that vehicles here need to go around if a bunch of them are on the road.
These fascinating beetles can push dung balls 50 times their own weight. They’ve been the subject of at least one Aesop fable, and many a research project as well.
It was discovered that the beetles steer by the stars when scientists tried putting wee hats on them to see how they would navigate – and they couldn’t.
Also, when the beetles were fitted with tiny booties, it was decided that when they crawled up on top of the dung balls, it was to let their feet cool off.
In addition, contrary to popular belief, dung beetles are not just African critters. They’re found on every continent except Antarctica.
4. Scar, 2007-2021
This is Scar, a champion of the Maasai Mara in Kenya. He’s the heroic sort of lion who at one time would have been woven into legends and folklore.
As it is, he’ll live on in stories told around campfires, among wildlife conservationists, and by safari guides to enraptured audiences.
Named for the eye injury inflicted during a brawl, Scar and his 3 brothers were the coalition known as the Four Musketeers.
They presided for years over a widespread of the Maasai Mara, dominating the Marsh pride, siring countless offspring and defending their territory.
Scar achieved the improbable when he died at an elderly 14 years old. He died of natural causes, untroubled by nearby rivals.
Only one brother survives him. Others may reign over his territory, but there will never be another Scar.
5. Aardvark
Aardvarks are nocturnal mammals from those African countries south of the Sahara desert.
They have ears like a rabbit, a snout like a pig, and are actually about the size of a small pig.
In fact, the word aardvark, in Afrikaans, means “earth pig”. Aardvarks will live pretty much anywhere besides rocky areas where they can’t dig.
Their homes are burrows dug in the dirt, and their diet consists mainly of ants and termites that they have to dig for. So a diggable environment is a must.
Like other anteaters, an aardvark will use his long sticky tongue to catch his dinner, but aardvarks don’t chew what they catch. Instead, it’s ground up in its lower stomach.
That’s got to tickle on the way down.
Aardvarks are also called ant bears, but they’re not related to any bears, or to other anteaters. The aardvarks’ closest relatives are the manatee and the elephant.
6. Giraffes
I guess we were all small once … Did you know that giraffes give birth standing up? The fall actually has an important function, and babies are rarely injured.
They can walk within half an hour, and run at full speed in half a day. These little guys are only 6’ tall when they’re born.
Their ossicones, the little horns on their heads, lay flat at first, then they pop up. They also have blue tongues, just like mom and dad.
When mom goes out during the day, she leaves her new little bundle in the giraffe daycare, called a calving pool.
An adult from the tower – yes, a group of giraffes is called a tower – will watch the calves until their moms come back for them.
Giraffes sleep for only about half an hour a day, sometimes for just 5 minutes at a time! That’s a little safari animal trivia for you.
7. Aardwolf
Aardwolves are one of the lesser-known creatures that live in east and southern Africa.
The aardwolf, meaning “earth wolf”, is a small insectivore related to the hyena.
It hunts at night like the lion, but its prey is termites and other insects. Its weapon is its long sticky tongue. A lucky sighting!
8. Bat-Eared Fox
Bat-eared foxes live in the African savannah. They live mostly on insects like ants and termites in the wet season and mice in the dry season.
Those ears help keep them cool, and can hear beetle larvae underground – yum. Look at those faces!
9. Maribou Stork
The Marabou Stork is one of Africa’s “Ugly 5”, for obvious reasons. Also known as the Undertaker bird, marabous often eat carrion alongside vultures.
There really isn’t anything these guys won’t eat. Human waste, flamingos, frogs, rats, mice, snakes, small birds, garbage, scraps, and any dead thing that they come across.
Marabou storks are drawn to grass fires – they’ll fly around the edges and scoop up small animals as they flee.
It helps that they can swallow a full kilogram of food in one gulp.
These birds stand up to 5 feet tall, with a wing span of up to 12 feet, yet weigh only 20 pounds, due to their hollow bones.
They live about 25-41 years, are monogamous and can only make noise by clattering their beaks or using their throat pouches.
But don’t try to eat one. An important African animal fact is that their diet makes them dangerous to dine on.
10. Leopards
Leopards are the best climbers of all the big cats. They actually spend the majority of their time high in the trees. They’re strong swimmers.
A leopard will eat anything from fish and porcupines to insects and rodents.
They can run 58km/hr and jump 10 feet high. Their skin matches the pattern of their fur.
Leopards are the masters of hide and seek. If they want to stay hidden, you’re not going to see them.
11. Elephants
Elephants are incredibly intelligent creatures. They are known to feel emotions just as we do.
I’ve heard stories of elephants who’ve exacted revenge on the specific people who have hurt their calves.
Elephants have been known to mourn other elephants, as well as people they were close to.
I love to watch elephants in the wild. It always makes me wonder how people can hunt them for sport or for ivory.
Elephants have feet that are so well-padded that the only noise they make when they walk is when they brush through grass trees.
Their gestation period is a full 22 months. When they’re young, elephant calves will suck on their trunks, just as human babies suck on their thumbs.
12. Hyenas
Though they look similar to dogs, hyenas are more closely related to cats.
Hyenas are an important part of the ecosystem in Africa.
They’re one of the few animals whose jaws are strong enough to eat bones. Imagine what the bush would look like without these guys.
Actually, it’s only striped hyenas that are mainly scavengers. A full 95% of spotted hyenas’ meals come from their own kills.
The sound – the pitch and the tone – an individual makes may be an indication of a hyena’s social status. Regardless, the hyena’s world is dominated by the females. Even the baby girls dominate over the boys.
13. Lions
Most wild lions can be found in Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. But there is one small population in Asia, in the Gir Forest National Park of Western India.
In fact, the lions in west and central Africa are more closely related to these Asian lions than they are to those in southern and eastern Africa.
The main differences are in the size of the lion and his mane – they grow bigger in Africa.
In both places, the male lion’s mane will grow longer and thicker as they mature, theoretically protecting his head and neck from brawling injuries.
Lion cubs are raised as a group with the other spotty youngsters of the pride. As the males grow older they’ll leave the pride, whereas females stay with their pride all their lives.
Lions’ tongues are covered in papillae, as are ours. A lion’s, though, are sharp, pointed rasps, and are used to scrape meat off the bones.
14. Lemurs
There are 113 species of lemurs, and more species are being discovered all the time.
They’re all found only on Africa’s Madagascar Island, and a few tiny neighbouring islands.
They’re known as pro-simians, which means that they evolved before apes and monkeys.
Some lemurs are nocturnal. The larger ones are mostly herbivorous, while the smaller ones also eat insects. The ringtail lemur is one of the only species that doesn’t spend most of its time in trees.
Ring-tailed lemurs use that tail to communicate with each other. They’ll hold it up like a flag so other lemurs can see it in the brush.
Male ring-tailed lemurs also have “stink fights.” They rub their wrist scent glands all over their tails, then wave them in front of each other. If only all disputes could be handled this way!
15. Meerkats
Meerkats became famous when the world met Timor of Lion King fame.
Then Meerkat Manor aired, and we all fell in love.
These guys are great fun to watch in the wild. They’re very social and tend to move about as a group, showing no fear of humans.
When they’re out of their burrow, they’re always on the lookout for danger. I’ve watched as birds of prey appeared in the sky, as just tiny dots in the distance.
These guys would all scurry to stand at the entrance of their burrow, ready to hide out. They would look up at the sky until the bird could no longer be seen.
Meerkats are related to the mongoose and have some of the same immunity to venom. This means they can eat scorpions and snakes, as well as insects, rodents, lizards, fruit and eggs.
They don’t need any water outside of what’s in their food. This makes them ideal desert dwellers. They can be found in Southern Africa and can live up to 20 years in the wild.
16. Civet
The African civet is a small mammal that lives south of the Sahara desert.
They can weigh anywhere from 7 kg to 20 kg.
The appearance of the African civet can be compared to a large house cat crossed with a raccoon. But that’s where the similarities end.
Civets mark their territory by rubbing their perineal gland secretions on plants and trees near the ground. The scent of these secretions will actually linger for up to 3 months.
This endurance and the musky odour of the substance were at one time a big draw for perfume companies. For years it was included in commercial fragrances as a fixative.
Civets eat small amphibians and reptiles, rodents, birds and carrion, as well as fruit. They gain independence from mom by the age of around 2 months.
They don’t start families of their own until they’re about a year old.
17. Baboon Spider
Baboon Spiders are a subfamily of tarantula and are native to the African continent. There are 44 species in South Africa alone.
Baboon spiders live in hidden burrows that they dig with their fangs and jaws.
Female baboon spiders can reach up to an average of 8 inches; males are smaller.
Baboon spiders aren’t poisonous to humans and keep to themselves if they have any choice in the matter. When threatened, they’ll raise up their body and front legs and strike.
A bite is painful and may get infected if not treated properly, but it won’t kill you.
Several species have feathery parts in their mouths that they run together to produce a hissing sound. Baboon spiders will eat insects and millipedes, scorpions, and the occasional gecko or small rodents.
A new species of “Unicorn” baboon spider was just discovered in 2010. These guys have a squishy appendage resembling a horn on their back. It’s purpose isn’t known yet.
18. African Wild Dog
The African Wild Dog is one of my favourite animals. They also go by African Painted Wolf, African Hunting Dogs, and Cape Hunting Dogs.
These carnivores run in packs through the plains and woodlands in the sub-Saharan part of Africa.
While they used to spread across 39 countries, there are now less than 6,000 dogs left, and their range is much smaller. This is due in large part to conflict with the people who live near them.
People blame the animals for loss of livestock, and set out snares. Poaching is also a problem.
Another danger comes when African Wild Dogs come in contact with domestic dogs. This contact puts them at risk for diseases like distemper, which has been known to wipe out entire packs.
If you’d like to be a part of protecting animals like these ones, there are conservation groups that you can volunteer with. It’s a rewarding way to learn more about the wildlife in Africa.
Wild Dogs are known for their big, beautiful satellite dish ears and brown, black, and white mottled coats. Individual dogs can be ID’d by their mottling pattern. They stand about 30″ tall and weigh anywhere from 18 – 26 kg.
The dogs hunt in packs and are Africa’s most successful predators. They will take down their prey an impressive 80% of the time. When a lion hunts, he’s successful only about 30% of the time.
Each new litter can have up to 16 pups. They’re weaned by 5 weeks old, and the other members of the pack start regurgitating meat for them.
Once they’re 8 or 10 weeks old, they’re leaving the den and going out with the pack on hunting expeditions. They’re even allowed to eat first until they’re about a year old.
Arican Wild Dogs have become rare enough that spotting a pack is a thrill. If you get to see them in person, enjoy the sighting while it lasts!
19. Shoebill Stork
Introducing the stunning Shoebill Stork. Also known as the Whalehead Stork, this stork isn’t really a stork at all.
A least experts couldn’t agree on whether it should be called a stork or a heron, as it possesses attributes of each.
And so it’s recently been decided that the Shoebill is a pelican.
Whatever it’s called, I can’t imagine a more prehistoric-looking bird. Imagine seeing this 5′ tall bird with its 8′ wingspan flying overhead.
They don’t seem to travel far in the sky, though, so your opportunity to see it would be limited.
The Shoebill – so called for obvious reasons – like fish, similar to their new pelican brothers. Actually, they’ll eat whatever they find that will fit in that giant beak – a beak that can be about 25% the size its body.
That includes frogs and lizards, baby crocodiles and watersnakes, and the occasional unlucky rat. Shoebills are found in the marshes and wetlands of east-central Africa.
Mainly habitats are southern Sudan, northern Uganda, western Tanzania, and the Bangweulu swamp of northern Zambia.
The handsome avians can live as long as 36 years. Old enough to be great-grandparents many times over.
With fewer than 5,500 of these birds left in the wild, 36 years just isn’t long enough.
20. Bushbaby
Bush babies! Some say they got their name from their cries or their appearance.
They’re also known as Galagos, and as nagapies, which means “night monkeys” in Afrikaans.
There are at least 20 known species of bushbabies, and more are still being discovered. These interesting primates are nocturnal – and very funny, active, and curious at night, in my own experience.
They’re well adapted to nightlife, with big eyes to see you better, and ears that can fold up. Their ears can also rotate separately from each other.
Bushbabies are not just adapted for nightime, but can survive in just about every environment in Africa. They can be found mostly in the sub-Saharan parts of the continent.
As omnivores they enjoy a diet of bugs and fruit, and if they’re big enough, small animals like birds and frogs. They also eat a lot of tree gum, a kind of sap.
The bigger species can get to be over 3 pounds, and the smaller ones stop growing at around 2 and a half ounces. A bushbaby can live as long as 16 years.
Bushbaby families live in the trees, sometimes taking over abandoned homes like nests and beehives.
They need those big eyes to look for predators, ranging from mongooses, owls and snakes, to other primates like blue monkeys and chimps.
21. Okapi
The okapi is a relative of the giraffe, although it looks like there’s a mix of horse and zebra in there too.
They do drink like giraffes, spreading their front legs until they can get their heads close enough to the water.
Also like giraffes, the okapi has a long tongue for reaching up and grabbing leaves to eat.
They’re aiming for lower ones, though, as they only get to be about 5′ tall.
Sometimes called the forest giraffe, okapis are found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially in the Ituri Forest.
While the males will mark their territory with urine, okapi also have scent glands on their feet for this purpose. A sticky substance, like tar, seeps out to alert other okapi of their presence.
22. African Penguin
Did you know that there are penguins in Africa? They live mainly in South Africa and Southern Namibia.
African Penguins, are also known as Cape Penguins and South African Penguins
Another name for them is the jack-ass penguin, for the bray-like sound they make. They stand a little over 2 feet tall, and top out at about 11 lbs. These guys can live up to 20 years in the wild!
The best place to see them up close, and maybe even get to swim alongside them, is Penguin Beach. Officially called Boulders Beach, it can be found near Cape Town in Simon’s Town, South Africa.
23. Gerenuk
This pretty antelope is called a Gerenuk – from the Samali word garanuug which means giraffe-necked.
Actually, they’re also known as the giraffe-necked gazelle.
They can be found in the dry parts of Africa, from the Serengeti in Tanzania north through Eritrea.
They’re on the small side at only 3 and a half feet tall and about 90 lbs.
They can reach leaves high up in the trees with the help of their long necks – 7 to 11 inches. And also their ability to stand up on two feet.
This is possible because they’ve got modified lumbar vertebrae, strong back legs, as well as wedge-shaped feet.
When it comes to marking their territory, Gerenuks have glands in front of their eyes, the preorbital glands. The glands secrete a scented tar-like substance.
They’ll rub this substance on leaves and bushes. They’ve also got scent glands on their knees, hidden by fur.
Gerenuks are very well suited to their dry habitat. They conserve water with uniquely adapted nasal passages that permit very little moisture loss to evaporation.
They also absorb a lot of water from their diet of leaves, flowers, fruit, and buds.
The males’ horns can be as long as 17 inches – those long necks need to be strong to hold them up.
Gerenuks are not yet endangered, but they are near threatened. Their population has suffered a heavy decline in recent years, due to habitat loss and fragmentation caused by human activities.
24. Warthogs
Warthogs are another member of the Ugly 5. But those aren’t really warts on their faces.
They are actually a bit of armour in the form of bone and cartilage bumps to protect them when they fight.
Their tusks aren’t really tusks, either, or rather they’re not made of ivory, like elephant tusks. They’re just long canine teeth. The longer upper pair can grow up to 25 cm.
Warthogs use them for digging, fighting, and defence.
If they’re being chased by a predator, they’ll usually choose to run rather than fight- they have a top speed of 48 km/hr. If they reach their den, they’ll often back in and guard the entrance with those tusks.
Warthogs like to take over old aardvark dens to live and have their babies in. Seeing a mom run with those piglets following in a row, all with tails straight up in the air, makes me laugh every time.
Warthogs are grazers, living off of grass, plants and berries, and roots and bulbs dug up with their tusks and snout. You’ll often see them kneel while eating to get closer to the ground.
They have extra fat pads to protect their knees when they do this.
Mongoose, vervet monkeys, and birds help keep warthogs tick-free. A little spa treatment, pumba-style.
These homely creatures can be found in sub-Saharan Africa. It’s a pretty warm area, and warthogs will submerge themselves in water to cool off. They’ll roll in the mud too, for sun and bug protection.
25. Baboons
Baby baboons are simply called infants. They’re born with their eyes closed, and cling to the fur on mum’s belly.
After a few weeks, baby will start venturing out a little bit, climbing around and meeting the troop.
After a few months, he’ll start trying out berries and flowers but returns for mum’s milk too. Weaning happens around a year and isn’t always taken well by the youngster.
Baby baboon tantrums are no more fun than baby human tantrums.
Once he’s a little older the youngster will start riding mum jockey-style. Watching over the young ones is a group affair, and the older females all keep eyes on them. There’s no getting away with anything.
Baboons have a matrilineal society. The females remain as part of their mum’s troop, while the males move on.
Anyone who’s seen baboons in the wild knows them as thieves and opportunists. People have pushed into their habitats and the baboons have lost any fear of them. Close up your tents or lose your stuff!
Chacma baboons like these ones are found in Southern Africa.
26. Wildebeest
The wildebeest, aka. gnu, is another member of the Ugly 5, along with maribou storks, hyenas, vultures, and warthogs.
They’re famous for the Great Migration, the neverending movement of wildebeests between the Serengeti and Maasai Mara.
They move north up through Tanzania into Kenya, attracting predators along the way. Following the seasons and the growing grass, they return south later in the year. The loop is repeated over and over throughout their lives.
The migration involves over 2 million animals every year and covers more than 1600 km.
Wildebeests are the largest of the antelopes, and are one of the few animals in the world with a population that is actually increasing.
27. Caracal
The Caracal is a medium-sized wild cat from Africa.
They can also be found in the Middle East, Central Asia, and the dry regions of Pakistan and India.
A caracal can jump 3 metres in the air to catch a bird in mid-flight! Good luck catching a glimpse of one of these – they love their privacy and are very stealthy.
Summing It Up: African Animal Facts
Believe it or not, this is just a small portion of the amazing animals to be found in Africa. To read about how to see these animals and more, check out the different ways there are to safari in Africa.
Africa’s wildlife is a source of fascination and wonder. These remarkable animals, shaped by their environment, play a vital role in the tapestry of this stunning continent.
This wildlife is a testament to the resilience and beauty of the natural world. I hope these facts cause you to carry a deeper appreciation for the epic wildlife that calls Africa’s landscapes home.
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