Georgia Safari Conservation Park

Binomial name:

Suricata suricatta

Conservation status:

Least Concern

World population:

Stable

Identifying characteristics:

Small, long slender body with bushy brown-striped fur. A small, pointed face and the eyes have dark patches around them, and they have small black crescent-shaped ears. They dig with their long, sharp nonretractable claws.

Fun fact:

Stands on its hind legs when looking out for predators.

The burrows that they dig are good for protection, but they also help them to keep cool from the hot desert sun.

Binomial name:

Giraffa camelopardalis

Conservation status:

Vulnerable

World population:

Decreasing

Identifying characteristics:

They have extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones, and its distinctive coat patterns which have a medium-to-reddish brown background. Broken into splotches by buff-colored borders.

Fun fact:

Giraffes are the world's tallest mammals.

Binomial name:

Saimiri sciureus

Conservation status:

Least Concern

World population:

Abundant

Identifying characteristics:

Fur is short and close, colored black at the shoulders and yellowish orange on its back and extremities. The upper parts of their heads are hairy. This black-and-white face gives them the name "death's head monkey" in several Germanic languages.

Fun fact:

They are highly vocal and have around 25-30 different types of call.

Binomial name:

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

Conservation status:

Least Concern

World population:

Stable

Identifying characteristics:

Greater kudus have a narrow body with long legs, and their coats can range from brown/bluish grey to reddish brown. They possess between 4 and 12 vertical white stripes along their torso.

Fun fact:

The horns of a mature bull kudu have two and a half twists, and, if straightened, would reach an average length of almost 4ft!

Greater kudus are one of the largest antelopes.

Binomial name:

Equus quagga (formerly Equus burchelli)

Conservation status:

Plains zebra: Least Concern. Grevy’s zebra: Endangered. Mountain zebra: Vulnerable

World population:

Stable

Identifying characteristics:

Heavy bodied animals that are perfectly designed for speed with their long and slender legs and narrow hooves helping them to reach speeds of 25 mph when running. Zebras have long necks and heads that mean they can easily reach the grass on the ground and a mane that extends from their forehead and along their back to the tail. And their most famous feature-Their black and white stripe coats are unique to each individual and the pattern of their stripes varies between the species.

Fun fact:

The plains zebra is the most common and has or had about six subspecies distributed across much of southern and eastern Africa.

Scientists aren’t entirely sure why Zebras have stripes. Their stripes perhaps serve to dazzle and confuse predators and biting insects, or to control the animal’s body heat. Because each individual’s stripes are unique, their stripes may also have a social purpose, helping zebras to recognize one other.