Lesli’s Lists: 20 Fun African Wildlife Facts

African Wildlife facts to impress when you are on your next safari!

1. The flamingo’s diet of shrimp-like crustaceans is responsible for its pink colour.

2. Hippos secrete a natural sunscreen that is colored red and eventually turns brown.

3. Giraffe tongues are dark blue and average around 20 inches in length.

4. Leopards are strong swimmers and eat fish.

5. Lions are the only cats that live in groups (prides).

6. Warthogs can jump.

7. Chimpanzee females reach reproductive age at 13.

8. Male Nile Crocodiles attract females by bellowing, slapping their snouts in the water, and blowing water out of their noses.

9. Every zebra has a unique stripe pattern, just like human finger prints.

10. Hyenas are more closely related to cats than dogs.

11. Impalas can jump over 10 meters (33 feet) in a single leap.

12. Aardvarks have ears like a rabbit, long tails, webbed claws, sharp nails, long snouts, and are not related to pigs (despite their name).

13. Both Black and White rhinos are actually gray.

14. An elephant’s trunk contains about 100,000 different muscles.

15. Cheetahs only need to drink every 3 or 4 days.

16. Cape Buffalo have good memories, they’ve been known to attack people that have harmed them years after the event.

17. Jackal males and females mate for life.

18. Male Vervet monkeys have a turquoise blue scrotum and a red penis.

19. Ostriches can sprint up to 43 miles (70 kilometers) an hour and use their wings as rudders to change direction.

20. An adult Mountain Gorilla will eat about 60 lbs of vegetation per day.