EXCERPTS FROM: “Who am I?” “Who are We?” – Short Riddles Posed by African Animals – Series 2

Each series contains fourteen short riddles. These are posed to the young reader by six species of mammals, five bird species, two orders of insects and one group of ‘reptiles’. Each riddle is illustrated with superb images. Learn more about each species’ or group’s distinctive personality, characteristics and quirks by attempting to answer the questions “Who am I?” and “Who are We?”.

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My Name is Xerus inauris – Who am I?

I am a rodent; this means that my front teeth, my incisors, are much longer than are your front teeth. Mine are also razor-sharp. They work like chisels when I need to chew through a hard seedpod or the shell of a nut. I like seeds, seedpods, tubers and some kinds of juicy leaves. Sometimes I eat flowers and fruits, if I can find them. My paws end in short, sharp claws – with these I can hold onto seedpods or fruit whilst I am busy gnawing them.
 
 
My Name is Bucorvus leadbeateri – Who am I?
 

Because I do not have hands, I throw my food into the air with a tug of my beak – then I catch it in my mouth so that I can swallow my food in one piece. Unlike you, I never chew my food. You will laugh at me if I confess that I sometimes have to try a few times to be able to swallow a wriggling locust or small frog.
 
Because of my very large bill and because I find food only on the ground, I was given the name ground hornbill. I know that you worked it out as such. However, did you also know that my scientific name is Bucorvus leadbeateri?
 
 
We are the Bustling Membrane-winged Insects of the Order Hymenoptera – Who are We?
 

One of the interesting facts about us that maybe you know about already, is that we are all little females who live together in a nest. More than that, we are also all sisters who stay together with our mummy, the queen. Our mummy lays all the little eggs from which our new little sisters will hatch. Sometimes our mummy also lays little eggs from which our little brothers will hatch, but our little brothers are not allowed to live with us for a long time. Once they are big enough and they are ready, we throw them out of the nest. They must then fly far away to find a shelter and food for themselves, and of course also a little princess that will then start her own new nest and family all on her own.
 
 
My Name is Ceratotherium simum – Who am I?
 

On my face, I carry two single ‘horns’ made of hair that is packed together very tightly. They are actually just like your fingernails and not really horns at all. My little ‘horns’ are still short, but my mummy’s are very large. With her, the one in front is longer and slightly more curved upwards; the one behind is shorter and more like a triangle in shape. We use our horns mostly to protect ourselves against enemies; then we fight like the musketeers of old did with their swords.
 
 
My Name is Terpsiphone viridis – Who am I?
 

My dad had the longest orange tail feathers that I have ever seen. They were more than twice as long as his whole body. When he glided through the air, the beautiful feathers fluttered behind him like very long banners that are flapping in a strong wind. I am still a little bit young – my tail feathers are still not quite as long as my dad's were.
 
 
My Name is Aepyceros melampus – Who am I?
 

The game that I like the most does not have a name, but you can certainly call it ‘gedang-gedang’. We stand together calmly in a large group of pals so that our mummies think that we are being good. Suddenly, we all run in wide circles through the bush; we follow each other and try to be the first by taking shortcuts between shrubs or by daring to use long jumps to get over an obstacle. When our mummies become angry, we again stand calmly... until the next time.
 
 
We are the Four-legged Animals with a Scaly Skin that are Water-living Hunters – Who are We?
 

We are more closely related to the birds than we are related to the ‘reptiles’. We belong to a very old line of animal species that includes the birds. So we are not ‘reptiles’ at all as you people continue to call us.

There are but very few species of us that you will be able to encounter in Africa. We all live and hunt for our prey in water. Before people started hunting us for our skins, we were more plentiful. The largest of our kind still occurs fairly widely spread across Africa. You can still find us easily in the larger rivers, swamps, lakes and dams, and even in lagoons and estuaries, of southern and eastern Africa. We only never live in the high mountains and the desert areas. Another huge species you will be able to encounter only in the Nile of North Africa. There are also two very much smaller species that live in the rivers in the rainforests of northwestern Africa.
 
 
My Name is Sagittarius serpentarius – Who am I?
 

I got my common name either from the French or from the Arabs. At the end of this short riddle, you will know why this is so. You will know as well why I prefer one of the choices above the other. You will also find out that the scientists of old had made a big mistake when they decided on my scientific name a long time ago.
 
 
My Name is Helogale parvula – Who am I?
 

Mostly, I eat small insects such as beetles. I also eat earthworms if I can dig them out of the loose soil using the sharp claws on my feet. I also like to eat scorpions that I find in the veld under logs or stones. Occasionally I get it right to catch a small lizard as well. I do not like eating ants at all because they are so sour. I am certain that you too have your favourite food that you enjoy eating more than any other kind of food.
 
Do you know who I am? You are right; I am a dwarf mongoose. The clever scientists have given me the name Helogale parvula.
 
 
My Name is Ploceus velatus – Who am I?
 

I still have a lot to learn. Which leaves are good for weaving? What kind of knot should I place where so that the nest I am building will become strong? I also realise that I will have to build and rebuild a whole lot of nests before I will be able to satisfy a beautiful little lady or two.
 
Once I have built a nest, I will have to advertise it. I will have to perch on a small branch near my finished nest and sing loudly while I flutter my wings. I will also have to hang from the underside of the nest as I sing and flap my wings. Then there is also the danger that an intruder will be able to chase me from my own nest. Because we usually nest together in a large bundle, there is always the danger that another male will steal one of your nests and one of your little ladies. It will take a lot for me to bring up my first family.
 
 
We are the Two-winged Insects of the Order Diptera – Who are We?
 

What is the most important clue about who we are? We have only one pair of wings! If ever you are not sure what type of insect you are looking at, just count the wings. Our wings are membrane-like and adapted for flying. They are quite large and usually have an oval shape. Because these wings are see-through, they break up sunlight into its different colours. Therefore, you can see all the colours of a rainbow dancing on our wings. In some species, this colourful spectacle is used as signals with which to attract a mate.
 
 
My Name is Syncerus caffer – Who am I?
 

We live together in great herds to protect ourselves from our greatest enemies, the lions. If they try to hunt us, we run away in a big bundle. Yet, if they threaten one of us, we turn around – then the silly lions are really in trouble because we can hurt them badly by gashing them with our horns.
 
People say that we are bad-tempered. I think that this is a mistake – we are friendly as long as you do not want to do us any harm. If you are looking for trouble with us, you will get it just because we will defend one another. I think your family also acts like this if there is danger threatening.
 
 
My Name is Bubulcus ibis – Who am I?
 

I have quite a short, straight neck that never has a kink in it unlike most bird species that are closely related to me. My head is round but I have a strong, straight, black bill that stretches to a sharp point – this makes my head look a little bit triangular. With my bill, I can easily snatch up and hold onto my prey between grasses or leaves. Even though my yellow eyes are small, they are very keen and I will spot the smallest of movements.
 
 
My Name is Lycaon pictus – Who am I?
 

My fur is made of dense, soft, long hairs. My entire body is decorated with blobs and blocks of white, golden yellow, red-brown and black patterns. Each one of us has a unique colouration – you will never find two of us that look alike, even if you were to search for years on end. Therefore, I can tell everyone in my big family apart; sometimes this is obviously not a good thing – if I am being naughty, everyone knows immediately that I am the culprit.