Discover the Ugly Five
Discover the Ugly Five : Most tour safari are usually looking for the Big Five game animals, it is easy to miss lesser species on a safari. However, it’s also possible to spot other noteworthy animal species in Africa. Known together as “The Ugly Five,” these animals are among Africa’s least desirable: warthogs, hyenas, marabou storks, vultures, and wildebeest. Though not especially beautiful, each of these animals has a unique and fascinating quality to contribute.
Wildebeest
The Connochaetes antelope, commonly referred to as gnus or wildebeest, are native to Eastern and Southern Africa. They belong to the family Bovidae of even-toed horned ungulates, which also includes sheep, goats, cattle, and true antelopes. A wildebeest’s vision is so bad that it wouldn’t even recognise its own “ugly” appearance. They are acknowledged as one of the Ugly 5 African creatures, however. Their faces are long, their horns nasty, and their beards thin. In fact, the animal’s unattractive appearance led to the animal being named “wildebeest,” which is an Afrikaans word meaning “wild beast.” For such a dejected-looking animal, wildebeests put on an amazing show. The great migration is the largest land mammal migration in the world attracting thousand of migration safaris, who would wish to witness this natural phenomenon. Over a million wildebeest wander through the Serengeti in search of better grazing. Seeing this activity in action is the stuff of safari fantasies.
However, certain animals—like the spotted hyena—fall prey to enormous carnivores. Because they usually graze in mixed groups with zebra, wildebeest are more wary of potential predators. They also take notice of the warning signs produced by other species, such as baboons. Wildebeest are a well-liked tourist attraction despite their competition with domesticated animals for grazing and the odd accusation by farmers that they infect their cattle with parasites and disease.
Warthog
The Suidae family includes the genus Phacochoerus, which is often known as the warthogs (pronounced wart-hog).These are pigs that live in the open and semi-open habitats of sub-Saharan Africa, even in locations that are comparatively dry. The scientific name for the two species, Phacochoerus aethiopicus, was formerly used to refer to both as conspecific, but it is currently limited to the desert warthog. The warthog is a member of the pig family and is found all over Africa. These subterranean animals steal the aardvarks’ burrows, where they sleep. Instead of fighting, these animals prefer to run from danger, and their tails stand straight up as they dash across the grass.
From a distance, their bristle hairs cover their bodies and heads, making them appear mostly hairless; the only areas that are obviously hairy are the tufts on their tails and cheeks, and the crest on their backs. The English name refers to the wattles on their faces, which are more pronounced in men. The tusks of males can reach a maximum length of 10 to 25 inches (25 to 64 cm), whereas the tusks of females are consistently shorter. They also have quite distinctive teeth. They eat largely vegetation, although sometimes they may devour small animals. The IUCN lists both species as Least Concern, despite the fact that the nominate subspecies of the desert warthog, also known as the Cape warthog, went extinct around 1865. Both species are still quite widespread and plentiful.
The Marabou stork
The marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer), a large wading bird native to sub-Saharan Africa, is a member of the Ciconiidae family of storks. It usually breeds around populated places, especially landfills, and in both wet and dry conditions. The name “undertaker bird” also refers to its shape from behind, which consists of cloak-like wings and a back, tiny white legs, and sometimes a large quantity of “hair.” Similar to vultures, who are its common prey, the marabou stork’s long neck and bare head are adaptations to this means of survival. In either case, if the bird’s head was within a large carcass, a feathered head would soon become clogged with blood and other fluids, whereas a bare head is easier to keep clean.
This large, powerful bird will consume almost any animal when the chance presents itself, although it likes to eat carrion, crumbs, and dung. It occasionally eats young Queleas, flamingos, pigeons, doves, and the chicks of pelicans and cormorants.
Hyenas
Hyenas are members of the feliform carnivorous Hyaenidae family. With only four extant species (each in its own genus), it is the fifth-smallest family in the Carnivora and one of the smallest families in the class Mammalia. Despite their low degree of variety, hyenas are unique and crucial components of most African ecosystems. Hyenas have a prominent place in the mythology and folklore of the human communities that cohabit with them. Many people have the opinion that hyenas are vicious and should be mocked. In several cultures, hyenas are thought to control people’s spirits, steal animals, abduct children, and pillage cemeteries. In certain cultures, they are employed in traditional medicine; nevertheless, in other customs, they are associated with witchcraft.
Yes, they do have a slightly frightening visage, an ugly grin, and an unsteady posture. Their portrayal in The Lion King also did little to improve their standing. Even their cubs are cute, and hyenas aren’t particularly disgusting. Naturally scavengers (which is starting to sound like a pretty good indicator of ugly), hyenas play a vital role in their ecosystems. But they do more than just scrounge for meals. They are also good hunters. In actuality, they are among Africa’s wealthiest predators. Their massive jaws, which can crush the bones of some of Africa’s largest animals, and strong stomach acid allow them to readily digest any meal. Among the various things hyenas will eat are hoofs and bones. Three distinct hyena species are found in the family Hyaenidae. That is, the striped, brown, and spotted hyenas. The lesser-known aardwolf is also a member of the same family. The laughing hyena is another name for the largest member of the group, the spotted hyena. The reason for this is that they are the only ones that laugh in the typical way.
Vultures
A vulture is a carrion-eating predatory bird. There are currently 23 different species of vultures, including condors. The 16 extant species of Old World vultures are native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; the seven known species of New World vultures are restricted to North and South America and are all members of the Cathartidae family. One of the characteristics that sets vultures apart is their bald, featherless heads. This exposed skin is essential for thermoregulation and is thought to keep the head clean while eating. Some scholars claim that the vulture’s Ugly 5 depiction is the lapped-faced vulture. Though most of the 11 species of vultures found in Africa could pass for beautiful, none of them are particularly handsome.
Similar to marabou storks, vultures’ heads are often bald and scabby, with unsightly skin wrinkles and sometimes exposed ears. Like marabou storks, vultures play an important role in nature, and in Africa, they are recognised as “clean-up crew” workers for their ability to keep order in wildlife parks. Being among the most infamous scavengers, they are excellent at what they do—in fact, they remove up to 70% of the carrion, which helps prevent the spread of disease to humans and other animals.
