Which are the Big Five African animals and why are they called that? If you have never had an answer to this question, then this article is for you. It explains all the facts and information about the Big Five animals (also called the Big Five game). Surprisingly, there are only 11 countries in the world that have all these animals, and they are all in Africa. Uganda is one of them.
The Big Five safari animals include the African Elephant, Rhinoceros, Lion, Leopard, and Cape Buffalo. These animals were called the Big Five because they were the hardest and most dangerous animals to hunt on foot. The name “Big Five” was created by hunters and has since been used widely in talks about African wildlife safaris.
Why these animals are over-poached
Elephants are now the most poached animals, even though many game rangers work hard to stop this act. Sadly, many elephants are killed daily, and some poachers are even stuck with ivory they cannot sell quickly. Ivory is in high demand in countries like China and Japan. It is used to make items like piano keys, watches, billiard balls, buttons, buckles, jewelry, and more.
How much is ivory worth per kg? The price of ivory changes depending on demand. In 2014, it rose from $720 per kilogram to about $2,100 per kilogram, as reported by The Guardian. Each elephant tusk weighs around 23 to 45 kilograms. That means a tusk could cost between $23,000 to $250,000 depending on scarcity.
Kenya is one of the countries most affected by elephant poaching. It loses about five elephants each day despite the efforts to stop this. In 2016, Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta burned 105 tonnes of ivory taken from around 8,000 elephants. It was worth about $150 million.
Rhino horns are also in high demand, especially in Vietnam, where a kilogram can cost between $80,000 and $100,000. A single rhino horn weighs 2.5 to 3 kilograms, which means it can bring in about $250,000. People in Vietnam believe rhino horns cure cancer and hangovers, which is why they are so valuable.
Leopards are poached for their skins, lions for their bones, and buffaloes for their large horns. Poaching is still a big problem in many African countries. In 2013, a Tanzania National Park official said that buffalo numbers had dropped from 70,000 to 40,000, elephants from 2,500 to 500, and rhinos from 1,000 to fewer than 20 in Serengeti National Park.
Where to find the Big Five animals
As mentioned before, only Africa has countries where you can find all Big Five animals. These countries are Rwanda, Uganda, Namibia, Ethiopia, Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania, and Zambia.
In Uganda, all five animals can be seen in Murchison Falls National Park. Botswana is another great country for a Big Five safari, especially in Chobe National Park and Moremi Game Reserve. Most countries on the list are good, except the DRC, which has safety challenges.
Uganda is a good place for a Big Five safari. It is well known for having the biggest population of mountain gorillas, but it also has rich wildlife. Murchison Falls National Park is where all the Big Five live, and it is also home to one of Uganda’s best tourist spots—Murchison Falls, where the Nile River squeezes through a small gorge and falls 45 meters down.
If you want to plan a Big Five safari to Uganda, you can check my Uganda safaris review or contact one of the trusted Uganda tour operators to get a quote for a safari to Murchison Falls National Park.
Uganda did not have all the Big Five animals for many years until two white rhinos were brought to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Masindi District by Rhino Fund Uganda. The group plans to protect these animals and maybe add more rhinos in the future. These rhinos completed Uganda’s Big Five and helped improve tourism.
Conclusion
Even though the Big Five animals are some of the hardest to hunt, they are still among the most poached. Elephant poaching is the worst, and the numbers continue to drop. Many game rangers have died trying to protect these animals, and many others continue to risk their lives.
One study showed that elephant numbers worldwide have dropped from about 1.2 million to around 400,000. Every year, about 30,000 elephants are killed by poachers who want their tusks.
If this continues, the Big Five could disappear from many countries, which would hurt tourism. This is why many tourism groups work hard to stop poaching and protect these animals.
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