Habitat
Animals of Africa
Africa is home to the largest herds of big animals left on Earth, from elephants and giraffes on the savanna to gorillas in the rainforest. Its habitats range from the Sahara Desert to wetlands, mountains and coral coasts.
102 animals in the library live in Africa, from the aardvark to the zorse. Mostly mammals (48), birds (25) and reptiles (12).
A7 animals
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Aardvark
Orycteropus afer
Lives up to 23 years in captivity; around 10 years in the wild
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Addax
Addax nasomaculatus
Lives about 19 years in the wild; up to 25 in captivity
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African Elephant
Loxodonta africana and Loxodonta cyclotis
Lives 60-70 years
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African Wild Dog
Lycaon pictus
Lives 10-12 years in the wild
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Agama Lizard
Agama agama
Lives 8-15 years
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Aldabra Giant Tortoise
Aldabrachelys gigantea
Lives over 100 years; possibly 200
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Ape
Hominoidea (superfamily, about 20-26 species)
Lives 35-60 years in the wild
B3 animals
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Bull
Bos taurus
Lives 20-25 years naturally; breeding bulls are usually kept only a few seasons
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Bushbaby
Galagidae (family, about 18-20 species)
Lives 4-8 years in the wild; up to about 16 in captivity
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Butterfly
Rhopalocera (clade in the order Lepidoptera, about 18,500 species)
Lives about a week to 10 months as an adult, depending on species
C14 animals
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Caecilian
Gymnophiona (order, about 200 species)
Lifespan: Poorly known; over 10 years in captivity
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Camel
Camelus dromedarius, Camelus bactrianus and Camelus ferus
Lives 40-50 years
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Cat
Felis catus
Lives 13-17 years indoors, often 20; far less outdoors
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Cattle
Bos taurus
Lives 20-25 years naturally; most farmed cattle live far less
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Chameleon
Chamaeleonidae (family, about 200 species)
Lives 2-7 years; larger species up to 10
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Cheetah
Acinonyx jubatus
Lives 10-12 years in the wild
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Chicken
Gallus gallus domesticus
Lives 8-10 years; commercial birds far less
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Chimpanzee
Pan troglodytes
Lives 35-45 years in the wild; over 60 in captivity
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Clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris and relatives
Lives 6-10 years in the wild; over 20 in aquariums
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Cobra
Naja (Indian cobra: Naja naja)
Lives about 20 years in the wild
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Cow
Bos taurus
Lives 20-25 years naturally; most dairy cows retire at about 5
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Crocodile
Crocodylidae (family, about 14-16 species)
Lives 30-70 years, depending on species
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Crow
Corvus (genus, about 45 species)
Lives 7-8 years in the wild; over 30 in captivity
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Cuckoo
Cuculidae (common cuckoo: Cuculus canorus)
Lives 4-6 years
D5 animals
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Deer
Cervidae (family, about 50 species)
Lives typically 10-20 years, varies by species
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Dog
Canis familiaris
Lives 7-16 years; small breeds live longest
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Donkey
Equus asinus
Lives 30-40 years when well kept; 50 documented
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Dragonfly
Anisoptera (suborder, about 3,000 species)
Lifespan: Years as a nymph; weeks to months as an adult
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Dugong
Dugong dugon
Lives 60-70 years; oldest recorded 73
E4 animals
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Eagle
Accipitridae (several groups, about 60 species)
Lives 20-30 years in the wild
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Eel
Anguilliformes (order, about 800 species)
Lives 10-20 years; some over 50
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Elephant
Elephantidae: Loxodonta africana, Loxodonta cyclotis, Elephas maximus
Lives 60-70 years
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Etruscan Shrew
Suncus etruscus
Lives about 2 years
F4 animals
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Firefly
Lampyridae (big dipper firefly: Photinus pyralis)
Lives 1-2 years in total; only 2-4 weeks as an adult
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Flamingo
Phoenicopteridae (family, six species)
Lives 20-30 years in the wild; much longer in captivity
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Fox
Vulpes and related genera (about 37 species)
Lives 2-5 years in the wild; up to 14 in captivity
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Frog
Anura (order, about 7,500 species)
Lives 2-10 years; some toads over 30
G5 animals
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Giraffe
Giraffa camelopardalis
Lives 20-25 years in the wild
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Goat
Capra hircus
Lives 15-18 years
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Goldfish
Carassius auratus
Lives 10-20 years; record 43
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Gorilla
Gorilla gorilla and Gorilla beringei (two species)
Lives 35-40 years in the wild
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Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
Lives 1-3 years
H6 animals
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Hare
Lepus (European brown hare: Lepus europaeus)
Lives 3-4 years in the wild; up to 12
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Hen
Gallus gallus domesticus
Lives 8-10 years; commercial laying hens far less
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Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus amphibius
Lives 40-50 years in the wild
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Hoopoe
Upupa epops
Lives about 10 years
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Horse
Equus caballus
Lives 25-30 years; some into their late 30s
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House Lizard
Hemidactylus frenatus
Lives about 5 years; longer indoors
I5 animals
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Ibex
Capra (genus); figures from the Alpine ibex, Capra ibex
Lifespan: Males about 16 years; females about 20
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Ibis
Threskiornithidae (family, 29 ibis species); figures from the African sacred ibis
Lifespan: Not well documented in the wild
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Impala
Aepyceros melampus
Lifespan: Not well documented in the wild
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Indri
Indri indri
Lives 15-20 years in the wild
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Isopod
Isopoda (order, over 10,000 species)
Lifespan: Varies widely by species
K2 animals
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Kingfisher
Alcedinidae, Halcyonidae and Cerylidae (common kingfisher: Alcedo atthis)
Lives 6-10 years
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Kite
Milvus migrans and Milvus milvus, plus related genera
Lives 10-25 years
L3 animals
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Ladybug
Coccinellidae (seven-spot: Coccinella septempunctata)
Lives a few weeks to a year, depending on whether it overwinters
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Leopard
Panthera pardus
Lives 12-17 years in the wild; over 20 in captivity
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Lion
Panthera leo
Lives 10-14 years in the wild; up to 25 in captivity
M5 animals
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Mandrill
Mandrillus sphinx
Lives about 20 years in the wild; over 30 in captivity
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Mongoose
Herpestidae (Indian gray mongoose: Urva edwardsii)
Lives 6-10 years in the wild; up to 20 in captivity
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Monkey
Platyrrhini and Cercopithecidae (about 264 species)
Lives 15-30 years, depending on species
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Moth
Lepidoptera, excluding butterflies (about 160,000 species)
Lives a week to a few months as an adult
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Myna Bird
Acridotheres tristis
Lives about 4 years in the wild; over 12 in captivity
N3 animals
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Newt
Pleurodelinae (subfamily, about 100 species)
Lives often over a decade; eastern newts 12 to 15 years
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Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchos
Lives 1-3 years; ringed birds over 8
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Nightjar
Caprimulgidae (family); figures from Caprimulgus europaeus
Lives about 4 years; oldest recorded just over 12
O4 animals
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Ostrich
Struthio camelus
Lives 30-40 years in the wild; over 40 in captivity
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Otter
Lutrinae (Eurasian otter: Lutra lutra; sea otter: Enhydra lutris)
Lives 8-15 years; sea otter females 15-20
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Owl
Strigiformes (order, about 250 species)
Lives 5-12 years in the wild; 20+ in large species
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Ox
Bos taurus
Lives 15-20 years; often worked for 10-15 of them
P6 animals
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Parrot
Psittaciformes (order, about 400 species)
Lives 15-50 years; large macaws and cockatoos 50-80
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Peacock
Pavo cristatus (Indian peafowl); also Pavo muticus and Afropavo congensis
Lives 15-20 years in the wild; 40+ in captivity
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Penguin
Spheniscidae (emperor penguin: Aptenodytes forsteri)
Lives 15-20 years; some reach 30
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Pig
Sus domesticus
Lives 15-20 years; farm pigs far less
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Pigeon
Columba livia (rock dove); family Columbidae
Lives 3-5 years in cities; 15+ for racing birds
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Python
Pythonidae (family, about 40 species)
Lives 15-30 years; over 40 in captivity
Q1 animal
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Quail
Phasianidae and Odontophoridae (about 130 species)
Lives 1-2 years in the wild
R3 animals
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Rabbit
Leporidae: Oryctolagus cuniculus and about 30 other species
Lives 1-2 years in the wild; 8-12 as a well-kept pet
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Rhinoceros
Rhinocerotidae (family, five living species)
Lives 35-50 years
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Rooster
Gallus gallus domesticus
Lives 8-10 years
S7 animals
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Scorpion
Scorpiones (emperor scorpion: Pandinus imperator)
Lives 3-8 years; some species up to 25
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Seal
Pinnipedia (harbor seal: Phoca vitulina)
Lives 20-30 years; some species 40
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Sheep
Ovis aries
Lives 10-12 years
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Sparrow
Passer domesticus (house sparrow); family Passeridae
Lives 3-5 years; ringed birds past 13
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Spider
Araneae (garden orb-weaver: Araneus diadematus)
Lives under a year for most; tarantulas 20-30 years
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Squirrel
Sciuridae (family, about 280 species)
Lives 5-10 years in the wild; up to about 20 in captivity
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Swan
Cygnus (mute swan: Cygnus olor)
Lives 10-20 years in the wild; over 25 recorded
T4 animals
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Terrapin
Malaclemys terrapin (diamondback); terrapin is a common name, not a taxonomic group
Lives 25-40 years
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Toad
Bufonidae (true toads, about 600 species); order Anura
Lives 10-12 years in the wild; over 30 in captivity
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Tortoise
Testudinidae (Galapagos giants: Chelonoidis)
Lives 50-100 years; giants over 150
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Turtle
Testudines (order, about 360 species)
Lives 20-100 years, depending on species
U1 animal
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Uromastyx
Uromastyx (genus, about 15 species)
Lives over 25 years; reports approaching 60
V2 animals
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Viper
Viperidae (family, more than 300 species)
Lifespan: Varies widely by species
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Vulture
Accipitridae (Old World) and Cathartidae (New World)
Lives 20-30 years; some over 50
W1 animal
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Woodpecker
Picidae (family, about 240 species)
Lives 4-11 years
X2 animals
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Xenopus
Xenopus laevis
Lives 15 to 16 years; up to 30 in captivity
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Xerus
Xerus rutilus
Lifespan: Unknown in the wild; over 6 years recorded in captivity
Z5 animals
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Zebra
Equus quagga, Equus zebra and Equus grevyi (three species)
Lives 20-25 years in the wild
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Zebu
Bos indicus
Lives 15-20 years
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Zonkey
Equus quagga x Equus asinus
Lives 15-25 years
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Zorilla
Ictonyx striatus
Lives 4-5 years in the wild; over 13 in captivity
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Zorse
Equus quagga x Equus caballus
Lives 15-30 years
No animals match those filters.



