The term Big Five was first used by the bygone big game hunters and it refers to the five most difficult animals they tried to hunt on foot. The term is now also widely used by everyone today and to see the Big Five on safari is just as amazing as it was then. The Big Five game animals are the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and the Cape buffalo
The Lion
The lion is the main type of big cat on the African continent and the most social of the cat species. Prides can range in size anywhere from three to 30 big cats. Inside such a pride, the lioness normally does the majority of the hunting. She is a prolific hunter. The male lion is much larger with a magnificent mane which is normally black, red, and brown. They usually form alliances outside of prides.
The Leopard
The leopard is the most mysterious member of the Big Five. These spotted cats are normally solitary, unless they are mating or when a mother is caring for her cub. Their impressive ability to conceal makes them difficult to ‘spot’. These cats are also famous for pulling their kills up trees to eat in peace without nagging scavengers around.
The Cape Buffalo
Although it is not the biggest or most vicious of the big five, the Cape buffalo is the most dangerous member. Do not be fooled by its bovine appearance – buffaloes are extremely volatile infamously bad-tempered and frightening with their horned weapons. They are mostly seen travelling in herds looking for the best grazing areas.
The Elephant
The African elephant is the world’s largest land mammal and one of the most amazing animals to see on safari. A typically sociable animal, elephants will most often be seen in herds or as solitary bulls walking down a quiet road in the KNP. Cows average between 2800kg – 3500kg, while males weigh in at a hefty 5000kg – 6300kg. The Kruger National Park has an abundance of elephant and you are bound to see them on your trip.
The Black Rhino
The black or hook-lipped rhino is the original member of the Big Five. Their hooked lips are ideally suited for grazing. Although it is smaller than its white cousin, it is more violent of the two breeds. The black rhino’s numbers are critically low, and the animal is now endangered due to rampant poaching. Every day in the Kruger National Park, rangers are fighting poachers to protect this amazing species from becoming extinct.
Kruger National Park is under threat of poaching that many other African countries have also faced. The poachers are in search of ivory from elephant tusks or rhino horns. The park’s anti-poaching unit consists of SANParks game rangers, assisted by the SAPS and the SANDF. They have also introduced a specialist dog unit to combat poaching. Kruger’s big game poachers’ manoeuvre with night vision instruments and large calibre rifles, fitted with suppressors and sophisticated telescopic sights. Most of the poachers on the ground are from Mozambique. They carefully plan invasions from the border region. It is estimated that the Kruger National Park is home to some 7 000 to 8 000 rhinos, and unluckily they are the largest poaching targets in southern Africa. The park has intensive protected zones, which houses around 5 000 rhinos. According to data from the South African National Parks, during the first half of 2019, 316 were rhinos poached in the area. There were about 253 arrests nationally related to rhino horn trafficking or poaching. Nevertheless, many cases from previous years remained unsettled and the market for horn trafficking is still ongoing.