The Big

Five
 5. Rhinos
Rhinos have poor vision and will sometimes attack trees and rocks by accident.
However, their hearing and sense of smell are excellent, thus often making up
for their poor eyesight. The rhino is the most endangered species of the Big
Five. Rhino poaching worldwide hit a 15-year high in 2009. The illegal trade is
being driven by an Asian demand for horns, made worse by increasingly
sophisticated poachers who are now using veterinary drugs, poison, cross bows
and high caliber weapons to kill rhinos. Very few rhinos now survive outside
national parks and reserves. There are two species—the black rhinoceros and
the white rhinoceros—and five subspecies between them left in Africa. Those
include the northern white rhino, the southern white rhino, the eastern black
rhino, the southern central black rhino, and the southwestern black rhino.All
are huge, with a top weight of 5,000 pounds and horns that can grow up to five
feet long.

1. Leopards
The leopard is nocturnal, solitary and secretive, staying hidden during the day.
They are the least seen of the Big Five. Leopards are excellent at climbing trees.
They’ll often safeguard their kill in a tree to prevent lions and hyenas from
stealing it. They are also strong swimmers and occasionally eat fish and crabs.
Speaking of spots, most leopards are light-colored, with distinctive dark spots
that are called rosettes. Black leopards, which appear to be almost solid in
color because their spots are hard to distinguish, are commonly called black
panthers.
 2. Buffalo
Buffalo’s primary predator is the lion. Buffalo will try to rescue another
member who has been caught. They have been observed killing a lion after it
has killed a member of the group. The African buffalo is not believed to be
closely related to the water buffalo even though they superficially resemble
each other. And unlike the water buffalo, the dangerous African buffalo has
never been domesticated. These hefty, cow-like animals often congregate by
the thousands in the Serengeti; forming large groups is one defense against
predators. Male and female buffalo both have horns, but the males’ curve
upward and fuse together in the center, forming a solid bony plate called a
boss. It’s a helpful defense—as is being more than three times heavier than
their lion adversaries.

3. Elephants
African elephants communicate across large distances at a low frequency that
cannot be heard by humans. Many plant species have evolved seeds that are
dependent on passing through an elephant's digestive tract before they can
germinate. At least one third of tree species in West African forests rely on
elephants in this way for dissemination. The biggest of the Big Five is the
African savanna elephant, which can weigh up to seven tons. The African forest
elephant, which is about three feet shorter and lives in the forests of the Congo
Basin, was declared a separate species after genetic testing in 2010 showed big
differences between the forest and savanna dwellers.

4. Lion
Typically, the darker a lion’s mane, the older he is. Lions are the only social big
cat, but don’t expect to see the king. There isn’t one. These big cats are “not
born into a rank,” Borrego says. “They are egalitarian, which means they don’t
have a permanent social hierarchy.” One male may be dominant over the
others, but that can change at any time.
What is the Big Five?

The term, coined in the late 1800s during Africa’s

colonial period, refers to what trophy hunters
considered the most challenging and dangerous
animals to hunt on foot.