A Wildly Fun Monday

20 fun African wildlife facts to liven up your Monday ....

1. The flamingos' diet of shrimp-like crustaceans are responsible for its pink color
2. Hippos secrete a natural sunscreen that is colored red and eventually turns brown
3. Giraffe tongues are dark blue and average around 20 inches in length
4. Leopards are strong swimmers and eat fish
5. Lions are the only cats that live in groups (prides)
6. Warthogs can jump
7. Chimpanzee females reach reproductive age at 13
8. Male Nile Crocodiles attract females by bellowing, slapping their snouts in the water, and blowing water out of their noses
9. Every zebra has a unique stripe pattern, just like human finger prints
10. Hyenas are more closely related to cats than dogs
11. Impalas can jump over 10 meters (33 feet) in a single leap
12. Aardvarks have ears like a rabbit, long tails, webbed claws, sharp nails, long snouts, and are not related to pigs (despite their name)
13. Both Black and White rhinos are actually gray
14. An elephant's trunk contains about 100,000 different muscles
15. Cheetahs only need to drink every 3 or 4 days
16. Cape Buffalo have good memories, they've been known to attack people that have harmed them years after the event
17. Jackal males and females mate for life
18. Male Vervet monkeys have a turquoise blue scrotum and a red penis
19. Ostriches can sprint up to 43 miles (70 kilometers) an hour and use their wings as rudders to change direction
20. An adult Mountain Gorilla will eat about 60 lbs of vegetation per day

Want to See All this Yourself?

• Safari Planner
• Best Time to Go on Safari
• Africa's Top 10 Safari Destinations
• The Great Annual Migration
• Top 10 Animals to See on Safari

_{Source: National Geographic and Image -- © Getty Images/Frank & Joyce Birek}