Lions don’t live in the jungle; they live in the grasslands, woodlands, and savannas of Africa and Asia. They live in groups called “prides,” where the female lion (lioness) does the hunting for food, while the large male lions protect their pride. Baby lions are called cubs. Lions are meat-eating predators that hunt other animals for food.
Rhinos have big horns on their noses and very thick skin that protects them from predators. They are the second-largest land mammal, with the elephant as the largest. Although they are very large animals, they are herbivores, which means they eat grass and other plants. Rhinos also travel in herds in Africa and Asia.
Elephants are huge animals that can be found in the bamboo forest where their favorite food, bamboo, grows. Their long trunk can be used for many things, like smelling, drinking, eating, spraying water to cool themselves, and even acting as an arm to hold things. Their large feet act like sponges, allowing them to walk quietly through the forest, avoiding their predators.
Known as the “forest giraffe,” the okapi looks more like a cross between a deer and a zebra, and is the giraffe's only living relative. The okapi only lives in the rainforests of Africa, and has thick, oily fur to stay dry in the rain. While all males have horns, most females have knobby bumps instead.
The sable is an antelope with a short neck, long face, and dark mane. Both males and females have large, ringed horns that raise vertically and curve backward. As they grow older, sables change color. Calves are born reddish-brown, with virtually no markings. As they age, the white markings appear, and the rest of the coat gets darker.
Savanna cape buffalo are large, heavy, cow-like animals. Adults are usually dark gray or black, and the young are often reddish-brown. Both males and females have heavy, ridged horns that grow straight out from the head or curve downward and then up. The horns are used to protect them from predators.
Gazelles are fast animals. Some are able to run at bursts as high as 60 mph or run at a sustained speed of 30 mph. Gazelles are found mostly in the deserts, grasslands, and savannas of Africa; they are also found in southwest and central Asia and India. They tend to live in herds, and eat plants and leaves.