South Africa 2009

The Lion	The lion (Panthera leo) is the second-largest living cat after the tiger. They typically inhabit savanna and grassland, and are unusually social animals, unlike all other cats. A pride of lions consists of related females and offspring and a small number of adult males. Groups of female lions typically hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. The lion is an apex predator, although they will resort to scavenging if the opportunity arises. Visually, the male is highly distinctive and is easily recognized by its mane. His role is to protect the pride and father as many cubs as he can. Cubs live a dangerous life and have many enemies including other male lions who will kill them in order to mate with the lionesses. The lionesses are the hunters for their pride and capture their prey with precise and complex teamwork allowing them to bring down the largest of prey, even elephants on rare occassions. They generally kill their prey by blocking the airflow with a prolonged bite to the neck and adhere to a stricked social order large dominant males getting to feed first. Cubs are protected when their mother hunts in a cresh wich is suppervised by another adult.
The Elephant	Elephants (Elephantidae) are the largest land animals alive today. The elephant's gestation period is 22 months, the longest of any land animal. An elephant may live as long as 70 years, sometimes longer and they generally have no natural predators, although lions may take calves and occasionally adults. They live in family groups dominated by an old female and are very protective of each other. Bulls are generally solitary but sometimes live in small batchelor heards. Elephants have been known to attack and kill people and bulls are extreemly dangerous, particularly when in must, a highly sexed state of temporary madness. They can run faster than man and are inteligent and unpredictable. They will often mock charge in a show of strength but on occasions they like to let everyone know who is boss. Elephants roam over vast areas often walking well worn tracks to old watering holes. It is this ability that gives rise to the elephants powers of memory. Their ivory is highly valued and tusks size is often a sign of age. However some males lack tusks and these animals are the most aggresive. as they have a point to prove to other more well endowed bulls.
The Rhino	Two species of Rhinoceros ( Rhinocerotidae ) are native to Africa. The Black Rhinoceros are critically endangered while the White is registered as Vulnerable. They are capable of reaching one ton or more in weight and have a herbivorous diet; and a thick protective skin.The White Rhino is the larger of the two using it's wide lips to nip grasses and other grond vegitation. White is deriverd from the Afrikaans word wide and is not an indication of colour as both the Rhino species are the same colour. It is a more placid and sociable animal than it's aggresive Black cousin. The Black Rhino is generally solitary and can be identified by its prehensile top lip, that it uses to strip leaves from bushes and trees. The rhino is prized for its horn which is made of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails, but the horn is not itself made of hair as previously believed. The Rhino has a relatively small brain for a mammal but acute hearing and sense of smell. Its poor eyesight can make it dangerous if surprised but its behaviour is generally predictable. Most live to be about 60 years old or more.
The Leopard	The leopard (Panthera pardus) has relatively short legs and a long body, with a large skull. Its fur is marked with rosettes which lack internal spots, unlike those of the Cheetah which are solid. The species' success in the wild owes in part to its opportunistic hunting behaviour, its adaptability to a variety of habitats and its ability to move at up to approximately sixty kilometres (37 miles) an hour. The leopard consumes virtually any animal it can hunt down and catch and can lift a kill larger than itself into trees and out of the reach of other predators. Some leopards with dark fur and dark spots are commonly known as Black panthers but these are rare in Africa and tend to be forest dwellers. All leopards are cunning and aggresive, able to takle other larges predators in defense of their kills, but animals that live in groups pose a threat through superior numbers and the cats strength and climbing skills are often its saviour. Troops of Baboons are a constant danger and large males will often try to kill a leaopard if one is found in their territory. Th leopard is a solitary animal unless with cubs and very difficult to see in the wild. Getting a picture of a Leopard is the ultimate challenge to anyone on safari.
The Buffalo	The African Buffalo or Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is one of the most successful grazers in Africa. Known as "Black Death", the Buffalo is widely regarded as a very dangerous animal and wounded animals have been reported to ambush and attack pursuers. When chased by predators a herd will stick close together and make it hard for the predators to pick off one member, with calves gathered in the middle. Buffalo will try to rescue a calf in distress and its call will get the attention of not only the mother but also the herd. They will engage in mobbing behavior when fighting off predators. Buffalo have few predators and are capable of defending themselves against (and sometimes killing) lions. Herds of buffalo will reduce grass level to the height that is preferred by selective grazers. Buffalo do not stay on trampled or depleted areas for long. Herd size is highly variable and ruled by a dominant bull who is recognizable by the thickness of his horns. Lone bulls are very unpredictable and are responsible for many human deaths each year.