The wild animals of Africa are some of the most incredible creatures in the world. On this continent you will find the fastest, largest, and weirdest animals on the earth, many of which are unfortunately endangered species. These facts are meant for kids and adults interested in what types of wildlife exist in Africa and how these animals survive. Below you will find a few basic facts about some random animals, please explore the pages of this section for more specific facts about many different African animals. For information on animals from other areas of the world visit Interesting Animal Facts.
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African Animal World Records
Four of the five fastest land animals in the world are found on the African continent. They are the Cheetah, Wildebeest, Lion, and the Thomson's gazelle. The Wildebeest, Lion, and the Thomson's gazelle can reach a speed of up to 50 mph (80.47 KPH) for short burst. The Cheetah can hit an unbelievable 70 mph (112.65 KPH) for short burst.
The African elephant is by far the largest living land mammal. It can weigh up to seven tons (6350.29 kilograms). This incredible animal is an endangered species.
The Gorilla is the largest primate on the earth; even so they are very shy.
The Nile crocodile is the largest reptile in Africa. The average length is five meters (16.4 feet). These dangerous creatures kill hundreds of people each year.
In Cameroon you can find frogs that are a foot long. They are the largest frogs in the world and are appropriately named goliath frogs.
Interesting Africa Animal Facts
Over 1,100 species of mammals are living in Africa.
Over 2,600 species of birds are living in Africa.
The last animal you might expect to see in Africa is a penguin, but they are there. There is a colony living near the cape in South Africa. They are attracted to the cold currents there.
What large animal kills the most people in Africa? Not the lion, and not the crocodile; it is in fact the hippo. The males are very territorial and will attack anything that enters their area. Females aggressively protect their babies. Hippos have even been known to kill crocodiles.
Cape Buffalo are also extremely dangerous; in fact they kill approximately two hundred people annually. They quickly charge and gore anyone they perceive as a threat.
Besides being one of the fastest animals in the world the Thompson's Gazelle has an amazing sense of smell, sight, and hearing. These senses, along with it's speed, often enable it to sense and escape a predators attack.
Second in size only to the African elephant are Rhinos. Adult White Rhinos can weigh in at six thousand pounds (2721 kilograms). They are known to have a bad temper which along with their size and sharp horn make them extremely dangerous.
Male African lions can weigh up to 550 pounds (250 kg) and have been known to occasionally attack elephants.
Only a few minutes after being born a Wildebeest can run. After a few days they can go fast enough to keep up with the herd. Until this time they are easy prey for predators and must stay close to their mothers for protection.
There are plenty of vultures in Africa. This African animal will feed on dead animal carcasses which are often rotting in the hot African sun. They are well equipped for this type of meal. They have very strong acids in their digestive system which kills dangerous bacteria in their meal.
Millions of years before modern day animals roamed Africa dinosaurs lived there. In Tanzania, a country in East Africa, the oldest dinosaur bones ever discovered were unearthed. This dinosaur, named Nyasasaurus parringtoni, roamed the earth around 240 million years ago.