The largest black continent is home to the wild animals of Africa where you are bound to find some of the most incredible creatures the world has to offer. While some of these animals are already en-route to extinction, Africa presents the largest, fastest and some of the most bizarre animals on the planet. For years, humans have tried to demystify and establish some interesting facts about the animals of Africa but in the process, it was discovered that not only are some facts interesting but some others are weird and are hard to take in. Keep reading to see some of the most amazing and intriguing facts about African animals; some of which are part of their lifestyle, feeding habits, survival strategies while some others are more like sheer endowment of natural and man-made changes affecting animals.
Facts About Animals of Africa
1. About the largest African animal and the biggest living animal in the world, the Elephants have not maintained this feat by being idle but by eating as if all depends on feeding. This animal can eat for up to 23 hours a day.
2. The rhino is one of the heaviest animals and is deceptively one of the greatest killers among animals of Africa. While the horn is as strong as its jaws, the horn is made of compacted hair and is the only animal with a horn that lacks a bony structure.
3. Talking about feeding, the African black rhino has an average weight of 850 to 1,600 kg (1,900 to 3,500 lb), exceptionally to 1,800 kg (4,000 lb) and stands 1.50–1.75 m (59–69 in) high at the shoulder and is 3.5–3.9 m (11–13 ft) in length, however, this animal is capable of producing dung equivalent of its weight in only 2 days.
4. Camels are usually used for transport across the deserts and dry lands as they have the most amazing adaptation for such purpose. Camels have 3 eyelids which serve the purpose of protecting their eyes from blowing dust and sand. They are also able to produce milk that does not curdle.
5. The Chinese were once able to drive hunting to the extremes by using lions for hunting. The big cats were trained in such a way to pursue and kill various animals but especially the larger ones like bears and bulls. They would stay with their kill until the hunter arrived.
6. Lions are highly territorial and the roar of one can be so loud that it is heard up to 5 miles away. Such roar comes with the purpose of sending signals to locate members of their pride or to ward off intruding visitors.
7. An intriguing trick of nature played on the Zebras, an interesting African animal with black and white stripes is such that no 2 zebras on the planet have identical stripes and as far as science can tell, the orange colour does not exist in the zebras colour index making Zebras incapable of seeing the orange colour.
8. Ostriches lay the largest known eggs measuring between 6 and 8 inches long with a thick shell. You would have to cook it for more than 45 minutes for it to become hard-boiled.
9. Elephants are like other mammals that carry their young in the womb and nurse them when they are born but are unlike other mammals since they carry their pregnancy for almost 2 years (an average of 22 months).
10. Ostriches are the largest birds on earth but are incapable of flying, however, what they lost in flying, they made up for in running averaging speeds of up to 45 miles per hour and can run for 30 minutes at speeds of 30 miles per hour.
11. Elephants have various capabilities and are equally good swimmers. Elephants have been found swimming miles away from the Indian Ocean.
12. A giraffe the tallest animal on Earth and can reach heights of up to 5 meters. Giraffes also have the highest known blood pressure with values of up to 300mmHg.
13. Hippos have massive tongues measuring about 2 feet wide and is enclosed in a mouth that can open more than 4 feet wide.
14. Most animals of Africa migrate in groups that are called different names, for instance, a group of hippos is regarded as a bloat, a group of hyenas is regarded as a cackle. Ambush or a streak is used to refer to a group of tigers. A group of elephants is called a parade. A tower refers to a group of giraffes, a group of rhinos is called a crash, a group of zebras is called a crossing while a group of gorillas is called a band.
15. Chimps can learn to recognize themselves in the mirror and be taught to use some basic human sign language. They can also use stones to break open tasty nuts and utilize leaves as sponges to soak up water.