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African Crested Guineafowl
Also known as the eastern crested guineafowl, this distinctive bird has a chicken-size body covered in dark plumage with white spots. The skin around their eyes is red, while their petite head is topped by a mop-like crest of black feathers or “toupee.” Guineafowl are fairly talkative, social birds commonly found in flocks of 20, […]
Ostrich
The ostrich is the world’s largest and heaviest living bird — but they are “flightless” and built for running. An ostrich’s stride can be 10-15 feet, and they can sprint at speeds up to 40 mph in short bursts. They can maintain a steady speed of 30 mph over distance too!
Impala
Impalas are known for their spectacular leaps of up to 9 feet high and 11 feet long. They can leap over bushes and even other impalas! And when startled or threatened by a predator, impala herd members explode in all directions, leaping from side to side, making it difficult for a predator to follow.
Scimitar-horned Oryx
Both male and female scimitar-horned oryx have long, ridged, sharp-tipped and curved backward horns that grow to be several feet long. Their white coat helps reflect the heat of the desert, and their black skin and tip of the tongue protects against sunburn while enlarged hooves enable the oryx to walk easily on sand.
East African Crowned Crane
Also known as a gray crowned crane, this bird gets its name from the straw-yellow crown on its’ head. They’re omnivores and very, very hungry — they can spend their entire day looking for food. Unlike other cranes, East African crowned cranes nest in trees. As soon as the chicks hatch, they’re able to run.
Reticulated Giraffe
Giraffes only need 5 to 30 minutes of sleep in a 24-hour period! They often achieve that in quick naps that may last only a minute or two at a time. Giraffes can rest while standing, but they sometimes also lie down with their head resting on their rump. That’s a vulnerable position for a […]
Red River Hog
Red river hogs do not live in a red river! Instead, they are named for their reddish brown fur and the fact that they often wade through water. They are the smallest of the African pigs, weighing up to 250 pounds on average, and are found primarily in the rainforests and adjacent savannas of Africa.
Hippopotamus
“Hippopotamus” comes from a Greek word meaning “river horse.” Hippos are not related to horses. Their closest living relative is the whale. An adult hippo can hold its breath underwater for up to 5 minutes!
African Elephant
The elephants that live on the African savanna have a huge influence on their ecosystem. As their herds move across the savanna, they feed on trees, breaking them up, often by pulling them up by the roots and crushing them. Without this tree clearing, the savanna would quickly grow from grassland to woodland.
Eastern Bongo
The Eastern bongo is the largest and heaviest forest antelope. Both female and male Eastern bongos have spiraled, u-shaped horns that grow up to 40 inches long, which they keep their entire lives. Since they live in dense forests, the horns of Eastern bongos usually point backward, allowing them to better navigate their surroundings. One […]