Animal Adventures Africa

Animal Adventures
Africa

Africa is the world’s second largest continent after Asia and is home to over one million species of animals. With almost 12 million square miles of deserts, tropical rain forests, and savannas, Africa is best known for the “Big Five”. The Big Five game animals include the Lion, Leopard, Rhinoceros, Elephant, and Cape Buffalo. Several species are vulnerable or endangered due to hunting and poaching. The endangered animals in Africa include the Pangolin, White Rhino, Black Rhino, Rothschild Giraffe, Okapi, and the Grey Crowned Crane. The Lion, Cheetah, Leopard, and African Forest Elephant are all vulnerable species and must be protected.

Aardvark

Aardvarks have large front claws which allow them to dig as deep as 2 feet (0.6m) in just 15 seconds. Not only does this allow them to get access to termites and ants underground, it also is a method of protection. Aardvarks can dig holes and cover themselves in...

African Elephant

The adult African elephant’s trunk, which is actually its nose and upper lip, is about 7 feet (2m) long and serves many different purposes. Like other noses, it’s used for smelling, but elephants also use their trunks to suck up water to drink and grab onto...

Aye-Aye

Aye-ayes spend their days sleeping in tree branches and are only active at night. They have extra long bondy middle fingers that can turn 360 degrees in order to dig inside trees for insects and scoop the pulp out of food. Aye-ayes are also able to locate insects...

Bottlenose Dolphin

Bottlenose dolphins are highly communicative and use a combination of vocal communication and body language. Each dolphin even creates its own unique whistle when it’s born that it uses to identify itself. Bottlenose dolphins are very social and have been observed...

Bull Shark

Like other sharks, bull sharks need to constantly have salt in their bodies in order to survive, which is why they only live in saltwater. But bull sharks have special adaptations that help them store salt in their bodies, giving them the ability to spend some...

Caracal

Caracals live in very dry environments such as savannas and woodlands. They have adapted to these dry conditions by requiring very little hydration and being able to get all the fluid they need from their prey. They also are able to cope with the heat by sleeping...

Chameleon

Chameleons are best known for their ability to change color, which they’re able to do by expanding pigment filled cells that are underneath their top layer of skin. They use this ability to blend in with their environment, which is why chameleons that live in trees...

Common Octopus

Because octopi don't have skeletons they are able to manipulate their bodies to fit into super tight spaces. In addition to their malleability they are also able to change colors in order to camouflage with their environment. When hiding and blending in aren’t...

Dung Beetle

There are three categories of dung beetle based on how they use dung. Tunnelers bury their dung, dwellers live in piles of it, and rollers roll it into big balls. Sometimes after a beetle rolls a ball of dung, other beetles will try to steal it from...

Fennec fox

Fennec foxes are well adapted to the desert environments that they live in. Their big batlike ears radiate heat to keep cool and their thick fur coats provide protection from the harsh sun and work as insulation during the cold nights. Fennec foxes are able to jump...