Rwanda Wildlife

African Elephant

An African elephant – one of the iconic African animals

The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest land mammal and heaviest land animal in the world, weighing up to 6 tonnes. You will be stunned by the sheer size and presence of these creatures, not only on the first time you see one, but each and every time. The good news is, they’re fairly easy to spot!

Elephants play a vital role in the survival of other species by digging waterholes in dry riverbeds, spreading seeds through theirs faecal matter, and creating natural fire breaks in the landscape with their trails, and they do all this on only 2 hours sleep in a 24 hour period!

Chimpanzee

A chimpanzee walks through Nyungwe National Park

Our closest living relatives with a 99% gene overlap with humans, it’s hardly surprising that the chimpanzee is one of the smartest animals. Their intelligence is displayed in so many ways that overlap with human abilities – they can make and use tools, hunt as a group, use sign language, exhibit altruism, empathy, and self-awareness.

Groups of chimpanzees develop their own cultures – unique tendencies and behaviours that are learned or imitated in contrast to other groups, and are capable of sophisticated communication. They use over 60 distinct gestures to communicate with each other in the wild, and can learn human sign language when in captivity.

Rhinocerous

The most elusive of the big five animals?

Rhinos are something you just need to see in real life to understand how impressive they really are.

Once widespread through sub-Saharan Africa, the rhino has been hunted to the brink of extinction, and is probably the hardest of the big five animals to spot in the wild. There are two species of rhinoceros in Africa – the black rhino (Diceros bicornis) and the white rhino (Ceratotherium simum).

Whilst white rhinos have made a comeback through conservation efforts across the continent, black rhinos are still very much one of Africa’s most endangered animals, and hardest safari animals to spot. The fundamental differences between the white and black rhino are not color, but rather size, temperament, food preference, and mouth shape.

Cape Buffalo

Cape buffalo – the grumpiest of all safari animals!

Weighing in at not too far short of a ton, the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) has a reputation for being bad-tempered and dangerous. Whilst solitary buffaloes can be unpredictable (and dangerous, hence their inclusion in the big five animals), they are usually a docile beast when in a herd… aside from their tendency to stampede en masse when alarmed.

Not sure about the differences between a bison and buffalo?

Lion

A pair of lions – the ultimate African safari animals

Leaping in at first place is the lion, also known as the king of the jungle. Lions are the largest and most sociable of Africa’s cats. At up to 225 kg, the lion  (Panthera leo) really is the king of all savanna animals (not jungle!).

These big cats live in prides of up to 40 lions, and it’s the lionesses who do all the hunting, usually sharing their catches with the males of a pride. Lions are very territorial, and the females generally spend most of their lives within their home ranges.

When you hear them roaring during the night, or the day, you’ll be amazed at how loud and powerful they actually are – don’t worry about not hearing the lions snarls or roars, as they can be heard from up to 8 kilometers away. It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see lions hunting, or lion cubs playing with each other (but watch out for those man-eating lions!).

Golden Monkey

Rwanda’s bamboo-dwelling golden monkey

Endangered African animal the golden monkey in a bamboo thicket

The golden monkey is critically endangered and found only in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, spread across Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Travelling in troops of up to 60 monkeys, they prefer bamboo forests in higher elevations where they feed on bamboo shoots and ripe fruits.

African Golden Cat

The stunning African golden cat, found in Rwanda

The African golden cat is an elusive animal that’s a close relative of the caracal and the serval. It’s the only African wild cat that lives in the tropical forests of West and Central Africa, preferring dense, moist habitat with heavy undergrowth, but is also found in cloud and bamboo forests and moorlands.

Named for the colour of their fur, they are powerful, sturdy animals are about twice the size of a domestic cat. Their size allows them to successfully hunt mammals as large as antelopes, duikers, and young giant forest hog, as well as smaller prey such as rodents, birds, and small monkeys.

Leopard

A beautiful leopard doing what it does best… lounging in a tree

The elusive leopard is one of the shyest and least sociable animals in Africa (though not one of the ‘shy five’), but are still opportunistic hunters and are highly adaptable. Watching a leopard carry its prey up a tree is a fantastic sight and one of the best African safari sightings you could hope for.

Slightly smaller than their lion cousins, leopards (Panthera pardus) are less rare than you might think, but rely on camouflage and being active at night to stay hidden.

Leopards are solitary, independent creatures, and rarely seen together except during mating, or a mother with cubs. As such they are totally self-reliant, and expert hunters – sometimes killing prey up to twice their size. During the daytime they often lounge around in trees and come to the ground after dark to hunt, taking their prey up into a tree to eat at their leisure.

Spotted Hyena

A cute hyena strolling…

There are four species in the hyena family, varying in size and shape.

Hyenas are unique and vital components of most African ecosystems, both taking advantage of other animals’ kills for easy meals and hunting themselves. The size of a hyena kill or scavenge is generally determined by the size of the hyena’s clan, which can run to dozens. They often hide extra food in watering holes, since nothing is wasted. Hyenas eat every part of an animal, including bones and hooves.

Giraffe

Giraffe mother with two young

Perhaps the ultimate icon of the African savanna, the giraffe is an unmistakable land mammal known for their long necks and spotted coat (and super-weird giraffe tongue!). They were known by Arab prophets as the ‘queen of the beasts’ because of their delicate features and graceful poise.

With nine subspecies sharing its distinctive characteristics, this African safari animal is the tallest in the world by some way, and amongst the heaviest and largest animals anywhere. The giraffe’s coat is characterized by dark blotches on lighter hair. With age, male giraffes may become darker, and while calves inherit spot patterns from their mothers, each giraffe has a unique coat pattern that sets it apart.

Giraffes have a sharp sense of hearing and smell, another defense against predators, while it can close its nostrils during sandstorms and against ants.

Zebra

Zebras at a waterhole

Zebra are perhaps the most stylish of African animals, with their characteristically stunning coats of black and white stripes. These distant relatives of the horse are a frequent sight on any African safari and consist of three different species.

There are many theories about why zebras have stripes, and it seems that perhaps the most likely answer is that the stripes function as a way to deter biting insects like tsetse flies and mosquitos.

Plains zebras play a particularly interesting role in the ecosystem, as they are pioneer gazers, nibbling and feeding on the top-most layer of grass, thereby opening up the grassland for more specialized grazers looking for the short grasses tucked below.