African
Mammals A – C African
Mammals D – J
African
Mammals K – O African
Mammals P - Z
Elephant Loxodonta africana
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Distributions: |
Due to the desertification and
the hunting , once common in the whole continent, nowadays it still occurs
from the southern |
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Habitat: |
It prefers the savannas' woodlands but it is easy to find it in the near desert area and near the mountains. |
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Size: |
Male: 6.000 Kg. Female: 4.000 to 5.000 Kg. Shoulder height: 3 m. The female's occipital area is squared, while the male's one is rounded. The female's tusks are thinner and shorter than the male's ones. |
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Behavior: |
The Elephant is active both by night and by day. It usually rest few hours during the night. It lives in groups until 50 individual lead by an elderly female. Normally for each group it is present only one adult male. It takes bath in the mud very frequently to protect its delicate skin from the parasites and the heat. |
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Food: |
It feeds with every kind of vegetal and needs almost 200 lt. of water per day. |
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Reproduction: |
A single calf is dropped after a 22 months gestation period, it's possible a twin's birth. |
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Longevity: |
60 to 80 years. |
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Distributions: |
Once it was largely distributed
all over |
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Habitat: |
It prefers semi-desert areas or hills shaded by some tree. |
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Size: |
Both Male and Female 180 to 250 kg. Shoulder Height: Both Male and Female 115 to 140 cm. The male's horns are more long and developed. |
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Behavior: |
It prefers to move mostly early in the morning or in the evening, but sometimes it is possible to see it grazing during the night of full moon. Its enemies are: lions, leopards, hyenas and wild dogs. |
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Food: |
Herbivorous. But due to the dryness of its habitat it often feeds with tubers, roots and wild melons from which it takes its water consumption. |
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Reproduction: |
A single calf after 9 months of gestation. |
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Longevity: |
From 18 to 22 years. |
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Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis
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Distributions: |
In the past it was very common
in all the savannas of the sub-Saharan area, today, although disappeared in
some areas of the western |
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Habitat: |
Mostly African, it lives in wide areas rich in vegetation. |
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Size: |
It's the tallest animal in the world. Male total height 5,5 m Shoulder height: 3 m. Female: About 60 cm. less than the male. Male: 1.100 to 1.900 Kg. Female: 700 to 1.200 Kg. |
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Behavior: |
Diurnal. It lives in small groups. Its worst enemies are: lions and large groups of hyenas. |
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Food: |
Rigorously vegetarian, it feeds with sprouts, fruits, flowers e the long thorns of the acacia tree. |
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Reproduction: |
A single offspring after 14 to 15 months of gestation. |
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Longevity: |
From 25 to 30 years. |
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Giraffe Masai Giraffa
camelopardalis tippelskirchi
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Distributions: |
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Habitat: |
Mostly African, it lives in wide areas rich in vegetation. |
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Size: |
It's the tallest animal in the world. Male total height 5,5 m Shoulder height: 3 m. Female: About 60 cm. less than the male. Male: 1.100 to 1.900 Kg. Female: 700 to 1.200 Kg. |
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Behavior: |
Diurnal. It lives in small groups. Its worst enemies are: lions and large groups of hyenas. |
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Food: |
Rigorously vegetarian, it feeds with sprouts, fruits, flowers e the long thorns of the acacia tree. |
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Reproduction: |
A single offspring after 14 to 15 months of gestation. |
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Longevity: |
From 25 to 30 years. |
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Distributions: |
Mid |
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Habitat: |
Plans, savannas and semi desert areas. |
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Size: |
Male: 55 to 80 Kg. Shoulder: eight 85 to 95 cm. Horns length: 50 to 80 cm. Female: 35 to 50 Kg. Shoulder height: 80 to 85 cm. Horns eight: 30 to 40 cm. |
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Behavior: |
Diurnal. It lives in groups composed by 1 male a numerous female. Its worst enemies are: lions, Hyenas, pythons, cheetah and jackals. |
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Food: |
Mostly leaves and grass. It does not need a lot of water. |
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Reproduction: |
A single offspring. |
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Longevity: |
10 years. |
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Grevy's Zebra Equus grevyi
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Distributions: |
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Habitat: |
It prefers the bush and steppes area. |
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Size: |
Weight: About 300 kg. Shoulder Height: 140 to 160 cm. |
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Behavior: |
It lives in small closed groups. |
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Food: |
Herbivorous |
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Reproduction: |
A single calf , rarely 2 after a gestation period of 11 to 12 months. |
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Longevity: |
About 20 years. |
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Distributions: |
Semi-desert areas, savannas and dry river beds. |
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Habitat: |
Semi-desert areas, savannas and dry river beds. |
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Size: |
Weight: Both Male and Female 500 to 1.100 gr. Length: Both Male and Female 20 to 30 cm. Tail Length: It can reach 20 cm. |
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Behavior: |
Diurnal. It does not move away from its burrow. It lives in groups. Its enemies are: big predators, foxes, snakes and mongooses. |
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Food: |
Reptiles, grass, fruits, roots and seeds. |
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Reproduction: |
1 to 3 offspring after a gestation period of 45 days. |
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Hartbeest Alcelaphus buselaphus
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Distributions: |
This hartebeest reintroduced
widely within its former range, from the southern |
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Habitat: |
It prefer open grassland and open savanna country; but it doesn’t' like dense woodland. |
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Size: |
Male: mass 135 to 200 kg. Female: mass 120 to 180 kg. Shoulder height: 120 to 145 cm. |
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Behavior: |
It occurs in herds numbering from about 20 to several hundred, usually in company of zebras, ostriches and antelopes. Mostly active during the day, it prefers to graze in the early morning and at sunset. Its worst enemies are the lions, hyenas, wild dogs and rarely the leopards. |
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Food: |
Grasses, the availability of water is not essential. |
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Reproduction: |
Single calf is born after a gestation period of 240 days, usually in September. |
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Longevity: |
From 15 to 20 years. |
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Distributions: |
The entire sub-Saharan |
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Habitat: |
It needs water. It's possible to find it around or inside big lakes, rotten meadows or in the rivers with slow stream and low borders. It can live on the mountains as long as the temperature of the water swings around 20 to 35 degrees. |
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Size: |
Male: 1.500 to 3.250 Kg. Female: 1.300 to 2.500 Kg. Shoulder height: Male 140 to 170 cm. Female: 130 to 150 cm. |
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Behavior: |
During the day it rests, inside or nearby the water. It moves at night, even for some km. to look for the food. It lives in numerous herds mostly composed of female and calves. It has not any kind of natural enemy. |
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Food: |
Herbivore. It eats from 40 to 60 kg of grass that he rips off with its lips. |
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Reproduction: |
A single calf after 8 months of gestation. |
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Longevity: |
From 40 to 50 years. |
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Distributions: |
The entire African continent. |
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Habitat: |
From the desert to the rain forests. It is possible to fin it even on the mountains till 3.000 m. |
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Size: |
Weight: Both male and Female 8 to 15 kg. Shoulder height: Both male and female 20 to 25 cm. The tail can reach 25 cm. |
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Behavior: |
Both nocturnal and diurnal, if it is not disturbed. It runs a solitary life. Its main characteristic is the aggressiveness. Indeed it does not hesitate to attack everyone or everything which threaten it or invade its territory. Its only enemies are the other millivora capensis. |
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Food: |
Omnivorous. Insects, mammals, birds, eggs, snakes, roots, fruits and tubers. |
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Reproduction: |
2 offspring after a gestation period of 6 months. |
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Longevity: |
From 20 to 24 year |
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Impala Aepyceros melampus
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Distributions: |
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Habitat: |
It prefers the undergrowth of acacia and savannas. |
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Size: |
Male: 45 to 80 Kg. Female: 40 to 60 Kg. Shoulder height: Male 80 to 100 cm. Female: 70 to 90 cm. |
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Behavior: |
Diurnal. The Impalas move to feed themselves early in the morning or at dusk resting at under the tree shadow during the day. The herds are not numerous and they are composed of female with calves and a single male. Only the male have the horns. Its worst enemies are: lions, Hyenas, wild dogs, crocodiles, leopards and cheetah. |
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Food: |
Herbivorous, it likes also flowers and sprouts. It needs to drink daily. |
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Reproduction: |
A single calf after 6 months of gestation. Twin births are very rare. |
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Longevity: |
About 12 to 15 years. |
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