African Lion Country Safari - Safari Lion Animal Facts - African Wild Lion Hunting Safari in Kenya

The king of the forest or so the African lion has been re-baptized. The lion may be the king of the savannah but certainly not of the forest; it is not its habitat. Its scientific name is panthera Leo, a carnivore; class- mammals; family- felines. Its length may reach 2 ? meters, its height one metre. The female is slightly smaller. Weight; 200 to 250kg. Gestation period; 105 to 110 days. Length of life; up to 20years.

The lioness not only takes care of the cubs (three or four at a time) but it is also the more expert and agile hunter. Zebra and antelopes of various types like impala, Kongoni, make up the regular diet of an African lion. In need, it does not scorn rats, rock rabbits, and even carrions of elephants, buffaloes and giraffes.

The worst enemy of the lion is a rather innocuous animal, the size of a small dog; the porcupine who very cleverly waits for the lion to run after him then suddenly stops letting the hunter stick its nose in a forest of sharp quills in its jaws as this may remain stuck there for life, a painful reminder every time it has to chew.

The lion is a proverbial glutton; it may eat up to one fifth of its weight at one meal. However, it may also fast for three or four days. Humans may become its prey as well. The man eaters of Tsavo became famous during the building of the Mombasa-Kisumu railway. One station carries their name; Simba (Kiswahili for Lion)

Only the male lion wears a mane; it begins to grow at about three years of age. Famous is its roar, it may be heard for 5miles around in the savannah. In African fables and proverbs the lion is often humiliated, tricked or defeated by other small defenseless animals.

Kenya rhino animals

The rhino is the second largest in size after the elephant. There are in Africa, two species of Rhino, the black and the white one. Where black only means a shade darker, white means dirty grew; a bit of a confusion which could be cleared by calling each with its scientific name of ceratotherium simum (the white one) and Diceros Bicornis (the black one).

The first attains a length of 4 ? meters and a weight of 4 tons while the second does not reach 4 meters and just manages 2 tons. The gestation period of the first is a hundred days longer than that of the second, estimated at 450-480 days.

The looks of the rhino are far from friendly; perhaps is nature?s gift to a timid (so experts believe) and even easily frightened animal. There is no doubt that its sight is very poor, so when feeling in danger it plays the bully and charges anyhow to scare off the supposed enemy be it an animal or a vehicle. The two horns on its snout are truly a formidable weapon; but their scope is rather to enable the animal to tear or uproot its food (besides grass and tree bark, roots form its favorite diet)

Rhinos prefer small company; every family chooses its territory and rarely goes beyond the boundaries. The rhino has a queer characteristic; a very conjugal act. This may be the source of the legend widely believed in Asia that Rhino horn powder is a powerful aphrodisiac. That is why it has been exterminated in some places and reduced to very few in others. The legend is not dead yet

Robert is a travel expert with Landmarksafaris. He has authored more than 1000 articles on Africa Kenya animal holiday trip. Learn more of your experience in the best of all Kenya animal Holiday safaris here: http://www.landmarksafaris.com/tours/wildlife.php/?refferer=ezinearticles