Top Ten Animals Native to the African Savanna

The Top Ten
1 Lion The lion (Panthera leo) is a large cat of the genus Panthera native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body, short, rounded head, round ears, and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult male lions are larger than females and have a prominent mane. It is a social species, forming groups called prides. A lion's pride consists of a few adult males, related females, and cubs. Groups of female lions usually hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. The lion is an apex and keystone predator; although some lions scavenge when opportunities occur and have been known to hunt humans, the species typically does not actively seek out and prey on humans. ...read more.

The lion is one of the greatest animals in the African savanna.

2 Rhinoceros
3 Cheetah The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a large cat and native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at 80 to 128 km/h (50 to 80 mph) with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being 93 and 98 km/h (58 and 61 mph), and as such has several adaptations ...read more.
4 Elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea, extinct relatives include mammoths and mastodons. Distinctive features of elephants include a long proboscis called a trunk, tusks, large ear flaps, pillar-like legs, and tough but sensitive skin. The trunk is used for breathing, bringing food and water to the mouth, and grasping objects. Tusks, which are derived from the incisor teeth, serve both as weapons and as tools for moving objects and digging. The large ear flaps assist in ...read more.

Stupid carnivores! Why do lions even have to be "the king of the savanna"?

Why is this only #4? Elephants, especially the calves, are cute!

Favorite animal

5 Zebra Zebras (subgenus Hippotigris) are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: the Grévy's zebra (Equus grevyi), plains zebra (E. quagga), and the mountain zebra (E. zebra). Zebras share the genus Equus with horses and asses, the three groups being the only living members of the family Equidae. Zebra stripes come in different patterns, unique to each individual. Several theories have been proposed for the function of these stripes, with most evidence supporting them as a deterrent for biting flies. Zebras inhabit eastern and southern Africa and can be found in a variety of habitats such as savannahs, grasslands, woodlands, shrublands, and mountainous ...read more.

The Apple Zebra
by Dale Colbert

Our superhero in Africa, who covers the whole alphabet from A to Z.

Eddie Murphy as the Apple Zebra

6 Giraffe The giraffe is a tall African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus Giraffa. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant- hoofed herbivorous- on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes were thought to be one species, Giraffa camelopardalis, with nine subspecies. Most recently, researchers proposed dividing them into up to eight extant species due to new research into their mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, as well as morphological measurements. Seven other extinct species of Giraffa are known from the fossil record. ...read more.

I love giraffes.

7 Antelope
8 Leopard The leopard is one of the five "big cats" in the genus Panthera. It is one of the most adaptable and the most widespread big cat; it's secrets being:well camouflaged fur; its opportunistic hunting behaviour, broad diet, and strength to move heavy carcasses into trees; its ability to adapt to various habitats ranging from rain-forest to steppe and including arid and mountainous areas; and to run at speeds up to 58 kilometres per hour (36 mph). The common name "leopard" (pronounced /ˈle-pərd/) is a Greek compound of λέων (leōn) ("lion") and πάρδος (pardos) ("male panther"). It lives throughout Asia (except for North Asia) and Africa, including Indonesia.

They have amazing fur coloration and can carry prey up trees so hyenas or other animals won't try to steal it

9 Honey Badger The honey badger, also known as the ratel, is widely distributed in Africa, Southwest Asia, and in the Indian subcontinent.
10 Wildebeest Wildebeests, also called gnus, are antelopes in the genus Connochaetes. They belong to the family Bovidae, which includes antelopes, cattle, goats, sheep, and other even-toed horned ungulates.
The Contenders
11 Hyena Hyenas or hyaenas are any feliform carnivoran mammals of the family Hyaenidae /haɪˈɛnᵻdiː/. With only four extant species, it is the fifth-smallest biological family in the Carnivora, and one of the smallest in the class Mammalia.
12 Bushbuck
13 Termites Termites are eusocial insects that are classified at the taxonomic rank of infraorder Isoptera, or as epifamily Termitoidae within the cockroach order Blattodea.
14 Hippopotamus The common hippopotamus, or hippo, is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the pygmy hippopotamus.
15 Springbok
16 Caracal A medium-sized wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Central Asia, the Caracal is known for its agility and leaping ability. It has distinctive long, black-tufted ears and primarily preys on birds, rodents, and small mammals.
17 Warthog
18 Ostrich The ostrich or common ostrich is either of two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio, which is in the ratite family. In 2014, the Somali ostrich was recognized as a distinct species.
19 Cape Buffalo The African buffalo or Cape buffalo is a large African bovine. Syncerus caffer caffer, the Cape buffalo, is the typical subspecies, and the largest one, found in Southern and East Africa.
20 Baboon Baboons are African and Arabian Old World monkeys belonging to the genus Papio, part of the subfamily Cercopithecinae.
21 African Wild Dog
22 Nile Crocodile
23 Jackal The jackal is a small omnivorous mammal of the genus Canis, which also includes the wolf and dog. While the word "jackal" has historically been used for many small canids, in modern use it most commonly refers to three species: the closely related black-backed jackal and side-striped jackal of sub-Saharan ...read more.
24 Cape Cobra
25 Serval The serval is a medium-sized wild cat native to Africa. It is recognized for its distinctive coat, featuring a tawny background with bold black spots and stripes. Servals have a slender body, long legs, and large ears with excellent hearing capabilities. They are adapted to a semi-aquatic lifestyle, often found near wetlands or marshes. Servals are skilled hunters, preying on a variety of small animals like rodents, birds, and amphibians. They are known for their unique hunting technique of leaping into the air to catch birds in flight. Despite their striking appearance, servals are elusive creatures that are rarely seen in the wild.
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