African Mammals A – C African Mammals D – J

African Mammals K – O African Mammals P – Z

Go Back To Nibble University

African_Rock_Pyton

African_Wild_Cat

Banded_Mongoose

Black-Backed_Jackal

Blackfooted-Cat

Burchell's_Zebra

Proteles cristatus

Distributions:	From Somaliland and Sudan to South Africa.
Habitat:	Steppes and savannas, it avoids woodlands and mountains.
Size:	Length: 80 cm. Tail: 30cm.
Behavior:	It's a nocturnal animal but it can be active during the daylight.
Food:	Mostly termites and other insects and their grubs, bird eggs
Reproduction:	From 2 to 5 cubs (usually 3).

African Rock Python

Python sebae

Distributions:	Common in the regions of south Sahara.
Habitat:	It can easily adapt itself to every kind of environment but it prefers the areas rich in water.
Size:	Almost 6.,5 m. of length.
Behavior:	Diurnal. It sleeps inside holes or in abandoned termitariums (termite homes).
Food:	Strictly carnivorous it can feed with preys of remarkable dimensions.
Longevity:	Its age is unknown. A specimen held int the Bristol's Zoo exceeded 18 years.

African Wild Cat

Feli lybica

Distributions:	It's possible to find it in the whole Africa except the desert areas.
Habitat:	All the areas with semi-desert climate to the rain forests, mountains till 4.000 m. and near the villages.
Size:	Male: 2.5 to 6 Kg. Female: 1.5 to 4 Kg. Height: 30 to 35 cm.
Behavior:	Nocturnal and diurnal. During the cold period of the year it prefers to move during the day: Otherwise it moves by night sleeping during the day between the rocks and trees. It runs a lonesome life apart the coupling period. It worst enemies are big predators and birds of prey.
Food:	Little and medium mammals, birds reptiles and invertebrates.
Reproduction:	1 to 3 kittens gestation period of 68 days.
Longevity:	From 12 to 15 years.

Banded Mongoose

Mungos mungo

Distributions:	The dry zones of Western and Eastern Africa
Habitat:	It prefers the semi-desert wide spaces where the grass is short.
Size:	Male: 400 to 900 gr. Female: 350 to 500 gr. Height 45 cm. Tail length 28 cm.
Behavior:	Very sociable animals it lives in small climates in abandoned termites. Diurnal animal, to feed itself it prefers move in group Its enemies are: big predators, jackals, hyenas and leopards.
Food:	It feeds mostly on insects, larvae, little rodents, frogs and little mammals.
Reproduction:	From 2 to 5 offspring.
Longevity:	From 10 to 13 years.

Barking Gecko

Ptenopus garrulus

Distributions:	South Africa
Habitat:	Woodlands and bushes next to Kalahari.
Size:	Length: 12 cm.
Behavior:	At sunset it utters cries. During the night it leaves his hole, where it lives alone, to get food. It is quite slow.
Food:	Termites, ants, small Coleopterans and hymenoptera.
Reproduction:	Two eggs per brood. 2-6 months for the embryonic development.

Bat-Eared Fox

Otocyon megalotis

Distributions:	Horn of Africa and the Southern Africa.
Habitat:	Savannas, dry lands.
Size:	Both Male and Female 2,5 to 5 kg. Shoulder Height: Both Male and Female 35 to 40 cm. The hears can reach 10 cm. of length.
Behavior:	Nocturnal. During the day it rests in little shady ravines. It lives in small familiar groups. Its enemies are: hyenas and big predators.
Food:	This little animal feeds with little mammals, insects, larvae, eggs, berries and fruit.
Reproduction:	From 2 to 5 offspring after 2 months of gestation.
Longevity:	About 5 years.

Black-Backed Jackal

Canis mesomelas

Distributions:	Horn of Africa and South Africa.
Habitat:	It prefers savannas and forests not too dense with a large number of shelters. The favorite Jackal's hunting ground are the wide plans.
Size:	Weight: Both Male and Female from 6 to 10 kg. Shoulder height: Both Male and Female from 45 to 50 cm.
Behavior:	If it is not much disturbed the Jackal is active both day and night. It lives in couple with a female which it will stay with it lifelong. Its enemies are: leopards, cheetah, pythons and big predators.
Food:	Carnivorous. It feeds with little mammals, birds, insects, fruits and berries.
Reproduction:	From 3 to 8 offspring after 2 months of gestation.
Longevity:	From 10 to 14 years.

Black Footed Cat

Felis nigripes. Felis nigripes.

Distributions:	It's possible to find it in the desert areas of South Africa (widespread in Karoo and in Kalahari).
Habitat:	All the areas with desert climate.
Size:	Length: head-trunk:35-40 cm. Tail: 15-17 cm.
Behavior:	It is a very good runner, and it has a powerful voice. To disinter its preies hidden under the sand it has the habit to scratch with force the ground alternating its forelegs.
Food:	Rodents, lizards and insects
Reproduction:	Gestation period from 63 to 68 days.

Brown Hyena

Hyaena brunnea

Distributions:	Very rare. The population is in continuous decline although the race is one of the most protected. The Kalahari’s desert represent one of the few areas on which is possible to see it. Because of its averse character the knowledge about its behavior are very fragmentary.
Habitat:	It prefers arid areas.
Size:	Male. 47 Kg. Female: 42 Kg. Shoulder Height: 80 cm. both male and female.
Behavior:	Nocturnal. Usually it prefers to spend the day hidden between the rocks or in someone else’s burrows.
Food:	It feeds with carrions but it likes little prey, like locusts or mice, too.
Reproduction:	About 5 offspring after 3 months of gestation.
Longevity:	From 13 to 20 years.

Burchell's Zebra

Equus burchelli boehmi

Distributions:	East area of Africa. From south of Kenya to South Africa.
Habitat:	Wide plans rich in grass, thin forests and mountains till 4.500 m.
Size:	Male: 215 to 340 kg. Female: 170 to 300 kg. Shoulder height: Male 120 to 140. Female 105 to 125.
Behavior:	Diurnal. It lives in herds. It is easy to see it wallowing in the sand to take away the parasites. Its enemies are: lions, hyenas, leopards and cheetah.
Food:	Grass. It needs a lot of water.
Reproduction:	A single calf after 12 months of gestation.
Longevity:	From 20 to 40 years.

Galago senegalensis

Distributions:	South-Western Africa and, especially, Eastern Africa.
Habitat:	Dry forests, savannah and steppes with bushes.
Size:	Length: 23-25 cm.
Behavior:	Nocturnal, sociable; it is a skilful jumper. It has a very good hearing.
Food:	Fruits, nuts, vegetables, snails, insects and other small animals.
Reproduction:	Twice a year.

Tragelaphus scriptus

Distributions:	Whole Africa. Desert areas excluded.
Habitat:	Every kind of ground with deep vegetation and abundance of water. It is possible to meet it at the savannas' border or in the mountains till 3.500 m.
Size:	Weight: Male 40 to 80 kg Female 25 to 60 kg. Shoulder Height: Male 70 to 100 cm. Female 65 to 85 cm. Only the male has horns which can reach 55 cm length
Behavior:	Diurnal. It prefers the freshest hours of the day to move. It is often in company with baboons or green cercopitecus. Its enemies are: pythons, leopards, lions and crocodiles.
Food:	It feeds with leaves, sprouts, grass, flowers and fruits.
Reproduction:	A single offspring after a gestation period of 7 months.
Longevity:	Unknown.

Cape Buffalo

Syncerus caffer Syncerus caffer

Distributions:	Once widely distributed in Southern Africa, now it is possible to find it in the northern and eastern parts of the region. It's also possible to find it in the Addo Elephant National Park in the south-east of the Cape Province, in the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi area of the Natal Region.
Habitat:	It can tolerate a wide range of habitat, but it prefers abundant grass, water and cover, and it's possible to find him on mountains till 3500 meters of altitude.
Size:	African Buffalo: 250 to 800 kg. Shoulder height 100 to 165 cm. Cape's Buffalo: 500 to 800 kg. Shoulder height 150 to 165 cm. Sudanese Buffalo: 300 to 600 kg. Shoulder height 120 to 150 cm. Buffalo of the Forests: 250 to 350 kg. Shoulder height 100 to 120 cm.
Behavior:	Although diurnal it moves a lot during the night to feed. During the day it rests between the trees to repair itself from the high temperature. It lives in big herds. The old male are usually lonesome, and in those cases they are potentially dangerous for the man because they are unforeseeable It worst enemies are the lions, the big crocodiles and the Hyenas.
Food:	Grasses, it can also eat leaves and dry grass. It needs a lot of water.
Reproduction:	Single calf born after gestation of 9 months during the summer period.

Chacma Baboon

Papio ursinus

Distributions:	From the south of Sahara to the rest of the Africa. Because of its high degree of adaptability it is easy to see him in various areas.
Habitat:	Open grounds, almost desert, savanna. The Baboon is very adaptable, it needs only food, water and trees on which it can refugee during the night.
Size:	Male: 30 to 40 Kg. Female: 15 to 20 Kg. Shoulder height: Male 50 to 75 cm. Female 40 to 60 cm.
Behavior:	Diurnal life. At night it sleeps on the trees or between the stones. It lives in herds which can reach hundreds of individuals.
Food:	Omnivorous. Mostly grass, but also roots, bulbs, wild fruits, seeds, leaves, flowers and insects.
Reproduction:	A single offspring after 6 months of gestation.
Longevity:	Almost 30 years.

Acinonyx jubatus

Distributions:	Almost extinguished, nowadays it lives only in African's National Parks. Once, in India, it was trained for the hunting of the gazelle.
Habitat:	It prefers wide open spaces like the semi-desert areas or savannas with bushes.
Size:	Male and female: 40 to 60 Kg. Male and female: 75 to 85 Kg
Behavior:	Nocturnal animal, but, it hunts even during the day or in the full moon period. It runs a lonesome life or in small familiar groups. Its worst enemies are: Hyenas, lions, leopards.
Food:	Carnivore. Hare, gazelles, birds, little antelopes. It does not need a lot of water because it can take the liquids that it needs from its prey.
Reproduction:	1 to 5 offspring after a gestation period of 3 months.
Longevity:	About 15 years.