Animals of South Africa

463 animals on World Animal Map have open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records from South Africa on GBIF: 153 mammals, 146 birds, 86 sharks & fish, 52 insects & other invertebrates, 19 reptiles, 7 amphibians. Species marked “introduced” are listed as non-native there by GRIIS checklists. Show on the world map

All 463 animals by group

Big cats 3

• Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus
• Leopard Panthera pardus
• Lion Panthera leo

Small wild cats 4

• African wildcat Felis lybica
• Black-footed cat Felis nigripes
• Caracal Caracal caracal
• Serval Leptailurus serval

Foxes, jackals & wild dogs 3

• African wild dog Lycaon pictus
• Bat-eared fox Otocyon megalotis
• Cape fox Vulpes chama

Hyenas & aardwolf 3

• Aardwolf Proteles cristata
• Brown hyena Parahyaena brunnea
• Spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta

Mongooses, civets & genets 12

• African civet Civettictis civetta
• Banded mongoose Mungos mungo
• Cape genet Genetta tigrina
• Cape gray mongoose Galerella pulverulenta
• Common dwarf mongoose Helogale parvula
• Common slender mongoose Galerella sanguinea
• Egyptian mongoose Herpestes ichneumon
• Marsh mongoose Atilax paludinosus
• Meerkat Suricata suricatta
• South African small-spotted genet Genetta felina
• White-tailed mongoose Ichneumia albicauda
• Yellow mongoose Cynictis penicillata

Weasels, otters, badgers & skunks 5

• African clawless otter Aonyx capensis
• African striped weasel Poecilogale albinucha
• Honey badger Mellivora capensis
• Spotted-necked otter Hydrictis maculicollis
• Striped polecat Ictonyx striatus

Seals, sea lions & walrus 3

• Antarctic fur seal Arctocephalus gazella
• Arctocephalus pusillus Arctocephalus pusillus
• Southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina

Whales & dolphins 8

• Bryde's whale Balaenoptera brydei
• Dusky dolphin Lagenorhynchus obscurus
• Heaviside's dolphin Cephalorhynchus heavisidii
• Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae
• Indian Ocean humpback dolphin Sousa plumbea
• Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin Tursiops aduncus
• Southern right whale Eubalaena australis
• Strap-toothed whale Mesoplodon layardii

Elephants 1

• African bush elephant Loxodonta africana

Rhinos 2

• Black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis (introduced)
• White rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum

Hippos, giraffes & zebras 4

• Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius
• Mountain zebra Equus zebra
• Northern giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis
• Plains zebra Equus quagga (introduced)

Antelopes, wild cattle, sheep & goats 29

• African buffalo Syncerus caffer
• Black wildebeest Connochaetes gnou
• Blue duiker Philantomba monticola
• Blue wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus
• Bontebok Damaliscus pygargus
• Cape bushbuck Tragelaphus sylvaticus
• Cape grysbok Raphicerus melanotis
• Common duiker Sylvicapra grimmia
• Common eland Taurotragus oryx
• Damaliscus lunatus Damaliscus lunatus
• Gemsbok Oryx gazella
• Greater kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros
• Grey rhebok Pelea capreolus
• Harnessed bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus
• Hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus
• Himalayan tahr Hemitragus jemlahicus (introduced)
• Impala Aepyceros melampus (introduced)
• Klipspringer Oreotragus oreotragus
• Mountain reedbuck Redunca fulvorufula
• Nyala Tragelaphus angasii
• Oribi Ourebia ourebi
• Red forest duiker Cephalophus natalensis
• Roan antelope Hippotragus equinus (introduced)
• Sable antelope Hippotragus niger
• Sharpe's grysbok Raphicerus sharpei
• Southern reedbuck Redunca arundinum
• Springbok Antidorcas marsupialis
• Steenbok Raphicerus campestris
• Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus (introduced)

Wild pigs & peccaries 2

• Bushpig Potamochoerus larvatus
• Common warthog Phacochoerus africanus

Monkeys 5

• Blue monkey Cercopithecus mitis
• Chacma baboon Papio ursinus
• Grivet Chlorocebus aethiops
• Vervet monkey Chlorocebus pygerythrus
• Yellow baboon Papio cynocephalus

Lemurs 1

• Mohol bushbaby Galago moholi

Bats 18

• African yellow bat Scotophilus dinganii
• Angolan free-tailed bat Mops condylurus
• Ansorge's free-tailed bat Chaerephon ansorgei
• Banana serotine Afronycteris nanus
• Cape hairy bat Myotis tricolor
• Cape horseshoe bat Rhinolophus capensis
• Cape serotine Neoromicia capensis
• Egyptian free-tailed bat Tadarida aegyptiaca
• Egyptian slit-faced bat Nycteris thebaica
• Large-eared free-tailed bat Otomops martiensseni
• Mauritian tomb bat Taphozous mauritianus
• Midas free-tailed bat Mops midas
• Natal long-fingered bat Miniopterus natalensis
• Rusty pipistrelle Pipistrellus rusticus
• Rüppell's horseshoe bat Rhinolophus fumigatus
• Schlieffen's serotine Nycticeinops schlieffeni
• Sundevall's roundleaf bat Hipposideros caffer
• Wahlberg's epauletted fruit bat Epomophorus wahlbergi

Squirrels, chipmunks & marmots 4

• Cape ground squirrel Geosciurus inauris
• Eastern gray squirrel Sciurus carolinensis (introduced)
• Red bush squirrel Paraxerus palliatus
• Smith's bush squirrel Paraxerus cepapi

Mice, rats & other rodents 33

• Acacia rat Thallomys paedulcus
• Acomys selousi Acomys selousi
• African pygmy mouse Mus minutoides
• Brants's whistling rat Parotomys brantsii
• Bush vlei rat Myotomys unisulcatus
• Cape dune mole-rat Bathyergus suillus
• Cape gerbil Gerbilliscus afra
• Cape mole-rat Georychus capensis
• Cape porcupine Hystrix africaeaustralis
• Cape short-eared gerbil Desmodillus auricularis
• Cape spiny mouse Acomys subspinosus
• Common mole-rat Cryptomys hottentotus
• Dassie rat Petromus typicus
• Desert pygmy mouse Mus indutus
• Four-striped grass mouse Rhabdomys pumilio
• Greater cane rat Thryonomys swinderianus
• Hairy-footed gerbil Gerbillurus paeba
• Krebs's fat mouse Steatomys krebsii
• Mashona mole-rat Fukomys darlingi
• Mozambique thicket rat Grammomys cometes
• Namaqua rock rat Micaelamys namaquensis
• Natal multimammate mouse Mastomys natalensis
• Rhabdomys dilectus Rhabdomys dilectus
• Sloggett's vlei rat Otomys sloggetti
• South African pouched mouse Saccostomus campestris
• South African springhare Pedetes capensis
• Southern African vlei rat Otomys irroratus
• Southern multimammate mouse Mastomys coucha
• Tanezumi rat Rattus tanezumi (introduced)
• Tete veld aethomys Aethomys ineptus
• Verreaux's mouse Myomyscus verreauxii
• Woodland dormouse Graphiurus murinus
• Woodland thicket rat Grammomys dolichurus

Rabbits, hares & pikas 3

• Cape scrub hare Lepus saxatilis
• Hewitt's red rock hare Pronolagus saundersiae
• Riverine rabbit Bunolagus monticularis

Hedgehogs, shrews & moles 2

• Lesser red musk shrew Crocidura hirta
• Reddish-gray musk shrew Crocidura cyanea

Pangolins, hyraxes & other mammals 8

• Aardvark Orycteropus afer
• Cape golden mole Chrysochloris asiatica
• Eastern rock sengi Elephantulus myurus
• Ground pangolin Smutsia temminckii
• Hottentot golden mole Amblysomus hottentotus
• Karoo round-eared sengi Macroscelides proboscideus
• Rock hyrax Procavia capensis
• Yellow-spotted rock hyrax Heterohyrax brucei

Penguins 4

• African penguin Spheniscus demersus
• King penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus
• Macaroni penguin Eudyptes chrysolophus
• Northern rockhopper penguin Eudyptes moseleyi

Birds of prey 26

• African fish eagle Haliaeetus vocifer
• Amur falcon Falco amurensis
• Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus
• Bearded vulture Gypaetus barbatus
• Black kite Milvus migrans
• Black-winged kite Elanus caeruleus
• Booted eagle Hieraaetus pennatus
• Common buzzard Buteo buteo
• Crowned eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus
• Eurasian hobby Falco subbuteo
• European honey buzzard Pernis apivorus
• Hooded vulture Necrosyrtes monachus
• Lanner falcon Falco biarmicus
• Lappet-faced vulture Torgos tracheliotos
• Martial eagle Polemaetus bellicosus
• Montagu's harrier Circus pygargus
• Osprey Pandion haliaetus
• Pallid harrier Circus macrourus
• Red-footed falcon Falco vespertinus
• Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius
• Shikra Accipiter badius
• Steppe eagle Aquila nipalensis
• Tawny eagle Aquila rapax
• Verreaux's eagle Aquila verreauxii
• Western marsh harrier Circus aeruginosus
• White-backed vulture Gyps africanus

Owls 1

• Western barn owl Tyto alba

Parrots 2

• Rose-ringed parakeet Psittacula krameri (introduced)
• Rosy-faced lovebird Agapornis roseicollis

Ducks, geese & swans 5

• Egyptian goose Alopochen aegyptiaca
• Greylag goose Anser anser
• Mallard Anas platyrhynchos (introduced)
• Mandarin duck Aix galericulata
• Wood duck Aix sponsa

Waders, gulls, terns & auks 34

• American golden plover Pluvialis dominica
• Arctic tern Sterna paradisaea
• Bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica
• Black-tailed godwit Limosa limosa
• Black-winged stilt Himantopus himantopus
• Common greenshank Tringa nebularia
• Common ringed plover Charadrius hiaticula
• Common sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
• Common tern Sterna hirundo
• Curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
• Eurasian curlew Numenius arquata
• Eurasian oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
• Eurasian whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
• Green sandpiper Tringa ochropus
• Grey plover Pluvialis squatarola
• Lesser black-backed gull Larus fuscus
• Little stint Calidris minuta
• Little tern Sternula albifrons
• Parasitic jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus
• Pectoral sandpiper Calidris melanotos
• Pied avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
• Pomarine jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus
• Red knot Calidris canutus
• Red phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius
• Red-necked phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
• Roseate tern Sterna dougallii
• Ruddy turnstone Arenaria interpres
• Ruff Calidris pugnax
• Sabine's gull Xema sabini
• Sanderling Calidris alba
• Sandwich tern Thalasseus sandvicensis
• Sooty tern Onychoprion fuscatus
• White-winged tern Chlidonias leucopterus
• Wood sandpiper Tringa glareola

Seabirds, divers & grebes 12

• Black-browed albatross Thalassarche melanophris (introduced)
• Black-necked grebe Podiceps nigricollis
• European storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
• Great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
• Great crested grebe Podiceps cristatus
• Great white pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus
• Little grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
• Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus
• Scopoli's shearwater Calonectris diomedea
• Snowy albatross Diomedea exulans (introduced)
• Southern giant petrel Macronectes giganteus
• Southern royal albatross Diomedea epomophora

Herons, storks, cranes & flamingos 22

• African sacred ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus
• American flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber
• Black heron Egretta ardesiaca
• Black stork Ciconia nigra
• Black-crowned night heron Nycticorax nycticorax
• Common moorhen Gallinula chloropus
• Corn crake Crex crex
• Glossy ibis Plegadis falcinellus
• Goliath heron Ardea goliath
• Great egret Ardea alba
• Greater flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus
• Grey crowned crane Balearica regulorum
• Grey heron Ardea cinerea
• Hadada ibis Bostrychia hagedash
• Hamerkop Scopus umbretta
• Lesser flamingo Phoeniconaias minor
• Little egret Egretta garzetta
• Marabou stork Leptoptilos crumenifer
• Purple heron Ardea purpurea
• Spotted crake Porzana porzana
• Western cattle egret Ardea ibis
• White stork Ciconia ciconia

Pheasants, grouse & game birds 4

• Chukar partridge Alectoris chukar (introduced)
• Common quail Coturnix coturnix
• Helmeted guinea fowl Numida meleagris
• Indian peafowl Pavo cristatus (introduced)

Pigeons & doves 3

• Laughing dove Spilopelia senegalensis
• Pink pigeon Nesoenas mayeri
• Rock dove Columba livia (introduced)

Woodpeckers, kingfishers, hornbills & toucans 5

• Eurasian hoopoe Upupa epops
• European bee-eater Merops apiaster
• European roller Coracias garrulus
• Lilac-breasted roller Coracias caudatus
• Southern ground hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri

Hummingbirds, swifts & nightjars 2

• Common swift Apus apus
• European nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus

Ostriches, emus, kiwis & rheas 1

• Common ostrich Struthio camelus

Crows, jays & magpies 2

• House crow Corvus splendens (introduced)
• Pied crow Corvus albus

Songbirds & perching birds 21

• Barn swallow Hirundo rustica
• Common myna Acridotheres tristis (introduced)
• Common reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
• Common starling Sturnus vulgaris (introduced)
• Eurasian chaffinch Fringilla coelebs (introduced)
• Eurasian golden oriole Oriolus oriolus
• Garden warbler Sylvia borin
• Great reed warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus
• Grey wagtail Motacilla cinerea
• House sparrow Passer domesticus (introduced)
• Icterine warbler Hippolais icterina
• Marsh warbler Acrocephalus palustris
• Red-backed shrike Lanius collurio
• Red-billed quelea Quelea quelea
• Sand martin Riparia riparia
• Sedge warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
• Spotted flycatcher Muscicapa striata
• Violet-backed starling Cinnyricinclus leucogaster
• Western house martin Delichon urbicum
• Western yellow wagtail Motacilla flava
• Willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus

Cuckoos, turacos & other birds 2

• Common cuckoo Cuculus canorus
• Kori bustard Ardeotis kori

Crocodiles & alligators 1

• Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus

Snakes 11

• Ball python Python regius (introduced)
• Boomslang Dispholidus typus
• Cape cobra Naja nivea
• Eastern green mamba Dendroaspis angusticeps
• Forest cobra Naja melanoleuca (introduced)
• Indotyphlops braminus Indotyphlops braminus
• Mole snake Pseudaspis cana
• Mozambique spitting cobra Naja mossambica
• Puff adder Bitis arietans
• Rinkhals Hemachatus haemachatus
• Southern African rock python Python natalensis

Lizards, geckos & tuatara 5

• Armadillo girdled lizard Ouroborus cataphractus
• Giant girdled lizard Smaug giganteus
• Nile monitor Varanus niloticus
• Rock monitor Varanus albigularis
• Tropical house gecko Hemidactylus mabouia

Turtles & tortoises 2

• Chersobius signatus Homopus signatus
• Leopard tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis

Frogs & toads 7

• African bullfrog Pyxicephalus adspersus
• African clawed frog Xenopus laevis
• Breviceps adspersus Breviceps adspersus
• Cape rain frog Breviceps gibbosus
• Desert rain frog Breviceps macrops
• Edible bullfrog Pyxicephalus edulis
• Grey foam-nest tree frog Chiromantis xerampelina

Sharks 20

• Broadnose sevengill shark Notorynchus cepedianus
• Bull shark Carcharhinus leucas
• Copper shark Carcharhinus brachyurus
• Dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus
• Great white shark Carcharodon carcharias
• Leopard catshark Poroderma pantherinum
• Longfin mako shark Isurus paucus
• Milk shark Rhizoprionodon acutus
• Puffadder shyshark Haploblepharus edwardsii
• Pyjama shark Poroderma africanum
• Sand tiger shark Carcharias taurus
• Scalloped hammerhead Sphyrna lewini
• Sixgill sawshark Pliotrema warreni
• Smooth hammerhead Sphyrna zygaena
• Spinner shark Carcharhinus brevipinna
• Spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias
• Squatina squatina Squatina squatina
• Tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier
• Whale shark Rhincodon typus
• Zebra shark Stegostoma fasciatum

Rays, skates & chimaeras 13

• Aetobatus ocellatus Aetobatus ocellatus
• Atlantic torpedo Torpedo nobiliana
• Bluespotted ribbontail ray Taeniura lymma
• Bull ray Aetomylaeus bovinus
• Cape elephantfish Callorhinchus capensis
• Common eagle ray Myliobatis aquila
• Common stingray Dasyatis pastinaca
• Giant guitarfish Rhynchobatus djiddensis
• Kuhl's maskray Neotrygon kuhlii
• Leopard whipray Himantura leoparda
• Marbled electric ray Torpedo marmorata
• Round ribbontail ray Taeniura meyeni
• Spotted eagle ray Aetobatus narinari

Bony fish 53

• Alepisaurus ferox Alepisaurus ferox
• Atlantic blue marlin Makaira nigricans
• Atlantic bonito Sarda sarda
• Atlantic horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus
• Atlantic pomfret Brama brama
• Blue antimora Antimora rostrata
• Bluefin trevally Caranx melampygus
• Bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix
• Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus (introduced)
• Bluestreak cleaner wrasse Labroides dimidiatus
• Bonefish Albula vulpes
• Clarias gariepinus Clarias gariepinus
• Clown triggerfish Balistoides conspicillum
• Cobia Rachycentron canadum
• Common carp Cyprinus carpio (introduced)
• Diplodus sargus Diplodus sargus
• Emperor angelfish Pomacanthus imperator
• Epinephelus marginatus Epinephelus marginatus
• Flathead grey mullet Mugil cephalus
• Giant grouper Epinephelus lanceolatus
• Giant oarfish Regalecus glesne
• Giant trevally Caranx ignobilis
• Grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella (introduced)
• Greater amberjack Seriola dumerili
• Greater pipefish Syngnathus acus
• Guppy Poecilia reticulata (introduced)
• Helicolenus dactylopterus Helicolenus dactylopterus
• Hydrocynus vittatus Hydrocynus vittatus
• Indian mackerel Rastrelliger kanagurta
• Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides (introduced)
• Leerfish Lichia amia
• Long-spine porcupinefish Diodon holocanthus
• Longhorn cowfish Lactoria cornuta
• Mackerel scad Decapterus macarellus
• Mangrove red snapper Lutjanus argentimaculatus
• Milkfish Chanos chanos
• Moorish idol Zanclus cornutus
• Mosquitofish Gambusia affinis (introduced)
• Mozambique tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus
• Paracanthurus Paracanthurus hepatus
• Pilot fish Naucrates ductor
• Platax teira Platax teira
• Plotosus lineatus Plotosus lineatus
• Pterois miles Pterois miles
• Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (introduced)
• Redtoothed triggerfish Odonus niger
• Reef triggerfish Rhinecanthus rectangulus
• Ribbon eel Rhinomuraena quaesita
• Salema porgy Sarpa salpa
• Scorpaena scrofa Scorpaena scrofa
• Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu (introduced)
• Titan triggerfish Balistoides viridescens
• Yellow boxfish Ostracion cubicus

Butterflies & moths 9

• Acherontia atropos Acherontia atropos
• Agrius convolvuli Agrius convolvuli
• Daphnis nerii Daphnis nerii
• Diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (introduced)
• Gonimbrasia belina Gonimbrasia belina
• Helicoverpa armigera Helicoverpa armigera
• Pieris brassicae Pieris brassicae (introduced)
• Turnip moth Agrotis segetum
• Vanessa cardui Vanessa cardui

Bees, wasps & ants 3

• Argentine ant Linepithema humile (introduced)
• Vespula germanica Vespula germanica (introduced)
• Western honey bee Apis mellifera

Beetles 2

• Harmonia axyridis Harmonia axyridis (introduced)
• Hippodamia variegata Hippodamia variegata (introduced)

Dragonflies & damselflies 1

• Pantala flavescens Pantala flavescens

Grasshoppers, bugs & other insects 14

• American cockroach Periplaneta americana (introduced)
• Black bean aphid Aphis fabae
• Cat flea Ctenocephalides felis (introduced)
• Ceratitis capitata Ceratitis capitata
• Desert locust Schistocerca gregaria
• Drosophila melanogaster Drosophila melanogaster
• Drosophila suzukii Drosophila suzukii
• Eupeodes corollae Eupeodes corollae
• German cockroach Blattella germanica (introduced)
• Hermetia illucens Hermetia illucens (introduced)
• Housefly Musca domestica
• Nezara viridula Nezara viridula
• Silverleaf whitefly Bemisia tabaci (introduced)
• Stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans

Spiders, scorpions & other arachnids 4

• Latrodectus geometricus Latrodectus geometricus (introduced)
• Rhipicephalus sanguineus Rhipicephalus sanguineus
• Tetranychus urticae Tetranychus urticae (introduced)
• Woodlouse spider Dysdera crocata (introduced)

Crabs, lobsters & shrimps 7

• Cherax quadricarinatus Cherax quadricarinatus (introduced)
• Grapsus grapsus Grapsus grapsus
• Lysmata amboinensis Lysmata amboinensis
• Odontodactylus scyllarus Odontodactylus scyllarus
• Penaeus monodon Penaeus monodon
• Scylla serrata Scylla serrata (introduced)
• Thenus Thenus orientalis

Octopuses, squid & cuttlefish 3

• Argonauta argo Argonauta argo
• Common octopus Octopus vulgaris
• Giant squid Architeuthis dux

Jellyfish, corals & anemones 6

• Atolla jellyfish Atolla wyvillei
• Beadlet anemone Actinia equina
• Hydra vulgaris Hydra vulgaris
• Pelagia noctiluca Pelagia noctiluca
• Porpita porpita Porpita porpita
• Portuguese man o' war Physalia physalis

Starfish, sea urchins & relatives 3

• Crown-of-thorns starfish Acanthaster planci
• Fromia indica Fromia indica
• Linckia laevigata Linckia laevigata

Presence means at least a few wild records with coordinates (and a minimum share of the species’ records, to exclude vagrants and escapes) in GBIF data licensed CC0 or CC BY 4.0. Some species may be missing where open data is scarce.