Some plants and animals choose to live in the hot, dry desert. There are few forested areas, much savanna grassland, semi-arid Karoo vegetation and the fynbos of the Cape Floristic Region. Migratory species include the greater striped swallow, white-rumped swift, white stork, African pygmy kingfisher, yellow-billed kite and the European bee-eater. Families of plants unique to South Africa include Grubbiaceae, Bruniaceae, Lanariaceae, Roridulaceae, and Geissolomataceae. The brown fur seal and other species of seal occur on the coasts and the waters around the country are visited by numerous species of whale and dolphin. There are also larger artiodactyl species, such as the Cape buffalo, common eland and the giraffe. There are several species of water-storing succulents, like aloes and euphorbias, in the very hot and dry Namaqualand area. Cold and warm coastal currents running north-west and north-east respectively account for the difference in climates between west and east coasts. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened. Depending on the region, the savanna can receive between 20 and 50 inches of rainfall annually. These plants and animals do not need as much water as other types of plants and animals. By subscribing you will receive continuous newsworthy information. This animal the most illegally trafficked mammal in the world. woodlands, coastal forests and grasslands - supporting an astounding diversity of In the plateau area, the influence of the sea is reduced, and the daily temperature range is much wider; here the summer days are very hot, while the nights are usually cool, with the possibility of frosts in winter. [19] South Africa has the richest diversity of reptiles of any African country. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened. To the north of Highveld, the plateau slopes downwards into the Bushveld, which ultimately gives way to the Limpopo lowlands or Lowveld. Notable endemic varieties include the Black Oystercatcher, Blue Crane, Cape Parrot, Cape Vulture, Forest Canary, Ground Woodpecker, Jackal Buzzard, Knysna Turaco, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Protea Seedeater, Southern Bald Ibis, Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk, Whitebacked Mousebird, and the Yellow-breasted Pipit. Each chapter is written by a leading expert in the field. To remedy this, some clever people came up A typical species is the silver tree, which grows naturally only on Table Mountain. certain poverty of plant life. While that seems like plenty, it all takes place in only a six-to-eight-month period. Downloaded from, The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, "Total number of plant species by country", "Total number of mammal species by country", http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/, 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T45020636A95139620.en, "Total number of reptile species, by country", "Total number of amphibian species, by country", List of Southern African indigenous trees and woody lianes, List of marine animals of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay, List of seaweeds of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay, Drakensberg alti-montane grasslands and woodlands, Drakensberg montane grasslands, woodlands and forests, Maputaland-Pondoland bushland and thickets, Nieuwoudtville-Roggeveld Dolerite Renosterveld, Richtersveld Sandy Coastal Scorpionstailveld, Southern Namaqualand Quartzite Klipkoppe Shrubland, Southern Richtersveld Inselberg Shrubland, Stinkfonteinberge Eastern Apron Shrubland, Pondoland-Natal Sandstone Coastal Sourveld, Subantarctic Biotic Herbfield and Grassland, Addo Elephant National Park Marine Protected Area, Namaqua National Park Marine Protected Area, Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area, Agulhas Bank Complex Marine Protected Area, Browns Bank Complex Marine Protected Area, iSimangaliso Offshore Marine Protected Area, Namaqua Fossil Forest Marine Protected Area, Prince Edward Islands Marine Protected Area, Southeast Atlantic Seamounts Marine Protected Area, Southwest Indian Seamounts Marine Protected Area, Port Elizabeth Corals Marine Protected Area, Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, South African Association for Marine Biological Research, South African Environmental Observation Network, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology Virtual Museum, University of KwaZulu-Natal Botanical Garden, List of authors of South African botanical taxa, List of authors of South African animal taxa, Environmental impact of recreational diving, International Union for Conservation of Nature, South African Sustainable Seafood Initiative, National Environmental Management Act, 1998, National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 10 of 2004, National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act, 24 of 2008, National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 57 of 2003, List of field guides to South African biota, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wildlife_of_South_Africa&oldid=983002356, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 11 October 2020, at 17:32. A field guide to the wildlife of southern Africa, describing over 2,000 plants and animals, with clear illustrations in full colour. The Kruger National Park alone has well over 10 000 elephants and 20 000 buffaloes – in 1920 there were an estimated 120 elep… Visitors to South Africa are always keen to see the country's celebrated Big Five - [20], Also included among the fauna are the Nile crocodile, the leopard tortoise, the Speke's hinge-back tortoise, the serrated hinged terrapin, various chameleons, lizards, geckos and skinks, the cape cobra, the black mamba, the eastern green mamba, the puff adder, the mole snake and a range of other venomous and non-venomous snakes. This article will take you on an African safari with the following African animals list. South Africa is home to approximately 175 endemic bird species, as well as hundreds more species. Smaller carnivores include mongooses, genets, the caracal, the serval, the African wildcat, the Cape fox, the side-striped jackal, the black-backed jackal, meerkats, and the African clawless otter. [21], Amphibian diversity reflects the many diverse habitats around the country. Worse, some regions receive as little as six inches of rainfall, making them little more hospitable than … mammals, [10], Some 297 species of mammal have been recorded in South Africa, of which 30 species are considered threatened. There are many animals of the African wilderness, that call the continent of Africa home. The Cape Floral Region, one of South Africa's eight World Heritage sites, comprises eight protected areas stretching from the Cape Peninsula to the Eastern Cape, cutting across spectacular mountain and ocean scenery and containing some of the richest plant biodiversity in the world. This book has been a trusted field companion for many years. They became known as Boers, meaning “farmers.” (Later they became known as Afrikaners.) [8], The Cape Floral Region Protected Areas is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a group of about thirteen protected areas that together cover an area of over a million hectares. South Africa is home to many of Africa’s most famous animals, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, wildebeest, rhinos, hippos, giraffes and elephants. 2018. Some animals and plants live in a forest or cave habitat because they prefer cooler, shady areas. South Africa has a wealth of small antelope species, such as the aforementioned klipspringer and Cape grysbok, common duiker, blue duiker, steenbok and oribi. [9] The Mediterranean climate produces hot, dry summers, and many of the plants have underground storage organs allowing them to resprout after fires. According to the 2018 edition of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 849 species of bird have been recorded in South Africa and its offshore islands. 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