Ages 10–13Thursday, 8 October 2026

South African animals of the bushveld

Hidden Superpowers of Bushveld Animals

Star-navigating dung beetles, 40,000-muscle trunks, rhino horns made of hair stuff and giraffes that barely sleep.

Play

0:00−3:21

The facts

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1. Some dung beetles can navigate using the Milky Way, shown in experiments in the Wits University planetarium; they were the first animals known to do so.

   Source

   • Navigating life through the eyes of a gogga — University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) (opens in a new tab)

2. An elephant's trunk contains about 40,000 muscles.

   Source

   • African Elephant — National Geographic (opens in a new tab)

3. Elephant pregnancies last about 22 months, longer than almost any other mammal.

   Source

   • Elephant — African Wildlife Foundation (opens in a new tab)

4. Rhino horn is made of keratin, the same material as human hair and nails.

   Sources

   • White rhino — Save the Rhino International (opens in a new tab)
   • Rhinoceros — African Wildlife Foundation (opens in a new tab)

5. The white rhino is actually grey; its name is thought to come from a Dutch word meaning "wide", for its wide, square lips.

   Sources

   • White rhino — Save the Rhino International (opens in a new tab)
   • Rhinoceros — African Wildlife Foundation (opens in a new tab)

6. No two African wild dogs have exactly the same markings.

   Source

   • African Wild Dog — African Wildlife Foundation (opens in a new tab)

7. Giraffes need only 5 to 30 minutes of sleep in 24 hours.

   Source

   • Giraffe — San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (opens in a new tab)

8. A giraffe's neck has seven vertebrae, the same number as a human's.

   Source

   • Giraffe — San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (opens in a new tab)