When you start researching your African safari, the term "Big Five" often crops up. The "Big 5" refers to the Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant and Cape Buffalo. Why not the hippo, gorilla or giraffe you may ask? Are they not large as well? How about the cheetah -- that would be an animal you would probably like to see as much as a buffalo. Well, the term "big five" was actually coined by big game hunters (not safari tour operators). It refers to the difficulty in bagging these large animals, mostly due to their ferocity when cornered and shot at.

On that note, please enjoy this introduction to the "big five" who used to roam throughout Africa, but are now largely confined to game parks and reserves in Southern Africa. Unfortunately they weren't quite ferocious enough to avoid being hunted and poached.