African big five facts for kids

The phrase African Big Five is a special name that was first used by hunters. It refers to the five animals in Africa that were considered the most challenging to hunt on foot. Today, this term is still popular in travel guides and during wildlife safaris.

The Big Five include the lion, the African elephant, the African Buffalo, the leopard, and the rhinoceros (either the black rhinoceros or the white rhinoceros). These animals were chosen for the list because of how difficult they were to hunt, not because of their size. That's why the leopard is on the list, but the huge hippopotamus is not.

A group called Safari Club International offers a special award for hunters who have successfully hunted all five species. It's called the "African Big Five Grand Slam."

These five animals are also known for being powerful and sometimes dangerous:

• The Lion (Panthera leo) is a large meat-eating cat found in Africa and parts of India. It has a short, yellowish-brown coat and a tufted tail. Male lions have a thick mane around their neck and shoulders.
• The African elephant is a very large herbivore (plant-eater). It has thick, almost hairless skin, a long, flexible trunk, and long, curved tusks made of ivory. Its ears are large and fan-shaped. There are two main types of African elephants: the African Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) and the African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana).
• The African Buffalo or Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large horned animal related to cattle. Some say it's the most dangerous of the Big Five, causing the most hunter deaths.
• The Leopard (Panthera pardus) is a large, meat-eating cat. It usually has yellowish-brown fur with dark, rosette-like spots, or sometimes black fur. Leopards can be tricky to find because they often hunt at night.
• The Rhinoceros is a large, thick-skinned, plant-eating animal with one or two upright horns on its snout. In Africa, there are two types of rhinoceros: the Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) and the White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). Both of these species have two horns on their snout.

In 1990, South African rand banknotes were released, with a different Big Five animal featured on each one.

You can find all five of these amazing animals in countries like South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, and Botswana. However, it can be quite hard to spot a Rhinoceros in Botswana these days.

Conservation status

The conservation status tells us how much a species is at risk of disappearing. If we consider the white rhinoceros as part of the Big Five, then the group doesn't include any species that are currently listed as "endangered" (meaning they are in great danger of extinction).

However, the lion and the African bush elephant are classified as "vulnerable." This means they are at risk of becoming endangered in the future. The African forest elephant's status was not fully evaluated as of 2008. African buffalo are considered "conservation dependent," meaning they need ongoing efforts to protect them. The leopard and white rhinoceros are currently of "least concern," which is good news for their populations.

Images for kids

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  Lion (Panthera leo)

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  African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)

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  African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer)

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  Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)

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  Leopard (Panthera pardus)