Big Five

It wouldn’t surprise me if most people who plan a wildlife safari to Africa hope to encounter the Big 5: African elephant, African buffalo, lion, rhinoceros, and leopard.  These are among the most dangerous animals in Africa and were prize trophies for hunters — some like the rhinoceros were nearly hunted to extinction.  Today, visitors generally hunt these beautiful animals with cameras not guns and “safari success” tends to be measured by how many of the Big 5 are seen.  It is the lucky visitor who sees all five.

African Elephant – Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

African elephants – Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

African Buffalo – Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

African Buffalo cow and calf – Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Lion – Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Slumbering lionesses – Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

White Rhinoceros – Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya

Black Rhinoceros – Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Leopard – Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya

Leopard – Tarangire National Park, Tanzania