Big and Little

Folks who are familiar with African animal lore will often come across the phrase "the Big Five."  This dates back to the days when sports hunting was at its peak in Africa, when hunters would come to try their hand at pursuing the five animals that were considered the most impressive trophies and the most dangerous game - lion, elephant, rhinoceros, leopard, and buffalo.  Today, with Africa seeing more focus on ecotourism and wildlife viewing than hunting, the phrase is still commonly used for safari operators, with the buffalo sometimes being dropped in favor of hippo, giraffe, or another species.  I've seen all five while studying in Africa in college.

The Big Five are represented to varying degrees in American zoos.  Lion, African elephants, and rhino (both black and white) can be seen at many facilities, as can leopards (though generally not of the African subspecies).  Cape buffalo, in contrast, are found only in a small handful of facilities, there apparently being little demand from the public or zoo curators for what is essentially a large, black, foul-tempered cow that is not endangered in the wild (I sell the species short - they really are imposing animals).

Less well-known than the Big Five are their whimsical counterparts "Little Five," - ELEPHANT shrew, LEOPARD tortoise, BUFFALO weaver, RHINOCEROS beetle, and ant LION.  The tortoise and weaver may be spotted from the back of a safari jeep while in pursuit of the Big Five, but the other three are less likely to be encountered that way, and require a more down-to-earth approach of searching.   Not that I know of anyone who has gone on safari in specific pursuit of elephant shrews.

My track record on the Little Five is less impressive than the Big - I've seen two in the wild, and an additional two in zoos.  To the best of my knowledge, no one has worked out a good strategy for exhibit ant lions (tiny insects that lie in ambush at the bottom of tiny pits in which they trap ants).