Once isolated and mostly unknown, what was formerly Africa’s largest country, Sudan, contains nearly 1.9 million square kilometers of territory. The great Nile River flows south to north through a land that is relatively lush in the south and a barren desert in the north.
Animals Native To Sudan
Animals native to Sudan include many of the most commonly known African species such as lions, elephants, giraffes, and rhinoceros. Large herds of African buffalo and various antelope species are present, including many types of gazelles, kudu, and the famous but now endangered Nubian Ibex with its signature corkscrew horns.
The apex predators such as lion, leopard, and cheetah are matched by the many canine carnivores such as the African wild dog, spotted and striped hyena, and Asiatic and black-backed jackal. As many as 9 primate species are found in Sudan, including the wide-ranging baboon and chimpanzee. Sudan is also something of a paradise for bat species, with at least 62 distinct varieties having been identified.
Unusual Animals Of Sudan
Unusual species found in Sudan include the rabbit-like hyrax and 3 types of pangolins, better known in China than in Africa. Two types of highly endangered African wildlife are found on game preserves but no longer in the wild. These are the forest-dwelling antelope known as a Bongo and the highly-endangered grassland dwelling Scimitar-horned Oryx, which is thought to be the creature of origin for unicorn horns in ancient times.
The animals in Sudan also comprise a large number of rodent species and many small predators such as polecats, foxes, wild cats, and civets. One species of zebra is found as well as three shrews and one member of the aardvark family.
Dangerous Sudanese Animals
Among the dangerous Sudanese animals are the large feline species of lion, leopard, and cheetah, as well as the many organized canine pack species such as hyena and jackal.
Extinct Animals in Sudan
Chief among the extinct animals in Sudan are the Northern White Rhinoceros, while the ibex, oryx, and chimpanzee are approaching that status within the country of Sudan itself although captive populations remain elsewhere.