Big Five Basics

The ultimate in wildlife sighting, the animals of the Big Five are known for their power, majesty and size. These attributes are one of the main reasons that they were such a sort after trophy; due to this hunting, as well as poaching and habitat loss, their populations are not what they once were. Today, getting to spot the Big Five in the wild is a rare and unforgettable moment, something to be treasured for a lifetime.

Let’s look at each of the Big Five animals in more detail:

Lions

The kings and queens of the savanna, and the wide variety of other habitats they can be found in, the highly adaptable lion is Africa’s largest carnivore and possibly its most lethargic – they sleep up to 20 hours a day. As the only social members of the ‘big cats’, lions live in prides of (mostly) related females, while male lions come and go as they please. The lionesses are the hunters and take responsibility for the pride’s cubs.  

Although considered to be the symbol of Africa, lions are listed as a vulnerable species due to human-wildlife conflict, prey decline, habitat loss, climate change and the wildlife trade. As the top predators of the grasslands, desert or open woodland, they play a crucial role in the balance of their environment – protecting them means everything can thrive.

Leopards

Elusive and shy, spotting a leopard on safari is a real treat! Built to climb, they often haul their dinner (things like gazelle and antelope) up into trees where they can eat in peace. They can also hunt from the trees, their spotted coat offering excellent camouflage among the leaves, their strength and agility ideal for pouncing from above. Females usually have two cubs, who stay with them for two years learning all the tricks of hunting and surviving; otherwise leopards live a solitary life, sleeping during the day and hunting and patrolling their territory at night.

Like lions, leopards are extremely adaptable and can be found in a wide range of habitats, including forests, grasslands and mountains and, like lions, are a vulnerable species for many of the same reasons – habitat loss, wildlife trade, poaching and human-leopard conflict.

African Elephants

The world’s largest land mammal, the African elephant is an incredibly charismatic and intelligent animal. Living up to 60 years and weighing up to 6,000kg, despite their enormity, they can still run faster than people. Found across Africa, in forest and desert, on grassland and the savanna, they are known to have remarkable communication skills, making us of a wide array of sounds, movements and rumbles to ‘talk’ to their herd. Family units tend to consist of around 10 females and their calves, with bull elephants only appearing during mating time. Family groups can join up with others to form a large clan, led by a matriarch.

African elephants are endangered, the global ivory trade long a huge factor, as well as habitat loss and human-elephant conflict. Conservation work to protect them includes monitoring herds, training community rangers, mitigating conflict and supporting initiatives that bring a livelihood to local communities. Population growth in places like Kenya and Botswana show just how effective these projects can be.

Rhinoceros

There are two species of rhinoceros in Africa, the black rhino and the white rhino. Traditionally, only the black rhino made the Big Five list, but since becoming a safari bucket-list, both are included. You’ll find black rhinos dispersed across southern and eastern Africa, while white rhinos are mainly in southern Africa, eating the vegetation of grasslands and savanna. A rhinoceros horn, for which they are so famous, is made entirely of keratin, the same protein found in human hair and fingernails; it is this that is so coveted for medicinal purposes that most subspecies of rhino have been driven to critically endangered status.

When out on safari, you are most likely to spot a southern white rhino, a near threatened subspecies. They are a conservation success story, their numbers increasing significantly due to a successful efforts, and although just a fraction of the population that once was, your chances of seeing one are excellent. 

Cape Buffalo

A behemoth of the grasslands, Cape buffalo travel in large herds across a variety of habitats in sub-Saharan Africa. Perhaps surprisingly, they are notoriously ill-tempered and considered the most dangerous of the Big Five due to their unpredictability and aggression; as a herd they are particularly good at defending themselves, forming tight groups to fend off predators, including lions. They have a caring side too, however, and have been seen to cuddle and groom each other within their herds.

Cape buffalo spend their days grazing on grass in herds of 50 to 500. They are the only species in the Big Five that is considered ‘least concern’, with a wild population of just under a million individuals. Any sightings of this majestic species are bound to impress!

Where to See the Big Five

While you can see individual members of the Big Five all across sub-Saharan Africa, seeing all five of them in one destination, even on one safari, is a rare win and can often depend on your luck on the day! The most reliable places to see all five include South Africa’s Kruger National Park, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park in Botswana, each a world-class safari destinations in its own right.

How to See the Big Five with Wendy Wu Tours

Wendy Wu Tours offers tours that include Kruger National Park, the Serengeti and Maasai Mara, Ngorongoro Crater and Chobe National Park for spectacular safari experiences. You can see those tours below.