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Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Rhinos, and Buffalo: They Are Africa's Animal

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Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Rhinos, and Buffalo: They Are Africa's Animal Africa’s and Little Five BIG Elephant and Elephant Shrew African elephants (left) are the largest land animals on Earth, and their trunks are sized to match. But there’s another African mammal with a super-long, super- useful nose: the elephant shrew (below). Like an elephant’s trunk, an elephant shrew’s nose is flexible and can twist around to search for food. But for the elephant shrew, that food isn’t an elephant treat such as tree bark or leaves. It’s insects! A full-grown elephant shrew is only about 6 inches long. Fourteen of them standing head-to- tail would be as long as an elephant’s trunk! by Hannah Schardt Elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, and buffalo: They are Africa’s animal superstars. But for each BIG animal, there’s a much smaller African animal that shares part of its name. 22 TONY HEALD/NPL/MINDEN PICTURES (22-23); RALPH H. BENDJEBAR/DANITADELIMONT.COM (23B) 23 Lion and Antlion Leopard and Lions (left) are master Leopard Tortoise hunters—able to catch It’s hard to imagine and kill large, speedy two animals less alike prey such as antelope. than the leopard (left) But you don’t have to be and leopard tortoise big to be a great hunter. (below). Leopards are See the fierce-looking famously fast: They jaws on the insect be- can run more than 35 low? They belong to an miles per hour. And antlion, the larval (LAR- they are top-notch vul), or young, form of a hunters that can drag dragonfly-like insect. large prey right up into Some kinds of ant- trees. Leopard tortois- lions even use traps to es are much slower. catch their favorite meals: And they eat mostly ants. They dig funnel- grass and other plants. shaped pits in sand, What these two bury themselves at the species do have in bottom, and wait. When common are spots— an ant falls into one of and for good reason. these traps, the antlion In the savannas, or uses its sharp jaws to grasslands, where pierce the ant’s body. both of them live, their Then it sucks out the spotted bodies help body’s fluids. That may them blend into the not make it king of the shadows. jungle, but it does make it king of the sandpit. ) R jaws ; ANDY ROUSE/NATUREPL.COM (25L); WINFRIED > J.-L. KLEIN & M.-L. HUBERT/BIOSPHOTO (24L); BILL BEATTY BEATTY BILL (24L); HUBERT/BIOSPHOTO M.-L. & KLEIN J.-L. (24R) WISNIEWSKI/FOTO NATURA/MINDEN(25 PICTURES 24 25 Rhinoceros and Buffalo and Rhinoceros Beetle Buffalo Weaver Can you guess why the These two don’t look or beetle below is named act alike. So why do they after the rhinoceros? share part of a name? The answer is as plain Because they spend a as the horn on its face. lot of time together. The rhinoceros beetle In Africa, herds of and the black rhinoc- Cape buffalo (right) eros (right) are both roam across miles and known for their im- miles of grassland, kick- pressive horns. What’s ing up insects as they surprising is that these walk. Robin-sized buf- two very different ani- falo weavers (below) mals use their horns in follow along behind, almost the same ways! gobbling up the bugs. Black rhinos use Cape buffalo are huge their horns to dig for and pretty tough. A roots to eat. Rhinoc- herd of buffalo can fight eros beetles also dig off—and perhaps even with their horns, but to kill—an attacking lion. bury themselves under But for the little buffalo leaves or dirt to hide weavers that follow the from danger. And the herds around, a big buf- two “rhinos” use their falo is no threat. In fact, horns to fight off rivals it’s a meal ticket! = and impress mates. In both species, a large horn is a sign of a strong, healthy animal. MICHELE MENEGON/ARDEA/ANIMALS ANIMALS WITHERS/FLPA/MINDEN B. MARTIN (26L); PICTURES (26R); UNLIMITED VISUALS JOE MCDONALD/ (27L); SHEM COMPION/TOM STACK & ASSOCIATES (27R) 26 27.
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