The Big 5

The Big 5, yes you have heard the term, but do you know which animals make up the Big 5 and do you know where this term comes from.

Douglas Carr Photography - Lion - Kruger National Park

The term Big 5 was originally a hunting term referring to the 5 animals most dangerous to hunt on foot, but not with today's modern powerful rifles that comes equipped with a telescope but think of a rifle from a 100 years ago. The rifles weren't so powerful than so the hunter who has to get within 30-50 meters to stand a chance of a successful hunt.

Douglas Carr Photography - Leopard - Kruger National Park

On a very hot day the rifle could have expanded which could have resulted in a miss fire and if the hunter wounded the animal it would most likely of been the end of the hunter. Yes, it was a matter of kill or be killed. Now although Hippo kills the most people in Africa (about 500/ year) after Malaria it's not hunted for a trophy and as long as you don't come between them and the water you'll be ok.

Douglas Carr Photography - Rhino - Somewhere in Africa

Although trophy hunting is still permitted in some places, more and more of society is getting against it and countries like Botswana who have realised the value in protecting their wildlife has banned all hunting back in 2014 and moved the focus o to tourism.

Now the Big 5 are the 5 animals most people want to see and photograph when they go on an African Safari. Personally, I which we could forget about the Big 5 and focus on the whole safari experience of just being in the bush. As now, people, most marketing is focused on the Big 5 and not the experience. When you're coming from a big city like London or New York just being in the bush should be an experience in itself. After all, you should be able to compare the African Bush to a deserted sunny beach...

Buffalo completes the list of the Big 5, but please don't mistake it for a cow as the Buffalo is the most dangerous of the Big 5. Yes, the Lion, Leopard, Rhino and Elephant might just give you a mock charge as long as you stand your ground and not run you'll be ok, but that doesn't apply to Buffalo. Buffalo doesn't offer you a mock charge, they simply come to kill and be especially on your guard when you're on a safari of the older lonely bulls we refer to as Dugga Boys and cows with calves. Dugga Boy is what we call the old bulls. Dugga meaning mud in Zulu as the older bulls like their beauty treatment by spending long hours in the mud.

Join Photo Safari Experiences on your visit to the Kruger National Park to photograph the big 5.

To conclude the Big 5 is Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant and Buffalo.

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