Africa’s Little Five Animals.

Although many people’s safari bucket lists include the Big Five, there are many other amazing animals that live in Africa. Numerous additional creatures, birds, and bugs are available to entertain guests.

Our ‘Little Five’—the buffalo weaver, ant lion, rhinoceros beetle, and elephant shrew—are not the least of these.

You will need to keep your eyes on the ground for these guys!

The Elephant Shrew

It may surprise you to learn that these adorable little animals are genetically linked to elephants. They weigh between 50 and 500g and are between 10 and 30cm in size. They are also known as sengis. With their long noses, these little mouse-like figures are anything but huge.

They are little, hairy, and able to run (and jump!) through the passageways they make in the undergrowth because their legs are longer than mice’s. They search for insects to eat with their trunk-like noses.

It’s quite fortunate to spot one because they’re swift and shy.

The Ant Lion

You will undoubtedly come across at least one small ant-lion trap if you spend even five minutes in the African bush and look down at the ground beneath your feet. The burrowing ant lion created these conical sand depressions. These ‘traps’ can catch unsuspecting ants, and presto! Ant-lion meal.

Although the origin of the name is unclear, it is believed to be related to their fierce ant-hunting abilities. The larval stage of this insect’s life is when the name is applicable.

Its thick bulk and narrow skull, which house its enormous (relative to its size) jaws, make it everything from attractive. To be honest, it could only be loved by its mother.

These insects go through a transformation after the ‘lion’ stage, spending over a month as pupae before emerging as fairly attractive, flying adults that no longer hunt ants but instead subtly consume pollen and other insects! Since they are exclusively active at night, they are rarely spotted.

The Weaver of Buffalo

These chatty birds have been observed to reside close to people, moving if they do. They usually reside in really huge colonies, and they got their name from hanging out with buffalos and consuming the insects that their big buddies kicked up.

Using grasses and twigs, they build enormous, disorganized nests with multiple entrances. There are distinct rooms or divisions within the nest. The white-billed and white-headed buffalo weavers are located farther up Africa, while the red-billed buffalo weaver is the only one found in South Africa.

The Tortoise of the Leopard

The reason for this tiny guy’s name is that its shell markings resemble those of a leopard quite a bit. However, that is where the similarities stop.

Despite being one of the Little Five, leopard tortoises are the largest and hence the simplest to identify. They can reach a diameter of more than half a meter and live for 50 to 100 years.

When these animals become frightened and retreat into their shells, they make that hissing noise that seems so hostile. The air being forced out of their lungs when they compress into their shell is what sounds like their hissing.

The Beetle of the Rhinoceros

Having a (small) ‘bite’ to go along with its aggressive appearance, this beetle is another one that only its mother could adore.

Well, we acknowledge that it’s not actually a bite; rather, when necessary, the male rhino beetle utilizes his horn to engage in epic (small) combat with other males. These conflicts typically center on a cute female rhino beetle, just like with humans.

Despite their thugs-like appearance, they pose no threat to anybody!