|
|
 |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Tuesday,
December 29, 2009 |
|
Kruger National Park,
South Africa's Big Five Game Animals |
|
While
exploring Kruger National
Park, you may view some of South Africa's "Big Five Game
Animals" - The Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Rhino and
Leopard. |
|
The
Lion is a massive cat. Biggest of all the carnivores in
Africa today. Colored pale tawny to sandy brown, with with
underpants. Rare specimens of white lion have been to be
spotted inside the Kruger National Park. Cubs are faintly
spotted, reminding of the kinship with the other large cats.
Sometimes the adult animals retain traces of the spots,
especially low on the body. The long tail is short-haired,
with a distinctive black tuft at the tip. The adult males have
manes varying in color from tawny to black, and in size from a
slight ruff around the neck, shoulders and chest and extending
as a fringe below the belly. The head is large in comparison
to the body with a strong, heavy muzzle, the pattern of spots
at the roots of the whisker is unique to each individual. |
|
The Elephant
is the world’s largest land mammal, and weighs up to 7
tons and reaches heights of 3.3 m at the shoulder. Elephants
can live to a potential age of 70 years. The massive tusks of
older bulls can weigh up to 50 or 60 kilograms, but tusks
weighing up to 90 kilograms have been recorded.
|
|
A
large and powerful bovine, the African Buffalo reaches
shoulder heights of up to 1.5 m and a mass of 750 kg. Both
sexes have horns, those of the bulls are characterized by
a heavy boss and upward curved horns. Buffalo herds can have
significant ecological impact on the ape. Being a bulk grazer,
they are responsible for converting long grasslands into short
grassy environments conducive to other browsers with more
selective feeding habits. |
|
Rhinos
are easily recognized by their prehistoric features and the
horns on their forehead. Rhinos are bold and have been seen to
graze right next to lions, with the lions being equally
un-fazed. Poachers are greatly responsible for the decreasing
Rhino population. White Rhino (ceratotherium simum)
occur mostly in woodlands between the Sabie and Crocodile
Rivers, and less around Shingwedzi and Letaba. The Black Rhino
(diceros bircornis) is found around thorny thickets
and dense bush in southern Kruger between Skukuza and
Pretoriuskop and also south of Lower Sabie near Crocodile
Bridge. |
|
Leopards
have black spots arranged in rosettes, contrasted on a
yellow-golden background. They have single black spots on
their limbs and head. Their tails are white tipped on the
underside. This Cat is larger and stockier built than the
Cheetah. Their head and body length is 1.6 – 2.1 m, and the
tail is 0.68-1.1 m. Females are smaller and weigh 17-60
Kg whereas males weigh 20-90 Kg. Their standing height is
700-800 mm at the shoulders. This nocturnal predator is the
second largest of Africa’s large Cats.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |