The “Big Five” is probably the most popular phrase in the African safari jargon.
More often than not, the first thing a safari newbie will tell you is: “I want to see the big five animals”. Almost as if it was the only thing “worthwhile” in the bush.
Or people will return from a safari saying, “I saw the big five”.
While this is the most popular term in the safari industry, it has a bitter history and makes the African savannah seem a very simple place.
So what makes them so “special”? And are they even the biggest?
In Africa, the big five safari animals are magnificent sightings. There are many fascinating things to know about these mighty mammals, so let’s find out more below.
What Are the Big Five Animals?
Can you name the big five animals?
The big five are the African elephant (Loxodonta africana), the African buffalo (also known as the Cape buffalo; Syncerus caffer), the rhinoceros (Black rhino = Diceros bicornis; White rhino = Ceratotherium simum), the lion (Panthera leo), and the elusive leopard (Panthera pardus).
And no: they’re not defined as “big” because of their size. Otherwise, creatures such as the hippopotamus or super-tall giraffe would have made it on the list.
Why Are They Called the Big Five?
Historically, the big five got their fame because they were the most sought-after hunting trophies. And not just because their heads appeared most impressive after a visit to the taxidermist.
Simply put, the big five were the most dangerous African animals to hunt on foot. They’re very difficult to maneuver around and are highly unpredictable.
Most importantly, these five are the only animals that charge and fight back against guns.
So, as colonialists and aristocrats went around Africa with their gangs of servants, killing all five became the ultimate African hunting experience (even though the servants got killed first when an animal charged).
Why is There Still a Big Five Today?
Many people don’t know about that history. They just hear the words safari and big five. Today, people idolize the term as much as ever, just for different reasons. Put simply, the big five sell safaris.
The term is extensively used in safari promotions and marketing. Expressions such as “Big 5 country” or “Home to the Big 5” have become common practices to attract tourists.
As the number of private game reserves has increased in the last 20 years, they are using the big five more and more.
It’s gotten to such an extent that people tend to ONLY want to see the Big 5 while often neglecting Mother Nature’s other hidden treasures.
It’s a pity as there’s far more beyond the big five animals to appreciate on a safari.
How the Big Five Simplifies the Safari Experience
If it’s your first safari, then it’s difficult to escape the desire to tick these five animals off your list. Almost everyone wants to say they went to Africa and saw the big five.
But what does that actually mean? That you get a glimpse of a leopard or rhino from 50 meters away?
Almost all private game reserves claim to have the big five. However, they might only have two elephants, one rhino, one lion pride, a leopard that is never seen, and a small buffalo herd.
In fact, that’s a pretty common scenario, especially for fenced private game reserves in South Africa.
In comparison, most of Africa’s BEST safari destinations DO NOT have the big five.
Chobe National Park has 100 000 elephants but no rhinos.
You can generally spot four of the five in Serengeti National Park or Masai Mara (black rhinos are seldom seen), but there are over 1 million wildebeest and zebras.
The Okavango Delta doesn’t have them all, nor does Samburu, Tarangire National Park or South Luangwa, Hwange, and many of Africa’s best safari destinations.
Thinking Beyond the African Big Five Animals
The best safari experiences aren’t planned. If you are only interested in five animals, then you’ll miss out on most of what makes Africa so special.
Safaris are about surprises. Intimate moments witnessed just by you, scenes of both drama and charm that carry you away.
You can see a cheetah chasing an impala across the savannah, loved-up zebra couples grooming each other, or lions meeting hippos at a waterhole.
You can capture the big five in photos. But the best part of a big five safari will be your personal moments with the animal kingdom.
That’s not a distant glimpse of a sleeping cat but coming face to face with thousands of wildebeest.
Seeing a rhino in the distance may sound exciting to some, yet it’s nothing compared to following spotted hyenas or wild dogs on a hunt.
Characteristics of the Big Five Animals
Now that you know which animals form the big five, let’s have a look at some fun facts and characteristics of each.
The African elephant
The African elephant is one of the most beautiful animals on Earth. It is also the largest land mammal on the planet, reaching weights of up to 6000 kg and heights of up to three meters.
Yet, the elephant is a fast runner. In fact, it is speedy enough to outrun most people (> 40 km/h at full charge). Unless you’re Usain Bolt, of course. 🙂
African elephants are incredibly intelligent creatures and have amazing memory capabilities. These large creatures tend to stay together in matriarchal groups, consisting of grandmothers, mothers, daughters, and aunts.
Above that, they have an average lifespan of 70 years, so their great memory is quite necessary.
They are unmistakable with their imposing long “nose” (trunk), enlarged ears, and their precious “jewels” (tusks), which can grow up to around 2.5 meters. Regrettably, their tusks are often poached as trophies.
Did you notice they had ears in the shape of the African continent?
A fun fact about these giant mammals is that they have the ability to communicate over long distances at a low frequency, not audible to humans.
The best part is that they don’t use their big floppy ears for this communication, but rather their feet!
The African buffalo
This is the most dangerous of them all, extremely feared by hunters. Cape buffaloes live in herds, but you’ll occasionally come across a solitary bull.
When on its own, the bull can be extremely aggressive when approached. They’re better left alone.
The African buffalo can weigh up to 1000 kg and is one of Simba’s favorite steaks!
Yet, they won’t go down without putting up a fight. Buffaloes protect and try to rescue another member of the herd if a lion catches them. They’re even known to murder a lion that’s killed a group member.
The rhinoceros
There are two types of rhinos in Africa: the black rhino with its distinctive prehensile lip (which makes it a browser), and the white rhino (not white at all), a typical grazer.
You’re probably wondering why it’s called a white rhino despite being gray or yellowish brown. The white rhino’s name comes from the Dutch word “wijd” — which means wide.
People used this word to describe the rhino’s squared lip. The word has nothing to do with its color. The black rhino, in contrast, has a more pointed upper lip.
Rhinos are also heavy creatures, weighing between 1000 kg (for the black species) and up to 2000 kg (white rhino). As with elephants, rhinos are widely poached for their horn — which can grow up to 1.5 meters long.
Hunters and poachers take their horns away as trophies — to make knife handles, for instance — or are sometimes used in powders (as an “aphrodisiac”).
In certain Asian cultures, people believe that rhino horn has various medicinal purposes, though this is completely false.
Their highly sought-after horns, unfortunately, make them the most endangered members of the African big five.
With poachers continuously employing more advanced methods to hunt these horns, it is very rare for a rhino to survive outside the safety of nature reserves and national parks.
The lion
This is Africa’s “King of the Jungle”. An animal of rare beauty, undoubtedly the most famous of them all.
The lion is a skillful hunter with incredible power and speed. Its eyesight is like no other, and it also has excellent hearing and a great sense of smell.
They’re apex predators and can hunt animals much larger than them. These include giraffes, impala, zebra, and the blue wildebeest.
Male lions are very recognizable with their long and imposing mane. Typically, a darker mane means that the male lion is older.
Lions are also highly social animals. In the pride, male lions eat first, yet it is the females that do “most” (if not all) the chasing and hunting.
Once the male has satisfied its appetite, the lionesses join the feast, while lion cubs have to content themselves with any leftovers.
The leopard
My personal favorite.
There are several interesting facts about leopards. Did you know that not a single leopard spot is exactly the same?
In fact, many biologists use the spot patterns on their face and neck to distinguish them from one another. To be honest, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Well, perhaps I’d need a LOT of practice!
While on a safari, the leopard is always my top animal on the checklist. It has all the characteristics I love: it is graceful, an expert climber, and has extraordinary hunting capabilities.
They use their strong climbing abilities to drag prey into the trees, away from lions and hyenas. But they’re not only experts with trees. Occasionally, leopards will even swim and hunt small prey like fish or crabs.
In contrast with the lion, the leopard is very solitary and shy — and they’re nocturnal animals. This makes it even more rewarding and lucky if you “spot” them during the day.
They’re an absolute treat for the eyes.
Big 5 Africa: Video
Practical Tips for Choosing a Safari Destination (With or Without the Big Five)
There is no denying that the hunter’s relic is a marketer’s masterpiece. Alternative catchphrases don’t spring to mind. So while the big five is an outdated concept in one sense, it remains essential to the African safari industry.
When choosing a safari destination, our recommendation is to evoke the origins of the word “safari” instead. This is a Swahili word meaning “long journey”.
A long journey implies something unpredictable, moving the expectation away from five animals to a personal experience in the wild. After all, who wants the same five photos as everybody else?
By viewing a safari as a journey — rather than a “hunt” to see the big five — you can celebrate the individuality of the experience and destination.
You’ll make an African safari a subjective experience rather than an objective fact.
When you’re researching destinations, here are some considerations to make.
- Read reviews: Especially of private game reserves, as this will give you a good idea of what you’re actually likely to spot.
- Look at what makes the reserve or park unique: Rather than checking if it has the same standard five sights, see what other animals are unique to that region or park.
- Look up the size of the park: Larger wilderness areas usually have more diverse habitats and can sustain both greater numbers and greater diversity of wildlife. The more variety and animals in the park, the higher your chance of seeing the big five and more wondrous animals.
- Check whether it is a fenced park: Most national parks are not, but small, private game reserves need fences to stop the only rhino or elephant from leaving.
- Consider the quantity of wildlife: Encountering two elephants is beautiful but pretty standard in Africa. Seeing more than 200 on a single game drive is mind-blowing.
Looking Beyond the Big 5 African Animals
Hopefully, you now have a better idea of why this group of mighty animals is called the big five.
And, with some big five animal facts out of the way, you can move on to exploring more of the wondrous species in the African wilderness.
Other excellent wild animals to look forward to on your African safari include the striped zebra, the semiaquatic hippo, the leaping springbok, and so much more.
They’re equally as fascinating as the coveted Big 5, and you should not overlook them simply because they don’t form part of this commercialized term.
