The BIG FIVE Day 1 of 6 : The Big Five explained

The big five, is the 5 animals best associated with Africa’s tourism industry and probably our most famous animals in South Africa, as the big five animals can all be found within the Kruger National Park.

These five animals are considered by hunters to be the most dangerous animals to hunt in Africa, due to their unpredictable and deadly nature.
And you believe me when I say deadly, these are the top of the food-chain animals that the unforgiving African bushveld has to offer, where only the strongest survive these harsh conditions.
Every day for the next 5 days, I will be doing an informative post on each of the animals and the troubles they face in day to day living in south Africa and also I will be giving you facts about these animals you might not have known before.

THE BIG FIVE

As mentioned earlier The Big Five derived its name from hunters on safari that had the most trouble hunting these animals. Within the hunting community, these are the most prized trophies, possibly world-wide.

Personally I am glad that the hunting of these animals are in a sharp decline in South Africa, as our nature-conservation department of our government has placed strict rules on the hunting of big game. Task forces have been set up to prevent and fight the illegal poaching and smuggle of these animals.

This has had some effect lately, but still there is more that can be done. The African rhino is basically extinct after a wave of poachers killing these poor animals to cut out their horns and smuggle them to ASIA where it is believed to be an aphrodisiac. Unfortunately you can try what you want, but if there is a high enough demand for something someone will find a way to supply whatever is needed, no matter the pain and suffering caused to people and animals in the process.
I hope to also create awareness about these matters in the following 5 days.

The Animals

DAY 2 :The mighty African Elephant

DAY 3 :The deadly Cape Buffalo

DAY 4 :The Stealthy African Leopard

DAY 5 :King of the jungle, The Lion

DAY 6 :The critically endangered African Rhinoceros

As a South African, I have love for nature and wildlife in my blood. There is this primal feeling when being in the Bushveld surrounded by these deadly animals, as we as humans like to describe them. Unknowing that this is merely a part of their lives driven by instincts that even taming cannot get out of these wild animals. It is only natural that when we are in their environment and our paths should cross that they might protect their territory like we would protect our homes.
In the harsh unforgiving plains of Africa it is a eat or be eaten lifestyle, to keep dominance in your tribe of lions, or keeping predators away from your herd as rhinoceroses would do to protect their young. Rallying together like a swarm of 300, 1ton bees to chase a pack of lions away with a mighty stampede of stinging horns and hooves.
I hope that you will follow my 6 day journey, and enjoy these animals with me and learn about why we respect them as THE BIG FIVE.

Thank you for reading,

@rslabbert

All photography are my own or photography that I have been given the rights to.
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