Edge of Africa

The Crowned cranes are recognisable from the stiff, golden feathers which is on the top of their head.

The dik-dik is one of the smallest members of the antelope family measuring a maximum of 45cm high.

The blue duiker gets its name from the bluish hairs on its back. Duiker is a Dutch Afrikaans word, meaning to dive, referring to the duiker’s tendency to dive into dense cover when startled.

The cheetah is the fastest land mammal on the planet, reaching speeds of up to 87 kilometres per hour.

Why not learn more about the cheetahs at their encounter?

The mandrill is not only the largest monkey in the world, but it is also one of the most distinctive, with their extremely striking face, with a red stripe down the nose and blue flanges framing it.

Our mandrill troop at Colchester Zoo have a very successful breeding record, with offspring born yearly.

Instantly recognisable for its bright rufous fur, the red river hog is undoubtedly the most strikingly coloured of all wild pigs

We have a group of red river hogs here at Colchester Zoo. These wild species of pig are also known as bushpigs. They have a bristly coat, which can vary from reddish to greyish-brown, and they have a white mane running down their backs. They also have 2 overgrown teeth which protrude out of their mouths as tusks.

We have had previous successful births with our spotted hyena and hope to be able to help maintain the population of this species within the captive environment.

We have a group of warthogs living within their enclosure at Edge of Africa.

The warthog gets its name from the warts on its face and these warts help to protect the face and eyes from an opponent's tusks when fighting.