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Animals in Africa

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Africa is one of the world’s eight ecozones. Scientifically known as the Afrotropical Realm, the Equator bifurcates the continent, which contributes to its biodiversity. 

Incredible African Animals and Wildlife Facts

  • Africa holds between 10 to 20 percent of the world’s insect population.
  • Africa has more types of freshwater fish than any other continent.
  • Madagascar, an island nation off the east coast of Mozambique, is the epicenter of chameleon diversity.
  • Goliath frogs, the Earth’s largest frog species, can only be found in Africa.
  • Africa has more ungulates — hoofed animals — than any other continent.
  • The largest terrestrial animal, the African elephant, calls the continent home.
  • Nile Crocodiles are the largest reptiles in Africa.
  • Gorillas are the largest primates on Earth and can only be found in Africa.
  • Ostriches, the largest birds on the planet, are endemic to Africa. Males can grow up to 2.8 meters tall while females usually only make it to 2 meters.

African Geography

Billions of years ago, Africa came into existence when the Mesozoic mega-continent of Gondwana split. At the time, and for millennia after, a giant evergreen forest covered the landmass. Over time, climate changes and shifting continental plates carved out the Africa of today, with its mix of desert, jungle, coastlines, and arable farming land.  

Africa: Land of Iconic Animals

Africa is home to scores of amazing animals, making it a popular safari destination. Lions, cheetahs, leopards, hippos, elephants, and giraffes run, rest, and rummage together in a hakuna matata utopia set against a beautiful minimalist landscape.

Common African Animals

When weaving Africa’s animal quilt, Mother Nature used a complex pattern. Approximately 100,000 insect species and 1,100 mammals, in addition to tens of thousands of reptiles, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and fish populate the continent.

African Land Mammals

Africa is the birthplace of three taxonomic mammalian orders: aardvarks (Tubulidentata), golden moles (Afrosoricida), and elephant shrews (Macroscelidea). Today, 60 carnivore species are spread across the landmass, including hyenas, lions, servals, mongooses, jackals, and honey badgers. Primates are also plentiful. Sixty-four species live out their lives in the Afrotropical region, including four great apes.  

Africa is known for the “big five” animal pack: lions, rhinos, leopards, elephants, and cape buffalos. Originally a hunting term, they are the five species that people most hope to see on safari when in Africa.

Cheetahs, the world’s fastest land species, are another popular African animal. Spectacularly, the big cats can reach speeds of up to 75 miles per hour.

African Birds

Over 2,600 bird species live some portion of the year in Africa. Ostriches, which can run up to 60 miles per hour, sunbirds, and guineafowl are all endemic to the continent and maintain healthy populations. Surprisingly, penguins, which are most often associated with colder climates, even live in Africa along the South African cape.

African Fish and Marine Mammals

The waters surrounding Africa are brimming with marine mammals, and over 3,000 species of freshwater fish can be found on the continent.

A Note About Madagascar

Madagascar is an African Island nation off the continent’s east coast. A wildlife marvel, it plays host to several types of animals that can only be found in the country, like lemurs and aye-aye. 

A historic country in Africa’s northeastern corner, Egypt is famous for the ancient Pyramids at Giza, the temple at Abu Simbel, and a unique wildlife legacy crafted by millenia of climate and cultural change.  

African Countries Animals Lists

Click any of the countries below to see a detailed list of animals located in that country!

  • Animals in Angola
  • Animals in Burkina Faso
  • Animals in Burundi
  • Animals in Benin
  • Animals in Botswana
  • Animals in Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Animals in Central African Republic
  • Animals in Republic of Congo
  • Animals in Côte d'Ivoire
  • Animals in Cameroon
  • Animals in Djibouti
  • Animals in Algeria
  • Animals in Egypt
  • Animals in Eritrea
  • Animals in Ethiopia
  • Animals in Gabon
  • Animals in Ghana
  • Animals in Gambia
  • Animals in Guinea
  • Animals in Equatorial Guinea
  • Animals in Guinea-Bissau
  • Animals in Kenya
  • Animals in Liberia
  • Animals in Lesotho
  • Animals in Libya
  • Animals in Morocco
  • Animals in Madagascar
  • Animals in Mali
  • Animals in Mauritania
  • Animals in Malawi
  • Animals in Mozambique
  • Animals in Namibia
  • Animals in Niger
  • Animals in Nigeria
  • Animals in Rwanda
  • Animals in Sudan
  • Animals in Sierra Leone
  • Animals in Senegal
  • Animals in Somalia
  • Animals in South Sudan
  • Animals in Swaziland
  • Animals in Chad
  • Animals in Togo
  • Animals in Tunisia
  • Animals in Tanzania
  • Animals in Uganda
  • Animals in South Africa
  • Animals in Zambia
  • Animals in Zimbabwe
  • Animals in Western Sahara

African Animals

Aardvark

Can move 2ft of soil in just 15 seconds!

Abyssinian

The oldest breed of cat in the world!

African Bush Elephant

Can drink up to 50 gallons a day

African Civet

Secretes up to 4g of musk every week!

African Clawed Frog

A particularly ferocious amphibian!

African Forest Elephant

Have large rounded ears to help keep them cool!

African Palm Civet

Solitary but gathers in groups!

African Penguin

The only penguin species in Africa!

African Tree Toad

Found in tropical moist lowland forests!

African Wild Dog

Also known as the painted dog!

Albatross

The largest wingspan of any bird in the world!

Ant

First evolved 100 million years ago!

Antelope

Renew their horns every year!

Aye Aye

Thought to be extinct until 1957!

Baboon

Can travel more than four miles a day!

Barb

There are over 2,000 known species!

Barn Owl

Found everywhere around the world!

Basenji Dog

Alert, affectionate and energetic!

Bat

Detects prey using echolocation!

Beetle

There are more than 350,000 different species

Bichir

The bichir species is more than 400 million years old

Bird

Not all birds are able to fly!

Black Rhinoceros

Horns can grow to 1.5m!

Black Widow Spider

They typically prey on insects!

Bongo

Long and heavy spiralled horns!

Bonobo

Shares 97% of the same DNA as humans!

Buffalo

Has no real natural predators!

Bumblebee

The most common species of bee!

Butterfly

There are thought to be up 20,000 species!

Camel

Can survive without water for 10 months!

Caracal

Has 20 different muscles in it's ears!

Cat

First domesticated by the Ancient Egyptians!

Caterpillar

The larvae of a moth or butterfly!

Catfish

There are nearly 3,000 different species!

Chameleon

There are more than 160 different species!

Cheetah

The fastest land mammal in the world!

Chicken

First domesticated more than 10,000 years ago!

Chimpanzee

Has 32 teeth including fang-like canines!

Cichlid

There are more than 2 000 known species!

Cockroach

Dated to be around 300 million years old!

Common Buzzard

The most common raptor in the UK!

Cow

There are nearly 1.5 million worldwide!

Crab

There are 93 different crab groups

Crane

Many are critically endangered species!

Crocodile

Have changed little in 200 million years!

Cross River Gorilla

Less than 300 remaining!

Dog

First domesticated in South-East Asia!

Donkey

First domesticated 5,000 years ago!

Dormouse

Found in Europe, Africa and Asia!

Dragonfly

It's larvae are carnivorous!

Duck

Rows of tiny plates line their teeth!

Dwarf Crocodile

Digs burrows in river banks to rest!

Earwig

There are nearly 2,000 different species!

Eastern Gorilla

The largest primate in the world!

Eastern Lowland Gorilla

Less than 5,000 in the wild!

Eel

Eels can be a mere few inches long to 13 feet!

Egyptian Mau

An ancient breed of domestic cat!

Elephant

Spends around 22 hours a day eating!

Elephant Shrew

Found exclusively on the African continent!

Falcon

The fastest creatures on the planet!

Fennec Fox

Found in the African Sahara Desert!

Flamingo

Sleeps on just one leg!

Fly

There are more than 240,000 different species!

Fossa

Most closely related to the Mongoose!

Fox

There are 12 different species in the world!

Frog

There are around 5,000 different species!

Gecko

There are thought to be over 2,000 species!

Gerbil

Originally known as the Desert Rat!

Giant African Land Snail

The biggest snail species on land!

Giraffe

Long, black tongue can grow to 18 inches long!

Glass Lizard

Can grow up to 4ft long!

Glow Worm

Found inhabiting dense woodland and caves!

Goat

Most closely related to the Sheep!

Golden Oriole

Migrates between Europe and Asia!

Gorilla

The biggest of the world's primates!

Grasshopper

There are 11,000 known species!

Green Bee-Eater

Mainly eats honeybees!

Grey Mouse Lemur

The largest species of mouse lemur!

Guinea Fowl

Found in a vairety of African habitats!

Hamster

Able to run as quickly backwards as forwards!

Hare

Can reach speeds of over 40 mph!

Hedgehog

Thought to be one of the oldest mammals on Earth!

Heron

Inhabits wetlands around the world!

Hippopotamus

Has pink anti-bacterial sweat!

Honey Badger

One of earth's bravest creatures!

Honey Bee

There are only 7 recognised species!

Hoopoe

Stunning bird with a stinky way to deter predators!

Hornbill

The bird has a massive horn on its bill!

Horse

Has evolved over 50 million years!

Human

Thought to have orignated 200,000 years ago!

Hyena

There are four different species!

Ibis

Found in swamps, marshes and wetlands!

Impala

Able to jump over 10 feet high

Indri

The largest species of Lemur!

Insects

There are an estimated 30 million species!

Jackal

Can maintain speeds of 16 km/h!

Jerboa

Tiny rodent with a kangaroo-like jump!

Kingfisher

Inhabits wetlands and woodlands worldwide!

Kudu

Lives in herds of up to 24 individuals!

Ladybug

There are more than 5,000 species worldwide!

Leaf-Tailed Gecko

Only found on Madagascar!

Lemur

Natively found on the island of Madagascar!

Leopard

Spends much of the time high in the trees!

Leopard Tortoise

The most widely distributed tortoise in Africa!

Liger

The offspring of a lion and tiger parents!

Lion

Lives in small groups called prides!

Lizard

There are around 5,000 different species!

Lungfish

The lungfish first evolved almost 400 million years ago.

Magpie

They are found across Europe, Asia and Africa!

Mandrill

Distinctively coloured noses and rumps!

Mayfly

There are 2,500 known species worldwide!

Meerkat

One will stand on guard to watch for predators!

Millipede

Some species have a poisonous bite!

Mole

Primarily hunts and feeds on Earthworms!

Monarch Butterfly

During migration, Monarch Butterflies may travel 250 or more miles each day.

Mongoose

Range in size from just 1 to 3 foot!

Mongrel

Has characteristics of two or more breeds!

Monitor Lizard

Some species are thought to carry a weak venom!

Monkey

There are around 260 known species!

Moorhen

Feeds on aquatic insects and water-spiders!

Moth

There are 250,000 different species!

Mountain Gorilla

Isolated populations found in the mountains!

Mouse

Found on every continent on Earth!

Mule

The offspring of a horse and donkey parents!

Nightingale

Named more than 1,000 years ago!

Okapi

Eats more than 100 different types of plant!

Ostrich

The largest bird in the world!

Otter

There are 13 different species worldwide

Pangolin

Bad eyesight, but great sense of smell

Parrot

Can live for up to 100 years!

Patas Monkey

The fastest species of primate in the world!

Peacock

Most commonly found on the Indian mainland!

Peregrine Falcon

Fastest animal on Earth

Pheasant

Females lay between 8 and 12 eggs per clutch!

Puss Moth

Caterpillars squirt formic acid!

Pygmy Hippopotamus

Spends more time on land than in water!

Quail

Inhabits woodland and forest areas worldwide!

Rabbit

There are more than 50 different species!

Radiated Tortoise

The most protected tortoise in the world!

Rat

Omnivores that eat anything!

Red Fox

The red fox actually has many different variations of fur, including silver and brown.

Rhinoceros

It's horns are made from keratin!

River Turtle

Inhabits freshwater habitats around the world!

Robin

There are more than 45 species in Australia alone!

Rock Hyrax

Actually related to Elephants and Manatees!

Scimitar-horned Oryx

Believed to be the inspiration for unicorn myths!

Scorpion

There are around 2,000 known species!

Seahorse

Males give birth to up to 1,000 offspring!

Serval

Can leap more than 1 meter into the air!

Shrimp

There are 2,000 different species worldwide!

Snail

There are nearly 1,000 different species!

Snake

There are around 2,700 known species worldwide

Sparrow

There are 140 different species!

Squirrel

Small rodents found in woodlands worldwide!

Stick Insect

There are more than 3,000 different species!

Swan

Populations have been affected by pollution!

Termite

Their mounds can be up to 9 meters tall!

Tortoise

Can live until they are more than 150 years old!

Tree Frog

Found in warmer jungles and forests!

Vervet Monkey

Rarely found more than 450m from trees!

Vulture

There are 30 different species worldwide!

Warthog

Has two sets of tusks on it's face!

Wasp

There are around 75,000 recognised species!

Water Buffalo

Has been domesticated for thousands of years!

Western Gorilla

There are two sub-species!

Western Lowland Gorilla

One of the great apes!

White Rhinoceros

The second largest animal on the land!

Wildebeest

Can trek more than 1,000 miles every year!

Wolf

Thought to date back more than 300,000 years!

Wolf Spider

Carnivorous arachnid that hunts its prey.

Woodlouse

Actually a crustacean, not an insect!

Woodpecker

There are 200 different species!

Xerus

Squirrel that lives in burrows in Africa.

Zebra

Stripe patterns are unique to each individual!

Zebu

There are around 75 different species!

Zonkey

The offspring of Zebra and Donkey parents!

Zorse

The offspring of a Zebra and Horse parents!

African Animals List

  • Aardvark
  • Abyssinian
  • African Bush Elephant
  • African Civet
  • African Clawed Frog
  • African Forest Elephant
  • African Palm Civet
  • African Penguin
  • African Tree Toad
  • African Wild Dog
  • Albatross
  • Ant
  • Antelope
  • Aye Aye
  • Baboon
  • Barb
  • Barn Owl
  • Basenji Dog
  • Bat
  • Beetle
  • Bichir
  • Bird
  • Black Rhinoceros
  • Black Widow Spider
  • Bongo
  • Bonobo
  • Buffalo
  • Bumblebee
  • Butterfly
  • Camel
  • Caracal
  • Cat
  • Caterpillar
  • Catfish
  • Chameleon
  • Cheetah
  • Chicken
  • Chimpanzee
  • Cichlid
  • Cockroach
  • Common Buzzard
  • Cow
  • Crab
  • Crane
  • Crocodile
  • Cross River Gorilla
  • Dog
  • Donkey
  • Dormouse
  • Dragonfly
  • Duck
  • Dwarf Crocodile
  • Earwig
  • Eastern Gorilla
  • Eastern Lowland Gorilla
  • Eel
  • Egyptian Mau
  • Elephant
  • Elephant Shrew
  • Falcon
  • Fennec Fox
  • Flamingo
  • Fly
  • Fossa
  • Fox
  • Frog
  • Gecko
  • Gerbil
  • Giant African Land Snail
  • Giraffe
  • Glass Lizard
  • Glow Worm
  • Goat
  • Golden Oriole
  • Gorilla
  • Grasshopper
  • Green Bee-Eater
  • Grey Mouse Lemur
  • Guinea Fowl
  • Hamster
  • Hare
  • Hedgehog
  • Heron
  • Hippopotamus
  • Honey Badger
  • Honey Bee
  • Hoopoe
  • Hornbill
  • Horse
  • Human
  • Hyena
  • Ibis
  • Impala
  • Indri
  • Insects
  • Jackal
  • Jerboa
  • Kingfisher
  • Kudu
  • Ladybug
  • Leaf-Tailed Gecko
  • Lemur
  • Leopard
  • Leopard Tortoise
  • Liger
  • Lion
  • Lizard
  • Lungfish
  • Magpie
  • Mandrill
  • Mayfly
  • Meerkat
  • Millipede
  • Mole
  • Monarch Butterfly
  • Mongoose
  • Mongrel
  • Monitor Lizard
  • Monkey
  • Moorhen
  • Moth
  • Mountain Gorilla
  • Mouse
  • Mule
  • Nightingale
  • Okapi
  • Ostrich
  • Otter
  • Pangolin
  • Parrot
  • Patas Monkey
  • Peacock
  • Peregrine Falcon
  • Pheasant
  • Puss Moth
  • Pygmy Hippopotamus
  • Quail
  • Rabbit
  • Radiated Tortoise
  • Rat
  • Red Fox
  • Rhinoceros
  • River Turtle
  • Robin
  • Rock Hyrax
  • Scimitar-horned Oryx
  • Scorpion
  • Seahorse
  • Serval
  • Shrimp
  • Snail
  • Snake
  • Sparrow
  • Squirrel
  • Stick Insect
  • Swan
  • Termite
  • Tortoise
  • Tree Frog
  • Vervet Monkey
  • Vulture
  • Warthog
  • Wasp
  • Water Buffalo
  • Western Gorilla
  • Western Lowland Gorilla
  • White Rhinoceros
  • Wildebeest
  • Wolf
  • Wolf Spider
  • Woodlouse
  • Woodpecker
  • Xerus
  • Zebra
  • Zebu
  • Zonkey
  • Zorse

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