{"id":3970,"date":"2019-01-18T16:21:37","date_gmt":"2019-01-18T20:21:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/?p=3970"},"modified":"2019-01-18T16:21:37","modified_gmt":"2019-01-18T20:21:37","slug":"big-five-spot-africas-sought-after-species","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/big-five-spot-africas-sought-after-species","title":{"rendered":"The Big Five: How to spot Africa\u2019s most sought-after species"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the Big Five? Originally, it was a term used by hunters to describe the most dangerous game to track and kill. Today, safari companies have borrowed the term to attract tourists, who travel far and wide to get the chance to spot some of Africa\u2019s biggest animals. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two of the most popular locations to do this are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/educational-tours\/best-of-south-africa.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/educational-tours\/tanzania.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tanzania<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where these animals tend to roam.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you go on safari, a guide will know the best places to see the animals and will help you spot them, but it never hurts to come prepared. Here are some tips for spotting the Big Five on safari, and what you should know about them when you do:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Lion2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-8630 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Lion2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"700\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #364b8c;\"><b>African lion<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are only about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mnn.com\/earth-matters\/animals\/blogs\/how-many-lions-are-left-in-the-wild\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">20,000 lions left<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the world, so if you get to spot one on safari, it\u2019s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that your children or grandchildren might not get to have. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s what to know before you spot them: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most of the lions you see will be in groups of about 15, and most of those will be female. Nomads do exist, though, so you can\u2019t rule out seeing a male on its own. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lions are inactive about 20 hours a day. If you see them out and about, you\u2019re catching them at a rare moment of activity. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They eat giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and other prey animals. You can sometimes tell a lion is near by seeing a group of prey animals stop and stare. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unless they\u2019re hunting, you\u2019re unlikely to see a lion run. They conserve energy, preferring to sneak up on prey and then run in short bursts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The lion\u2019s roar can be heard from five miles away. If you don\u2019t see one, you might hear one. \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-8633 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Leopard2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"700\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #364b8c;\"><b>African leopard<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like lions, leopards are a vulnerable species due to hunting and a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/news.nationalgeographic.com\/2016\/05\/160504-leopard-range-shrinks-endangered-subspecies\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">loss of habitat<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. There might be about 100,000 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/2016\/may\/04\/leopards-have-lost-75-percent-of-historical-habitat\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">left in the wild<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Africa, though estimates vary. Several subspecies of leopard are critically endangered, though the African leopard is still widespread, and there\u2019s hope that they can bounce back as a species. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to spot a leopard:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Know that they come in two colors: brown with spots, and black. The spotted ones will be harder to see, as this allows them to blend in with the environment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though they\u2019re widespread, the leopard might be the hardest of the Big Five to spot since they\u2019re nocturnal, meaning they\u2019re only active at night. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They\u2019re also solitary. You\u2019re very unlikely to see more than one leopard at a time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you do see a leopard during the day, it will probably be up in a tree. Leopards rest in trees during the day, and also <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/earth\/story\/20170420-leopards-often-eat-their-lunch-sitting-in-trees-heres-why\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hold their kill in trees<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to protect from scavengers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cubs stay with their mothers for two years, so if you\u2019re <i>really <\/i>lucky, you can spot two leopards together.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-8634 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Rhino2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"700\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #364b8c;\">Black rhinoceros<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Black rhinos are critically endangered. There are only a few thousand (or fewer) left, due in part to poaching, as their horns are in high demand. Several subspecies have already been declared extinct, and the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2018\/03\/20\/africa\/kenya-northern-white-rhino-dies-whats-next\/index.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">last male northern white rhino died<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s some info that could help you spot one:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thomsonsafaris.com\/blog\/difference-between-black-and-white-rhinos\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Black rhinos aren\u2019t black<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; they\u2019re actually brown\/gray.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They\u2019re solitary animals, though like the leopard, mothers will travel with their calves for a period, usually around three years. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They\u2019re herbivorous, mostly eating from trees and bushes, and grazing on grass. They like to hang out in the shade, near water, and in mud.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Black rhinos are <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">very <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">aggressive, and they\u2019re known to charge, in part due to their poor eyesight. They\u2019re also huge \u2014 they can weigh up to 3,000 pounds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you do see one, you\u2019re most likely to see the south-central black rhino, which is the most widespread, especially in South Africa. Even this subspecies, though, only has a population of about 2,000.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-8635 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Elephant2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"700\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #364b8c;\"><b>African elephant<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephants are vulnerable due to hunting and habitat loss. Though their population loss isn\u2019t as egregious as rhinos, lions, or leopards, their numbers are still <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/news.nationalgeographic.com\/2016\/08\/wildlife-african-elephants-population-decrease-great-elephant-census\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dwindling at an alarming rate<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. They might be the most sought-out of the Big Five for tourists, and are no doubt the most majestic. If you see one, put down your phone and take solace in the fact that <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/mentalfloss.com\/article\/52381\/it-true-elephants-never-forget\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">they might remember you<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What to know about elephants:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You know that elephants are huge. Weighing in at up to seven tons, they\u2019re the largest land animal in the world. So if you see one, you\u2019ll know.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll also see several at once: Elephants travel in herds with 6 to 70 members. Some males do go solo, though. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephants are herbivores: You\u2019ll likely see them roaming or eating grass, leaves, or shoots. Due to their size, they don\u2019t sleep much and instead spend 12-18 hours a day eating up to 500 pounds of vegetables.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephants like to stay near water sources, since they drink up to 50 gallons a day and spray themselves with water to stay cool.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They can <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wnet\/nature\/unforgettable-elephants-crack-the-code-of-elephant-communication\/5885\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">communicate over wide ranges<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and you may hear the sounds of elephants up to six miles away.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sidenote about elephants: They have no predators other than humans. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bornfree.org.uk\/ivory-trade\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Never buy ivory<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-8632 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Buff2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"700\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #364b8c;\"><b>Cape buffalo<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, some good news. The cape buffalo is not endangered at all, though they are sought out by trophy hunters due to their reputation as dangerous game. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s how to spot them:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First of all, note that cape buffalo are very dangerous. You might think of the sharp-toothed predators as the ones you should avoid, but buffalo charge at 35 miles per hour, and by some estimates, kill up to 200 people a year. It\u2019s always important to follow the directions of a safari guide, but definitely avoid encountering a buffalo.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They travel in herds of related females and their calves, or small herds of bachelor males. The herds are very tight-knit, and buffalo are known to protect each other.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They prefer to be near water, and spend most of the day grazing on grasses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They have very distinctive curved horns that meet in a base called a \u201cboss,\u201d and have coats ranging from reddish-brown to black.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If it\u2019s your dream to see one (or all) of these animals in the wild, you\u2019re in luck: Our tours to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/educational-tours\/best-of-south-africa.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/educational-tours\/tanzania.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tanzania<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> both include safari trips! <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What are the Big Five? Originally, it was a term used by hunters to describe the most dangerous game to track and kill. Today, safari companies have borrowed the term to attract tourists, who travel far and wide to get the chance to spot some of Africa\u2019s biggest animals. Two of the most popular locations <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/big-five-spot-africas-sought-after-species\">Read More &#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3971,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173,63,172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3970","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-parents","category-students","category-teachers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3970","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3970"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3970\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3972,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3970\/revisions\/3972"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3971"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3970"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3970"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}