Massive viper up to 2 m and 11 kg. Geometric tan pattern. Has the longest fangs of any snake (5 cm) and largest venom yield of any African viper.

Hemotoxin + cardiotoxin. One bite delivers 5-7 ml of venom — enough to kill 30 humans. Slow strike but devastating. Mortality 60-80% without antivenom.

Rainforests of central and west Africa — Gabon, Cameroon, Congo, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Tanzania.

Almost motionless ambush predator on rainforest floor. Camouflage so perfect people step on them. Won't flee — strikes when touched.

Up to 4.5 m — Africa's longest venomous snake. Body is brown-grey; only mouth interior is black (hence the name).

Most feared snake in Africa. Pure neurotoxin kills in 20 minutes to 7 hours without antivenom. Mortality 100% without treatment. Strikes multiple times.

Savannas, rocky hills, woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa — Senegal to South Africa, especially Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi.

Diurnal. Fastest snake on Earth — 20 km/h. Climbs trees and termite mounds. Aggressive when cornered — rears up to face height.

Stocky viper up to 1.4 m. Tan with dark chevron pattern. Causes more snakebite deaths than any other African snake — its lethargy means people step on it.

Cytotoxic venom causes massive tissue damage, often requires amputation. Without antivenom mortality 15-20%. Doesn't flee — relies on camouflage.

Almost all of Africa except Sahara, rainforests, and desert tops. Most widespread venomous snake in Africa.

Sluggish ambush hunter. Hisses ('puffs') as warning. Strikes with unusually fast lateral motion. Active at night in hot regions.

5-9 mm mosquito. Most efficient malaria vector in the world. Africa carries 96% of global malaria burden — ~580,000 deaths per year, mostly children under 5.

Malaria has killed more humans than any other disease in history. WHO estimates 263 million cases per year. P. falciparum (most lethal strain) kills children within days without treatment.

Sub-Saharan Africa universally. Breeds in any standing water — puddles, rice paddies, hoof prints.

Bites at night (peak 22:00 - 04:00). Prefers humans over animals (unusual). One female bites 2-3 times per cycle, transferring parasites between hosts.

Africa carries about 36% of global rabies burden — 21,476 deaths per year, almost all transmitted by dog bites. Most victims are children under 15.

Once rabies symptoms appear, mortality is near 100%. Post-exposure vaccination works only before symptoms. Stray dogs are main reservoir. Major problem in DRC, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania.

Across all of Africa. Highest rabies burden: DRC, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Nigeria, Kenya. Eradicated in: South Africa (urban), Egypt (mostly).

Stray and unvaccinated dogs are main reservoir. Children most vulnerable due to height and inability to defend themselves.

Robust biting fly 6-14 mm. Both sexes feed on blood. Vector of trypanosomes causing African sleeping sickness (human trypanosomiasis).

Sleeping sickness untreated is 100% fatal — causes confusion, sensory disturbance, coma. ~10,000 cases/year. Also devastates livestock — keeps vast areas of Africa pastoralism-free.

Sub-Saharan Africa — 36 countries. Especially DRC, South Sudan, Angola, Uganda, Tanzania, Chad, Central African Republic.

Active during day. Attracted to dark colors and movement. Inflicts a painful bite. Lifespan only 1-3 months but multiple bites per day.

Up to 6 m — Africa's largest snake. Non-venomous constrictor. Powerful enough to kill and swallow antelope, and rarely, humans.

Kills by constriction — suffocates prey. Documented fatal attacks on humans, including children. Bite from backward-curving teeth causes deep wounds even without constriction.

Savannas, forests, near water across sub-Saharan Africa — from Senegal to Ethiopia, south to South Africa.

Ambush predator. Often near human settlements hunting rats and poultry. Females guard eggs. Can go months between meals after a large kill.

Up to 2.4 m — Africa's largest lizard. Olive-grey with yellow markings. Excellent swimmer and climber found near water across the continent.

Sharp teeth and claws, powerful tail whip. Bite causes lacerations and infection risk from bacteria-laden mouth. Not venomous but defends itself fiercely.

Rivers, lakes, swamps across sub-Saharan Africa and the Nile — Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Nigeria, DRC, and most of the continent.

Diurnal. Raids crocodile nests for eggs. Climbs trees, swims well. Flees to water when threatened but will bite hard if cornered.

Africa's most powerful eagle — wingspan up to 1.8 m. Talons can exert crushing force. Hunts monkeys and small antelope; remains of a human child once found in a nest.

Talons kill prey by piercing skull or suffocation. Documented swooping attacks on humans near nests. Can take prey 4x its own weight.

Forests and woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa — from Senegal to Ethiopia, south to South Africa. Especially dense in eastern forests.

Solitary or paired. Ambushes prey from above in forest canopy. Builds massive nests reused for decades. Loud display calls.