Caribbean Gardens: Top 4 African Predators

The Only Zoo in Florida Where You'll See
All Four of Africa's Top Predators

AFRICAN LION

The lion is Africa's largest predator with large males weighing nearly 500 pounds. And with the ability to take down prey weighing about 2,200 pounds, they earn the title "king of the beasts."

They are also known to include people on their menu up to the present time. The most famous incident involved the building of a railroad in Tsavo, Kenya in the 1890s in which two lions halted construction due to the number of workers being consumed.

Recommened Reads:
The Serengeti Lion
Man-Eaters of Tsavo
Ghosts of Tsavo

AFRICAN LEOPARD

Weighing in about 150 pounds for a big male, leopards are formidable hunters and the epitome of adaptability. They eat everything from insects to antelopes weighing over 1,000 pounds and live in a variety of habitats from the Cape mountains of South Africa to the Kalahari Desert.

No strangers to man-eating either, an Asian leopard holds the number two spot at 400 lives just behind a tiger that was responsible for 436 deaths. (That leopard's story is told in "Temple Tiger" - link below.)

SPOTTED HYENAS

Also known as the laughing hyena, this is Africa's second largest predator. Females are slightly larger than males and can top the scales over 180 pounds.

Spotted hyenas can hunt just as well as scavenge. While the large cats can pursue for only a short distance, spotted hyenas can run down prey for up to two miles at speeds over 35 mph.

Recommended Reads:
African Predators
Kalahari Hyenas

AFRICAN WILD DOGS

Numbering less than 5,000 in the wild and only about 100 in American zoos, the African wild dog is more endangered than tigers.

Although they are the smallest of the four weighing in at 50 to 70 pounds, they are still capable of hunting adult zebras weighing over 500 pounds.

Recommended Reads:
The African Wild Dog
Running Wild


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