In the beginning, the name big 5 was used by hunters to refer to Africa’s five deadliest animals- Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo and Rhino. Now this term is used as a marketing term for African safari. In Africa, these animals are found in Namibia, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Elephants- African Elephants are mainly found living in the Sub-Saharan countries in Africa. African elephants are the largest land animals on Earth, larger than the Asian elephants. These animals are harmless if left alone and will attack only if threatened. You can find them in Etosha National Park (Namibia), Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe), Masai Mara (Kenya), Chobe National Park (Botswana), South Luangwa National Park (Zambia).
Elephants are hunted for ivory and hunting is allowed in those regions where the elephant population is stable.

African Rhino- Rhinos are two-horned large mammals. There are 2 species of Rhinos found in Africa- White Rhino and the Blank Rhino. Over the last decade there has been a huge reduction in the population of the Black Rhino’s. African Rhinos are short-sighted and usually found living in groups. Places where you can find African Rhinos are- Kruger area (South Africa), Etosha National Park(Namibia), Lake Nakuru, Tsavo National Park (Kenya), Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe).

Rhinos in Africa are endangered species and are hunted for their expensive horns. These horns are used for medical purposes and for making dagger handles.

African Leopard-Leopards are nocturnal animals and are difficult to spot on a safari in Africa. Depending on their habitat, African Leopards have different coat colors and patterns. The Leopards in east-Africa have circular spots while those living in southern Africa have square-shaped spots. Leopards prefer to live in solitude and can be found in Greater Kruger area (South Africa), Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe), Okavango Delta and Mashatu Game Reserve (Botswana), Serengeti National Park (Tanzania), Tsavo and Amboseli National Park (Kenya).

African Lion- Known for its strength and beauty, African Lions are the most exciting animals to see on an African safari. They are found in the south Sahara Desert and parts of eastern Africa. The lions found in Kenya are supposed to be the fiercest in the world and can be seen in all the National Parks of Kenya such as Nairobi National Park, Lake Nakuru National Park, Masai Mara National Reserve.

Cape Buffalo- This member of the Big 5 group is known to have caused more human deaths in Africa than the others in group. Weighing around 700kgs, these large animals are one of the Africa’s most dangerous animals. During your safari in these national parks, you can easily see big herds of  Cape Buffalo’s – Chobe National Park (Botswana), Greater Kruger area (South Africa), Etosha National Park(Namibia), Amboseli National Park (Kenya), Serengeti National Park (Tanzania).