The African Little Five

So everyone has heard of the big five. Famed as the most dangerous animals to hunt back when Africa was full of pith helmets and well groomed moustaches, they are the elephant, black rhino, leopard, buffalo and lion.

Well, how many of you have heard of the little five? The lesser known relatives aren’t quite so dangerous but can be just as interesting.

Antlion

The Antlion is also known as a doodlebug in north America due to the patterns it makes in the sand while looking for a good place to build its traps. The Antlion is the larvae stage of a flying insect that looks like a dragonfly and is known as an Antlion Lacewing. Antlions dig little pits about 2 inches deep and wait at the bottom covered in sand with the aim of catching small insects such as ants. Once an insect has fallen into the pit, it is very hard for them to crawl out and they end up sliding into the bottom into the waiting jaws of the antlion.

Buffalo Weaver

There are 2 types of Buffalo Weaver; the Black Buffalo Weaver or White-Headed Buffalo Weaver. Both are found in dry areas and are very common especially in East Africa. Weaver Birds are so named because the impressive and detailed nests that they make but The Buffalo Weaver is famous for letting down its species with some very messy nests. Their large communal nests have several side-entrances and are usually made of sticks and thorns. They mainly eat grass seeds, small insects, and small fruits. They are a loud and social bird with a range of cackles and calls that are easily identifiable.

Elephant Shrew

Elephant Shrews are also known as jumping shrews. Even though they look similar, they are actually not shrews. Their name comes from their long trunk-like noses and scientists have recently discovered the Elephant Shrew may actually be more closely related to elephants than shrews. They can grow up to 30 cm and have relatively long legs which they use to hop about looking for food. Their little trunks are quite flexible and can be twisted to sniff out insects, which they then flick into their mouths using their tongues. They are found across southern Africa, and can be live in almost any type of habitat.

Leopard Tortoise

Leopard Tortoises are so named due to the beautiful leopard like patterns on their shell. They live up to 100 years old and are found throughout southern Africa, mostly in dry, grassy areas. Leopard Tortoises are the fourth largest species of tortoise in the world reaching up to 40 pounds. They are often found living in holes that have been abandoned by other animals. They are herbivorous and eat mainly grass and succulents such as cactus plants.

Rhino Beetle

The Rhino beetle is a large insect belonging to the scarab beetle family. There are over 300 known species of Rhino Beetles and they are found throughout southern Africa. They can grow up to 6 cm long but are harmless and cannot bite or sting. The males have a large horn which they use to fight other males and to dig for food. Rhino beetles are among the strongest living creatures in the world in proportion to their body weight.

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