In Africa, the big five game animals are
the African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard, and rhinoceros.[1] The term
"big five game" (usually capitalized or quoted as "Big
Five") was coined by big-game hunters and refers to the five most
difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot. Subsequently the term was adopted
by safari tour operators
for marketing purposes. The term is used in most tourist and wildlife guides
that discuss African wildlife safaris. The members of the Big Five were chosen
for the difficulty in hunting them and the degree of danger involved, rather than
their size.
The big five are among the most dangerous, yet most
popular species for big-game hunters to hunt.
The 1990 and later releases of South African rand banknotes feature a different big-five
animal on each denomination.
Countries where all the members of the big five
can be found include Botswana, Zambia, Uganda, Namibia, Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Malawi.
African elephant
African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is a very large herbivore having thick, almost hairless
skin, a long, flexible, prehensile trunk, upper incisors forming long curved tusks of ivory, and large, fan-shaped ears. The two
distinct species of African elephant are: African forest elephant(Loxodonta cyclotis) and the African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana). Elephants are difficult to hunt
because, despite their large size, they are able to hide in tall grass and are
more likely to charge than the other species.
Black rhinoceros
The black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) is a large, thick-skinned herbivore having one or two upright horns on
the nasal bridge. Rhinocerosmay refer to either black or white rhinoceros.
Among big five game hunters, the black rhinoceros is preferred, although it is
now critically endangered.
Cape buffalo
The African or Cape
buffalo (Syncerus
caffer) is
a large horned bovid. Buffalo are sometimes reported to kill more hunters in
Africa than any other animal. A similar claim is also made of hippos and crocodiles, but these statements include all people and
not strictly hunters. The Cape buffalo
is considered by many to be the most dangerous of the big five, reportedly
causing the most hunter deaths, with wounded
animals reported to ambush and attack pursuers.
The lion (Panthera leo) is a large carnivorous feline of Africa and northwest India, having a short, tawny coat, a tufted tail, and in the male,
a heavy mane around the neck
and shoulders. Lions are desirable to hunters because of the very real danger
involved. A lion may attack without provocation, and is considered by many to
be the best of the big five.
Lion hunting is challenging because of the habitat and
temperament of the lion. Lions live in the savanna where tall grasses, shrubs,
and bushes obscure them and provide cover and camouflage. This thick
undergrowth is commonly referred to as "jess". As lions are ambush
hunters, they use this natural cover when stalking to creep as close as
possible before making a final charge to catch their prey. Lions do not
generally avoid confrontation, but will usually face a challenger. They are
unpredictable and may charge when sufficiently annoyed or confronted by danger.
These factors together make lion hunting a challenge to hunters.
Lions are hunted by three methods: baiting, stalking,
and hounding. The hunting method is dependent firstly on the law, then the
number of lions in a given area, the terrain, and the preference and expertise
of the professional hunter, or of the concession owner or hunting outfitter and
the client.
Baiting involves the hunter lying in wait in a
natural or constructed blind. Prior to the lion hunt, a prey species is hunted
to use as bait. The bait is then secured to a tree or secure structure in an
area which is known to be frequented by lions; usually, this is close to a
watering hole. The bait is checked regularly until signs indicate the carcass
has been visited by a lion. Then a blind is constructed, usually 30–50 yd
(27–46 m) from the bait, where the hunting party can remain concealed,
usually from early evening until early morning of the next day.
Stalking involves driving along trails
in areas where lions are known to inhabit. Once fresh fæces are
sighted, the hunting party (which includes trackers) dismounts. The trackers
follow tracks and spoor signs while scanning for the lion. When the lion is
spotted, the professional hunter and client stalk in closely until they reach a
good shooting position. Hunting lions by stalking is conducted in daylight
hours when light is sufficient to spot the lion, which will usually be resting.
Night stalking using electric light sources is banned in most countries. Lions
hunted with lights may not be listed as trophies by Safari Club International.
Hounding (the method least used today) uses dogs, and
may include a fighting pack and a tracking pack. The hunting party drives
through known lion territory until fresh spoor is spotted, when the dogs are
released. The pack follows the scent trail of the lion. Once the lion is
encountered, the pack attempts to hold the lion at bay until the hunting party
arrives to dispatch the lion. Like stalking, hounding is usually conducted
during daylight hours. The lion usually stands and fights rather than flees.
Many concessions in Africa have been known to
release captive lions into enclosed areas where they may be hunted with or without
the client's approval and/or knowledge. Sometimes, the lion is drugged to slow
it down, making it an easier target. Many hunters and
hunting organizations consider this unethical and an affront to fair-chase
hunting practices.
The lion has thin skin and does not require the
use of a big-bore rifle. Furthermore, lions are evidently susceptible to hydrostatic shock[citation
needed] when impact velocities are above 3,000 ft/s
(910 m/s). Lion hunting requires at a minimum a .300 Winchester Magnum.[12] However, certain
jurisdictions require a .375 H&H Magnum or a 9.3x62mm Mauser as a minimum caliber. A few professional
hunters are known to carry 12-gauge semiautomatic shotguns loaded with buckshot as a backup
weapon when hunting lion.
The leopard (Panthera pardus) is a large, carnivorous feline having
either tawny fur with dark rosette-like markings or black fur. Of the big five,
it is most difficult to acquire hunting licenses for leopards. The leopard is
considered the most difficult of the big five to hunt because of their
nocturnal and secretive nature. They are wary of humans and will take flight in
the face of danger. The leopard is solitary by nature, and is most active
between sunset and sunrise, although it may hunt during the day in some areas.
Leopards can be found in the savanna grasslands, brush land and forested areas
in Africa. Baiting, hounding, and stalking are the most common methods used to
hunt the cat.
Baiting is the method most often used to hunt leopard.
This requires the finding and then following of spoor in an area known to be
frequented by a leopard. Once a suitable area is located, a prey species is
hunted and used as bait. Because of the nocturnal nature of the cat, the blind
needs to be constructed close to the bait, as shooting will more than likely be
during the night. The client and the professional hunter spend the night in the
blind waiting for the leopard to come to the carcass.
Hounding with dogs to hunt leopard
requires the hunting party to locate an area where a leopard has been recently
active, as in the baiting method. Once such an area is located, the dogs
(usually bloodhounds or ridgebacks) are released. The dogs attempt to pick up the scent and
follow it to the leopard. The leopard usually flees from the loudly baying dogs
and takes refuge in a tree or in an area out of their reach. The dogs hold the
leopard at bay in this manner until the hunting party arrives to dispatch the
leopard.
Stalking is rarely used to hunt leopard, as it is
extremely time-consuming and tedious, and has a very low success rate. A
month-long hunt using the spot-and-stalk method may not be successful at even
sighting a leopard.
The male leopard is less than half the size of a male
lion. The leopard is the smallest of the big cats, and rarely exceeds
200 lb (91 kg).
A concerted effort has been made to stop the hunting
of the African leopard due to its perceived rarity.
