Africa is the cradle of humanity, and it boasts some of the richest wildlife on Earth. Over half of all terrestrial wildlife on the planet calls Africa home, with large herbivores and megafauna groups concentrated in the vast savannahs of the continent.

In this article, we will take a closer look at some of Africa's iconic animals.

African Zebra

The African zebra, known as the "King of the Prairie," is one of the most prominent herbivores on the African continent. With their distinctive stripes, zebras are widely considered one of nature's masterpieces.

There are three types of zebras currently active in the wild in Africa: Plains zebra (also known as the common zebra), mountain zebra, and Grevy's zebra. Unfortunately, except for the plains zebra, the other two are endangered animals.

Lion

Lions are at the top of the food chain in Africa, but life is not easy. African lions are territorial animals, and during the dry season, starvation is common. They can tolerate up to seven days without food. Lions have a wide range of prey, from small gazelles and baboons to huge buffaloes and even hippos.

African elephant

The African elephant is a highly intelligent and emotional social animal. According to research, their intelligence is equivalent to that of children aged four to five. Elephants have an amazing memory and a strong sense of family.

Each elephant group is led by a great-grandmother female elephant, and the leader of the elephant group is the spiritual pillar of all family members. It guides everyone with experience and survival wisdom.

Hippo

Hippos are second only to elephants and rhinos in size and have a strong bite. Hippos have one of the strongest bites in the world, and they can be extremely aggressive. In Africa, hippos cause more deaths than lions every year, which shows how ferocious they are.

Rhino

The rhinoceros is the largest odd-toed ungulate in the world. The rhinoceros has short legs, a fat and clumsy body, a body length of 2.2-4.5 meters, a shoulder height of 1.2-2 meters, and a weight of 2000-5000 kilograms.

Rhinos are one of the five largest animals in Africa and the second largest continental animal in the world. They are huge and have a hot temper.

Although rhinos are herbivores, encountering a rhino in Africa is still very dangerous. They are aggressive and can easily overturn a car. Even lions would not dare to trouble them easily. However, illegal poaching has been rampant in recent years, leading to a decline in the rhino population.

Giraffe

Although giraffes are vegetarian animals, they are tall, with long legs and a thick neck, and they have a wide field of vision. The only threat to giraffes is lions, but even hunting giraffes is a dangerous thing for lions. The long legs of giraffes have great explosive power and can break the ribs of lions.

African bison

The African bison herd is a huge group of herbivores on the African grasslands, and it is also a very powerful team. Bison is the most common and dangerous food for lions. Usually, when lions or hyenas hunt bison, they will choose single, injured, or young bison to attack.

Africa is home to some of the world's most incredible wildlife. These animals are not only important for the ecosystem, but they are also an integral part of Africa's culture and heritage. Conservation efforts are crucial to protecting these magnificent creatures for future generations to enjoy.