The Little 5 Animals of Africa : The majority of individuals have heard of the “Big Five” – a list of animals to look out for when on safari in Africa (the Big 5 are Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard, Lion and Rhino), but few people know that there is also a “Little Five”. Since they must be found, these little creatures are mostly watched. These include the buffalo weaver, ant lion, rhinoceros beetle, leopard tortoise, and elephant shrew. Africa is home to a wide variety of species, many of which are so tiny that people sometimes overlook or fail to notice them. There are a lot of fascinating smaller animal species, birds, and insects to be found if you start searching about. The best way to learn about these less readily apparent animals, is a bush walk. This allows you to discover the smaller bugs and insects more closely and cross them off your list.
Elephant Shrew
The name of this small insect-eating animal comes from its long, trunk-like nose. Elephant shrews typically weigh between 300 and 500 grams and only reach a maximum length of 10 to 30 cm. They are exceedingly careful because they are prey to snakes and birds of prey, making it difficult to notice them! You are quite fortunate if you are able to spot an elephant shrew during your safari because this is not something that happens very often!
Buffalo Weaver
A black tiny bird with a brilliant red beak is the red-billed buffalo weaver. They are not very neat builders, as evidenced by their very unkempt communal nests that seem to be nothing more than a jumble of grasses and twigs! Their cackles and calls create a cacophonous gathering, and they are highly gregarious birds!
The rhino beetle
These remarkable tiny insects are thought to be able to lift 850 times their own weight, making them one of the strongest animals in the world in relation to their body weight! The big horns on the male beetles are what give them the moniker “rhino.”
The Leopard Tortoise
Leopard tortoises are the biggest of the little five and have beautiful leopard-like markings on their shells, hence their name. Adults tortoises are about 46 cm in length and can weigh up to about 18 kg.
Ant Lion
The Antlion, also known as Lacewings, probably gets its name from the predatory behavior of the larva, which traps ants and other small insects in pits dug into the ground. It lives most of its life underground and is actually the larvae stage of a winged insect that resembles a dragonfly.
Get in touch with us for more information about the little five mammals and the big five mammals in the entire of East Africa, that is in Kenya, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda at Focus East Africa Tours we shall plan for you the perfect safaris that will offer you the intriguing safari experiences with the best activities that will allow to spot these fascinating animal species with the unforgettable safari memories.
