Africa’s Big Five

Africa Big 5 animals is a term coined back in the 1800s by trophy hunters, referring to what they considered the most challenging and dangerous animals to hunt on foot. These include the African Savannah Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Cape Buffalo, and Rhinoceros. Today the term is primarily famous with Uganda safaris travelers’ who now shoot the big 5 with a camera rather than a lethal weapon of choice. The African big 5 animals are all present in Uganda and can easily be seen in all savannah parks.

The phrase today is commonly used to market safaris. However, back in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, everyone from European royalty to American presidents wanted to bag an African hunting trophy, the larger and more unpredictable the beast is, the better” – how the Big Five became famous.

The big 5 animals are still hunted today, especially in South Africa, where legal game hunting is a big market with the elite and privileged. Outside of hunting cliques, public opinion leans towards disgust over the killing of the Big Five, and we may see the practice dying out. But a shift toward tourism has also made seeing the Big Five an “awe-inspiring” goal for any safari-goer.

The name Africa Big 5 may sound intimidating and dangerous, but these mammals may need our help to survive extinction. African lion, leopard, and elephant are all classed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Due mainly to poaching for their horns, the western black rhino was declared extinct in 2011. The last male northern white rhino died in 2018, with only two females remaining, making that subspecies functionally extinct. Conservation efforts have helped keep Uganda’s Northern white rhino alive in the heavily protected Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Where can you find the Big Five in Uganda?

Apart from the Northern White Rhino (which can only be seen in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Entebbe UWEC Zoo), tourists have a good chance of seeing the other members of the Africa Big 5 in any of the four savannah national parks of Uganda including Murchison Falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Kidepo Valley national park, and Lake Mburo national park. These parks will put you in the centre of nonchalant herds of cape buffalo, African elephants hunting pride of African lions. For the shy leopard, a relaxed and patient early or late evening savannah drive may lead you to its hunting joints.

A boat safari on the Nile in Murchison Falls national park on the Kazinga channel is a great way to spot the Africa big 5 in Uganda. Especially in the dry seasons (December to February and June to July), heat is sure to bring them out to the shores to catch a sip of the fresh waters.

The African Savannah Elephants

The elephant is the largest land mammal animal in the world. The males weigh up to 3m high and also weigh up to 6 tones and always reach their full size at 35-40 years that is half of their life span since they can live up to 60-70 years. The wild elephants not only become huge at an adult stage but also large at a young stage since at birth, the new born elephant can weigh 120kg thus The African big 5 animals in Uganda.

The African elephants have got a thick skin ranging at 2.5cm thick. They keep their skins clean and protect themselves from sunburn by taking regular dust and mud baths. Also, the elephants eat a lot making them spend almost three quarters of a day eating. Though referred to as gentle giants, elephants can also be very dangerous to vehicles, humans and other animals when they are threatened. Elephants are vegetarians eating up the savannah grasses, bushes, fruits, roots, tree barks and also twigs.

Lions

Among the wild cats, a lion is the largest and most sociable animal. It is one of the most dangerous animals in the world and referred to as the king of the savannah when having 225kg. living in groups of about 40 lions, the lioness (the female lion) does the hunting and share with the lions in the territories to thrill while on Uganda Safaris Tours.

Among the big five animals, the buffalo is the most dangerous and bad-tempered to humans. Buffaloes mostly live in groups and large herds while grazing the savannah and floodplains. The adult buffalos gather always to protect the calves. Diet of buffalos- Buffaloes are herbivores feeding on grass, leaves and other plant species.

Rhinoceros

Of the big five, a rhino is the hardest to spot in the wild. It was widespread through the sub-Saharan Africa but eventually hunted to extinction. Rhinoceros are divided into two different species- the critically endangered black rhino and the white rhinos. These species are not differentiated by colour but rather by size, food preference, temperament and mouth shape. White rhinos have a flat wide mouth. Both the black and white rhinos are dangerous to humans but mostly to vehicles that get close to them. Diet of a rhino- All rhinos are herbivores grazing on a variety of grass, stems, fruits, and leaves.

Leopards

Leopards are one of the strongest among the big cats. They climb trees even when carrying heavy prey and also rest on tree branches during the day. Leopards have distinctive dark spots called rosettes which create beautiful patterns against their fur. They are difficult to trace and locate in the wild since they are rarely seen together except during the mating process and when a mother is with the cubs. The leopards mostly hunt during the night. The best time to find these animals is early morning or at night. Diet of Leopards- Leopards are carnivores feeding on fresh of other animals. They hunt prey like impala, African monkeys, jackals, antelopes and others.

Cape Buffaloes