Ethiopian Wolf

The Ethiopian wolf, often referred to as the Simien fox or Simien jackal, exclusively inhabits the Ethiopian highlands. These high-altitude ecosystems, known as Afroalpine zones, are characterized by vast expanses of grasslands and heathlands interspersed with stunning volcanic landscapes. These unique environments are home to a variety of flora and fauna, with the Ethiopian wolf standing out as a flagship species.

The Ethiopian wolf is easily distinguishable by its strikingly red or rusty coat, long legs, and slender body. With pointed ears and a bushy tail, it bears a resemblance to other canid species but remains a distinct and unique member of the canid family. As an apex predator in its ecosystem, the Ethiopian wolf plays a crucial role in maintaining a balanced food chain by preying on rodents and other small mammals.

Despite its adaptability and resilience, the Ethiopian wolf faces numerous threats to its survival. Habitat loss due to human encroachment, agricultural expansion, and climate change poses a significant risk to these wolves. Moreover, infectious diseases transmitted by domestic dogs, such as rabies and canine distemper, have decimated populations in some areas.

Recognizing the critical status of the Ethiopian wolf, conservation organizations and local communities have joined forces to protect this iconic species. Efforts include habitat restoration initiatives, community-based conservation programs, and disease monitoring and vaccination campaigns. The goal is not only to safeguard the Ethiopian wolf but also to preserve the unique Afroalpine ecosystems it calls home.

 

 

 

 

 

Nile Crocodile

One of the largest of all crocodiles, the Nile crocodile is a supremely adapted aquatic predator, with a streamlined body, a long, powerful tail, webbed feet, and long, powerful jaws suited for grabbing and holding onto prey and ripping it apart.

Their ear and eye are locate at the top of their head allowing them to camouflage and ambush prey. They have excellent sense of smell and a great night vision. They usually grow up to 6 meters and may weigh more than 1000 kg

The Nile crocodile has a wide distribution throughout sub-Saharan Africa and is also found on Madagascar.

Crocodiles mainly feed on large herbivores such as antelopes, zebras and wildebeest. Crocodiles mainly inhabit swamps and freshwater water bodies.

Chimpanzee

Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives, sharing more than 98 percent of our genetic blueprint. Chimpanzees live in  communities of few dozen animals, and can live in  African rain forests, woodlands, and grasslands.

These smart apes are one of the few animal species to use tools such as sticks to retrieve insects from their nests or dig grubs out of logs. They also use stones to smash open tasty nuts and use leaves as sponges to soak up drinking water. Chimpanzees can even be taught to use some basic human sign language.



They are  generally fruit and plant eaters, but they can eat insects, eggs, and meat, including carrion. They have a huge diet that includes hundreds of foods.

Although chimps and humans are closely related, the apes have suffered much at human hands. These great apes are endangered and still threatened by habitat destruction.

Cheetah

The Cheetah is one of the most strongest and largest of the cat family usually found in Africa. Cheetahs are one of Africa's tops predators. It is mostly known for its amazing speed. Cheetahs can reach more than 60 mph for a short time.
The cheetah is very solitary. They usually hunts down antelopes, gazelles and sometimes gnu or wildebeest.
There are now estimated to be between 7,000 and 10,000 individuals left in the wild, along with a growing number being found in zoos and animal institutes all over the world.

Chameleon

The chameleon is a very well known species of lizard. They have long curly tail and large eyes. They are mostly found in forest parts of Africa and Asia. Some chameleons are able to change their color. 
Different chameleon species can change their color in patterns of pink, blue, red, orange, green, black, brown, light blue, yellow, turquoise, and purple. Chameleon skin has an outer layer which has pigment and under the layers are cell with guanine crystals. Chameleons can change their color by changing the amount of space between the crystals which then changes the wavelength of light reflected off the crystals, which changes the colors.
Color change in chameleons are to camouflage, but also commonly used in social signaling and in reactions to temperature and other conditions.Chameleons show brighter colors when are being dangerous to other chameleons,and darker colors when they give up.
 
A Chameleons feeding mechanism is very unique.They usually eat insects. They feed by projecting their long sticky from their mouth to the insect which a distance away. Tongue projection or shooting occurs in as low as 0.07 seconds.

Chameleon's eye are also very amazing. Each eye can pivot and focus .The eyes can move freely allowing the chameleon to focus at  two things at the same time. The eye also have 360 vision.

Ring tailed Lemur

This species of lemur is mainly recognized by the rings on the tail. It is considered to be one most intelligent primates as it has skills of using tools and problem solving.

 They are able hunt food in day or night.They do stay very close to each other though when it is time for resting. They are going to be found alone for finding food though with the exception of mothers and the young.They also give of high pitched alerts to their families when there are threats around the area.They also spend the most time on land than any other species of Lemurs. Yet they do very well in the trees as well.
They eat fruit, which makes up the greater part of their diet, but also eat leaves, flowers, tree bark, and sap. The live on island of Madagascar of the coast of Africa. Its main predator is Fossa.
 
 

Caracal

Caracal is a medium sized wild cat living in Africa, it is commonly known as the African Lynx. It is related to  the Serval. The name Caracal comes from a turkish word which means black ear.It has highly sensitive hearing as it is nocturnal. It reaches 40- 50 cm and can weigh 8-18 kg.
Although it is small, it is able to outrun and overpower ostriches which is the largest bird on earth. The caracal is highly secretive and territorial and is also solitary.
The carcal has unique hunting techniques. It can catch prey by leaping into the air and catching the birds in midair.
 

Bonobo

The bonobo is a large species of primate that is only found in the Democratic Republic Of The Congo in central Africa. The bonobo is also known as the pygmy chimpanzee and the dwarf chimpanzee as the bonobo is thought to be very closely related to the chimpanzee and the two animals share very similar features. The bonobo is smaller than the chimpanzee with adult bonobos averaging around 70cm in height and weight about 40kg, The bonobo has black hair covering it's body that is parted on it's head, pink lips and long legs. Generally, the body of the bonobo is not as hairy as the body of their chimp cousins. 
The bonobo is an omnivorous animal mainly feeding on vegetation such as fruits, leaves, flowers, bark and seeds. The bonobo also eats honey, eggs, insects and even small mammals and reptiles.
 Today, the bonobo is thought to be an endangered animal with only 10,000 bonobo individuals considered to be left in the wild. The bonobo populations have lowered significantly due to hunting and habitat loss.

Facts

 Scientific Name :      Pan Paniscus

Other names :            pygmy chimpanzee, dwark chimpanzee

Biggest threat :          hunting and habitat loss

Predators :                 crocodiles, human

Food :                         Fruit, Leaves, Seeds, Insects

Diet :                           omnivore

Life span :                  30-40 yrs

Size:                           73 cm- 90cm

Weight :                      55 to 110 lbs (25 to 50 kg)         

 Range :                      Central Africa 

 Habitat :                     Lowland jungle and swamp forests

Bongo

The Bongo is a large species of antelope that is found inhabiting the jungles and forests of Eastern, Western and Central Africa.They are the largest animals living in forests.The Bongo is a large and heavy-bodied antelope with a short chestnut colored coat that is darker on the bottom side and patterned with between 10-15 vertical white stripes that help the Bongo to remain camouflaged in the jungle. There are two types of Bongos, the Mountain Bongo\the Eastern Bongo and the Lowland Bongo\the Western Bongo.bongos are preyed by leopards, lions, hyenas and pythons.Bongos feed on leaves, roots, bark and grasses at night to keep them safer from the other predators that they share their habitats with. The Bongo has a tongue that is able to wrap itself and take hold of things which helps it to reach fresh leaves higher up and also helps it when pulling roots out of the ground. Both species of Bongo are threatened by both hunting and habitat loss with populations having declined significantly as although it still has a relatively wide distribution, populations are becoming more and more isolated.

Black Rhinocerous

The black rhinoceros (also known as the hook-lipped rhinoceros) is a large species of rhinoceros native to Africa. Despite it's name, the black rhinoceros is actually fairly light in color with most black rhinoceros individuals having either white or grey skin.The black rhinoceros is one of the larger rhinoceros species with the horns of the black rhinoceros known to reach 1.5 meters in length. The black rhinoceros uses it's horns are used for defense, intimidation, digging up roots and breaking branches during feeding.

barn owl

Barn owls are one of the most widely distributed birds found everywhere around the world except from the polar and desert regions. Although this is the case, the barn owl population is more found in the Southern Hemisphere due to better climate conditions for the barn owl.
Barn owls  measure between 25 and 40cm tall and adult barn owls can have a wingspan of up to 110cm long. 
Barn owls commonly hunt small mammals such as mice, voles and rats, but barn owls also hunt fish close to the surface of the water and smaller birds in the tree tops and even in the air.
There are more than 30 different species of barn owl found across Europe, Africa, Asia and parts of Australia and the Americas. All barn owl species have a similar appearance but can differ great in both size and color.

Baboons

The Baboon is a medium to large sized species of Old World Monkeys that are found in a variety of different habitats throughout Africa and in parts of Arabia. The five different species of Baboons are the Olive Baboon, the Guinea Baboon, the Chacma Baboon, the Yellow Baboon and the Hamadryas Baboon. Baboons are very sociable and intelligent animals. They are also very adaptable animals. The Olive Baboon is the most widespread species with a range that extends from west to east across a wide range of habitats.

The Baboon is an omnivorous animal that is mean it eat a wide variety of both plant and small animals. Their diet consists of fruits, seeds, tough roots, flowers, insects, eggs, lizards and rodents.  Baboons have very similar teeth to people with a series of large, flat molars which are used for grinding down plant matter. More food can be stored in their flexible cheek pouches to be saved for later.Baboons can even travel more than 4 miles a day!

Aye Aye

The Aye Aye is a species of Lemur that is found inhabiting the rainforests of Madagascar. The Aye Aye is not only the largest nocturnal primate in the world but is also one of the most unique and strangest animals. Although today population numbers seem to have risen, the Aye Aye is one of Madagascar's most endangered animal species.

The Aye Aye is a nocturnal and arboreal animal meaning that it spends most of it's life high in the trees. Although they are known to come down to the ground on occasion. During the day Aye Ayes sleep in nests  of tree branches that are made out of leaves, branches and vines, wake up at night to begin their hunt for food. Male Aye Ayes also share their territories with other males!