More than 1000 species of mammals live on the territory of Africa, 2500 - birds, 3000 - freshwater fish, as well as about 100000 species of insects. The diversity of the animal world is due to the fact that the African continent crosses several climatic zones, including the equator.
Savannahs, which occupy just less than half of the area of all of Africa, are characterized by the presence of large animals (giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos), carnivores (lions, cheetahs), birds (flamingos, ostriches, marabou), as well as monkeys, snakes and lizards. In deserts there are turtles, hyenas, jerboas, snakes. The territories of the tropics and subtropics are inhabited by monkeys, okapis, crocodiles, birds and invertebrates.
One of the main representatives of the African fauna is the lion. He is the largest carnivore on this continent. Lions prefer to settle in prides of 7-10 individuals with a leader at the head. They live near watering places, that is, mainly in the savannah, and not in deserts, as is commonly believed. The best hunters in the pride are lionesses. They are able to single-handedly defeat young hippos, elephants, large antelopes and domestic ungulates.
The African elephant is the largest land animal, reaching about 4 meters in height and weighing more than 7 tons. Elephants live in the savannah and partly in the rainforests. Contrary to popular belief about the sluggishness of these animals, they swim quite easily and overcome obstacles. Despite the fact that in the wild no one threatens elephants except humans, they prefer to live in flocks of 10-12 individuals, the leaders of which are most often the elephants.
The rhinoceros is the second largest mammal on land after the elephant and another "visiting card" of the African savannahs. It is interesting that this giant swims very badly, but loves to lie in dust and mud, and also quickly gets used to the chosen habitat and does not leave it almost throughout its life. Despite their poor eyesight, rhinos have excellent hearing. They love to live alone and are rarely aggressive towards their own kind.
The African ostrich in the wild lives only on this continent. They feed on vegetation and small birds, lizards. Ostriches reach speeds of up to 70 km / h. They prefer to settle in flocks and often live without conflict with antelopes or zebras. While protecting their flock, males can make sounds similar to a lion's roar.
Okapi is one of the least known African animal species. Their habitat is the Congo River basin. Okapi are similar to horses, but in fact they are a separate species that was only discovered in the 20th century. They feed on tree leaves, live alone and rarely go out into open spaces. They are extremely clean animals, and the okapi tongue is so long that they can lick themselves behind the ear.
