Wild Animals in Africa Rainforests

There are millions of species of wild animals in Africa and its rainforests.

Some of the most classic animals of African rainforest are primates.



While there are many monkeys in most rainforests, and Orangutans in Asian rainforests (more exactly Borneo and around), Africa is the continent that has the two largest and most intelligent primates - chimpanzees and gorillas.

wild animals in africa chimpanzee


There are two species of Chimpanzees. The Common Chimpanzee lives in western and central African rainforests, while Bonobo lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.



Gorillas also belong to two species and both live in Central African rainforests. Mountain gorilla lives in higher elevations up in mountains, while Lowland gorilla lives in lower altitudes in lowland forests and swamps and marches. 

wild animals in africa  gorilla


Other classic animals found in Africa are giraffes, zebras and lions. None is a real rainforest dweller but they are all hard to ignore on a page about wild animals in Africa.

Giraffes all belong to the same species - Giraffa camelopardalis. But there are different subspecies in countries like Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mosambique, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.

wild animals in africa giraffe

Zebras are related to horses and donkeys. There are three species of them - the (more horse-like) Mountain Zebra and Plains Zebra; and (the more donkey-like) Grévy's Zebra. The Plains Zebra is the most wide-spread and it is found in Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Bortswana, Namibia and South Africa. Mountain Zebra is found in more mountainous areas in Namibia and South Africa; and Grévy's Zebra is found mainly in Kenya (some in Ethiopia).

wild animals in africa zebra


Lion is not totally endemic to Africa - there are tiny populations still left in India. But once it covered large areas in Africa, Asia, Middle East, and even Central America. All lions belong to the same species, Panthera leo.

wild animals in africa lion


Apart from the small populations in Gir Forest National Park in India, lions are found in remnant pockets in most countries south of Sahara in Africa.


Custom Search







What's New

Rainforest News

About Using Content




Bookmark and Share

[?] Subscribe To This Site

XML RSS
follow us in feedly
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Subscribe with Bloglines


You Are Secure!