African Buffalo or Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer). A large and powerful bovine, the African Buffalo reaches shoulder heights of up to 1.5 m ...more
Civets are beautifully marked but secretive nocturnal animals with bushy coats with black and white spots and stripes. Civets are good swimm...more
The African Giant Pouched Rat is generally considered to be the Gambian Pouched Rat [Cricetomys gambianu] which has been separated as a spec...more
The primates of Africa are of the more common inhabitants. They live in trees and mountains and their most feared predator is the leopard. T...more
These mammals are easily recognised by their prehistoric features and the horns on their forehead. Rhinos are bold and have been seen to gra...more
Head and body length is 300mm, and the tail measures 175mm. The African Weasel weighs about 250-350 gr. They have long slender bodies with s...more
Six thousand years ago Egyptians domesticated the African Wild Cat to control mice and rats raiding granaries. From these tamed animals, the...more
Ansorge's Free-Tailed Bat (Tadarida ansorgei) Like all so-called 'free-tailed' bats, the distal portion of the tail of the Ansorgi's Free-Ta...more
Banana Bat (Neoromicia nanus). The Banana Bat is a tiny bat which is 77 mm long and weighs 4.0 grams. The dense fur on the back can be vario...more
Banded Mongoose (Mungos mungo) males are only heavier than females during the immature stages. In adulthood both sexes are similar in size a...more
The adult is brownish black all over, except for a white spot above and below the eye. The centre of the chest and throat are white, with a ...more
Black backed Jackals are a widely distributed species that are known for their cunning and daring. They are often seen nipping in to steal a...more
This species is very secretive in nature, which makes it difficult to census. The Black-Footed Cat is nevertheless considered rare. Except f...more
Bulls weigh up to 1 200 Kg and cows about 800 Kg. As such this species is smaller than the White Rhino. It can further be distinguished from...more
They have a dark brown to black body, an erect mane and a long whitish tail. Both sexes have heavy, forward curving horns. Bulls measure 1.2...more
The Blue Duiker is the smallest antelope in Southern Africa. Measures 300 mm at the shoulders and females weighs 4.7 kg, males only 4 kg. Th...more
Blue Wildebeest or Common or White-bearded Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) The dark silver-grey body is marked with dark vertical bands...more
The Bontebok is a medium-sized, generally dark brown antelope with a prominent, wide white blaze on its face, with a pure white rump, belly ...more
Brown Hyena [Hyaena brunnea]. This creature has pointed ears and striped legs with a dark brown to black shaggy coat, white shoulders and ne...more
Burchell's Zebra [Equus burchelli]. Body stripes are less numerous and broader than that of the Cape Mountain Zebra, whereas body stripes ex...more
Bushpigs are nocturnal and can be very dangerous, as they use their sharp tusks when threatened. Their numbers have increased in areas where...more
The Cape Clawless Otter has 5 toes on the fore- and hind-feet. Those on the hind-feet are webbed for half their length, while webbing on the...more
The only true fox and the smallest canid found in South Africa. The Cape Fox is silver-grey in colour with large pointed ears. They have a d...more
The Cape Ground Squirrel is a rodent endemic to South Africa. It measures 450 mm in length and weighs up to 1 kg. Upper parts are cinnamon ...more
The Cape Grysbok is a small, shy antelope with a thick-set body and a coarse coat of hair. A mingling of white and reddish hair on the back...more
The Cape Mountain Zebra is the smallest of the zebra species, and has a mass of 230-260 kg and a shoulder height from 1.16 m to 1.28 m. Sinc...more
The Cape Clawless Otter measures 1,3 m in length and weighs about 13 kg. Except for the belly, throat, cheeks and upper lip, which are all w...more
Caracal A large, rufous-fawn Cat with tufted black ears, creamy underbelly with faded orange spots, and long legs. The face has exquisite ma...more
The Chacma Baboon is a large primate with a dog-like face and large, prominent canines. A mature male measures 1.5 m from head to tail and w...more
The Duiker gets its name from the Afrikaans word 'duiker' which means to dive, relating to the animal's habit of ducking away into bushes wh...more
Damara Dik-Dik males are smaller and lighter than the females. The two sexes are respectively 386 mm by 5.1 kg and 394 mm by 5.6 kg. Only t...more
Desert Elephant. Namibia is well known for its diversity of wildlife and the high adaptability to the harsh environment shown by the creatur...more
The Common Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale parvula) is the smallest of the mongoose family, and both males and females weigh only 350-400 gr. Total...more
The total body of the Eastern Rock Elephant Shrew measures 260 mm and the tail is longer than the head and body length and it weighs about 6...more
These carniorous cats (Panthera) are extremely agile mammals and all live within a social hierarchy. Dominant males have breeding rights and...more
The Antelope (Hippotragus) is an omnivorous mammal that frequents the African bush. They have complex social structures ranging from the sol...more
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the African Buffalo which can be found in Kruger National Park...more
The African Elephant (loxodonta africana) is the largest land mammal and males can grow up to 4m tall. Two thirds of the Kruger National Par...more
The Leopard is a solitary member of the big cats. It is often confused with the Cheetah, but it is easily recognised by its panther-like fea...more
Lions are carnivorous mammals that live within a strict hierarchy. Males are the dominant gender and although the females are the hunters, f...more
The Gorilla is the largest of the apes and the closest living relative to humans, with the exception of the chimpanzee...more
This rodent is closer related to the porcupine than to veld rats. The spiny fur on the back and rounded nose distinguish this animal from tr...more
Lichtenstein Hartebeests are large antelope with humped shoulders, sloping back and elongated head. Cows can weigh 180 Kg and adult bulls ov...more
The Hartman's Mountain Zebra's coat is characterized by its series of black and white stripes. These vertical lines are thin and relatively...more
The Hippopotamus a massive, semi-aquatic mammal with a mass of up to 2, 5 tonnes. The Hippopotamus is typically a slate brown colour to mudd...more
One of Africa's most ferocious animals, Honey Badgers have been known to attack Lions and Buffalo when threatened. They will also attack hum...more
This species has a fine, silky fur which is grizzled rufous-brown on the upper parts of the body. It has a whitish chin and slightly lighter...more
The name Klipspringer is the Afrikaans for 'rock jumper' and alludes to the animal's ability in rocky territory where it can be seen moving ...more
Kudu or Greater Kudu [Tragelaphus strepsiceros]. Kudu show strong sexual dimorphism in that bulls bear massive, long, spiral horns which rea...more
The Large-Spotted Genet has a shoulder height of 210 mm, but this species is short legged. The elongated body has a length of 460 mm and a m...more
Leopard [Panthera pardus]. Leopards have black spots arranged in rosettes, contrasted on a yellow-golden background. They have single black ...more
The lesser bushbaby, known to scientists as Galago moholi, is a small, tree-dwelling primate active by night. They are capable of leaps of r...more
Lesser Yellow House Bat (Scotophilus borbonicus) As implied by the popular name, this bat is similar in general appearance than it's sister ...more
Forest Shrew is a mottled, medium-sized shrew. Colouration is grey-brown to dark grey-brown. Head and body length is about 83 mm, with a rel...more
Unlike many tropical African countries, there are only two monkey species in South Africa, namely the vervet and the samango monkey. Both ar...more
The Mountain Ground Squirrel has previously been considered as a subspecies of the Cape Ground Squirrel, but has since been recognised as a ...more
The Mountain Reedbuck is a medium-sized, graceful and shy antelope. Rams attain a mass of about 32 Kg and measures 750mm at shoulder. Ewes a...more
A gregarious antelope occurring in small herds. The social system is centralised on adult males maintaining and defending territories which...more
The Red Hartebeest is a large, reddish-fawn antelope with sloping back and long narrow face. Both sexes have heavily ringed horns. Of the 12...more
Three subspecies of lechwe occur in southern Africa. The red lechwe, Kobus leche leche, occurs in separate populations in western Zambia, no...more
Roan Antelope [Hippotragus equines]. The body colour is overall fawn, with the lower parts of the legs dark brown to black. The distinctive ...more
The Roan Antelope's spoor is very much similar to the Sable Antelope's. It is bigger, though, and wider....more
Rock Dassie – now known as Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis). This small, plump and tail-less guinea-pig-like animal is about as large as a b...more
The handsome Sable Antelope is the national animal of Zimbabwe and is one of the most sought after for photographers and trophy hunters alik...more
The Sable Antelope is a large and handsome antelope. Sable Antelope are characterised by glossy black coats with white under parts and white...more
Males are larger than females, males have a mass of 7 to 9 kg and females 4 to 5 Kg. The tail is a third longer than the body. The coat of t...more
The Scrub Hare is larger in the south-western parts of the range (2.7-4.5 kg) than further north (1.5-3.2 kg). The upper parts are a grizzle...more
Sharpe's Grysbok is a shy antelope, which is slightly smaller than the Cape Grysbok, and which has a thick-set body and a rich rufous-colour...more
The Side Striped Jackal is a nocturnal, dog-like carnivore, with a head and body length of 650-800 mm and tail length of 300-400 mm. Shoulde...more
Head and body length of a Sitatunga ram measures 1.5 to 1.7 m, with a tail of 200 to 250 mm. Rams weigh 80-125 kg. Ewes are smaller, head an...more
Slender Mongoose (Galerella sanguinea), also known as the Black-tipped Mongoose or the Black-tailed Mongoose. Slender Mongoose females attai...more
Small Grey Mongoose. Males are larger than females at 500 - 1000 gr. Total body length varies from 550 mm to 690 mm. Tail length between 200...more
The Small-Spotted-Genet is slightly smaller than the Large-Spotted Genet, and the markings are more distinct black and white and without a r...more
One of the characteristic predators of the African savannah the Spotted Hyena was long thought to be solely a scavenger but it is no known t...more
The vernacular name of this creature is misleading, since the Spring Hare is in fact a rodent, and not a hare. Springhares are to some degre...more
Springbok [Antidorcas marsupialis]. Rams may weigh up to 50 Kg, and ewes only up to 37 Kg. Rams stand 750mm at the shoulders. Their striking...more
One of the more characteristic animals of the African night the Springhare has confused many people with its kangaroo-like hopping movements...more
The colour varies from light brown to darker brick-brown. The belly, the inside of the legs and underside of the tail are white. The ears ar...more
Polecats are close relatives of the African weasel, but differs in that it is larger, the coat hairs are longer, and that it has three chara...more
The Thick-Tailed Bushbaby is a nocturnal primate with child-like cries which gave cause for the English vernacular name. Probably due to its...more
Tree Squirrel or Smith's Bush Squirrel [Paraxerus cepapi] The total length is 350 mm, half of which is tail. This species only weighs 200 gr...more
The colouring is dark reddish-brown with a metallic sheen. The blaze on the face as well as the upper parts of the fore and hind legs down ...more
Males have a mass of 6kg and measure 1.1 m in length, whereas females are slightly smaller and weigh only 4kg. Vervet Monkeys have a silver-...more
Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus). This is the most commonly seen wild pig of the African Bush. It is a dull grey colour and has a naked skin...more
With an overall length of 800 to 1000 mm, this is a large and robust mongoose. It has a mass of between 2.5 to 4.2 kg. Their tails are 300-4...more
The Waterbuck is a big antelope with a characteristic white circle around the tail and a collar of white hair around the neck. The colour o...more
The White Rhino is the third largest land mammal. Massive, stocky, and with a reputation of being not quite as aggressive as the black rhino...more
White-tailed Mongoose [Ichneumia albicauda] No size difference exists between the sexes, which are physically similar in appearance. Body l...more
The White-Tailed Rat is a thickset, mouse-like rodent with soft wooly fur. The body is coated with a buffy-grey coloured fur. Interspersed a...more
Wild Dogs (Lycaon Pictus) occur in low population numbers as a consequence of large territories. The Wild Dog is one of Africa's most endan...more
Blue Wildebeest are seasonal breeders. Births of single calves per cow occur during summer after a gestation period of nine months...more
Yellow House Bat or African Yellow Bat (Scotophilus dinganii) Larger than the lesser yellow house bat, but smaller than the giant yellow hou...more
Yellow Mongoose. Total length is 400-600 mm, with a tail length of 180-250 mm. Mass is about 450-900 g. Has a triangular shaped face with a ...more