Name

English Name

Description

Addax

Desert-adapted breed of antelope. Heat-tolerant, surviving on a diet of coarse grasses and the tolerant of water shortages, deriving water mainly from dew and the plants upon which it feeds. Capable of travelling large distances in search of food and water, with large hooves to help it to travel over the desert.  It rests during the day and travels at night. They travel in herds.

Aetheria elliptica

Freshwater mollusc

Alopochen aegyptiacus

Goose

Goose variety with different coloured patterns from grey to chestnut with pink bills. They mainly live on land although they can swim and dive efficiently in freshwater environments.  They are foragers living on wild plants, and are found today in sub-Saharan Africa and the Nile Valley.

Aspatharia

Freshwater mussels

Ammotragus lervia

Barbary Sheep/aoudad

Large type of sheep native to highland areas of northern Africa, and adapted to conditions which are dry and waterless. Herds consist of small groups of male and female animals, with old and young individuals. They consume grasses and shrubs and can tolerate long periods without access to water. Gestation period for females is about 160 days. and most give birth between February and the end of April.

Auroch

See: Bos primigenius

Bragus

Bos Primigenius

Bos = cattle
Bos Primigenius = Auroch

An extinct form of wild cattle with a shaggy coat and long horns, distributed across north Africa, and parts of the Near East, Middle East, Europe and Asia.  Known as aurochs, they were considerably larger than the domesticated cows of today, with the male reaching a maximum height of around 1.80m Horns were pointed forward and curved inwards. They had a preference for forest, open scrub and occasionally grassland.

Caridae

Shrimp

Capra hircus

Domesticated goat

Catfish

See: Clarias

Clarias

Catfish

There are numerous types of catfish, native to fresh water lakes and rivers.  It  has little or no connective tissue, which means that it does not have to be cooked for long. It is high in protein, low in sodium, and high in potassium

Dentalium

Engina mendicaria

Marine gastropod.

Gazella (sp.)

Gazelles are swift, reaching speeds of up to 100 km/hour, maintaining speads of up to 50 km/h for a long time. They usually live in African grasslands and savannas. (See Dorcas and Rufifrons)

Gazella dama

Dama Gazelle

Gazella dorcas

Dorcas Gazelle

Dorcas gazelles may go their entire lives without drinking water, taking moisture from the plants they eat. They can adapt to high temperatures. Herds wander over large areas but head towards recent rainfall where new plant growth occurs.

Gazella rufirons

Ruifirons Gazelle

Goose

See Alopochen aegyptiacus

Hare

Hartebeest

A type of antelope, the hartebeest is diurnal, and grazes iwhen it is coolest, resting in  the shade whent h day is at its hottest. They can reach speeds of up to 80 kmph. and are territorial. They live in grassland and bush regions throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

Hippotragus equinus.

Hippopotamus

The Hippopotamus is a large mammal that resides in freshwater rivers, swamps and lakes, and rivers in Africa. Hippopotamus means "River Horse" in Greek. They have a life span of around 40 years. Hippos are herbivores. They spend most of the day in water and stay underwater for up to 30 minutes. They are nocturnal coming out at night to eat grass. They are considered to be one of the most dangerous animals in Africa.

Hystrix cristata

Procupine

A nocturnal animal famous for its black and white quills.  They prefer natural shelters such as caves or crevices.  They are vegetarians who avoid thick vegetation prefering clearly defined tracks, sometimes traveling in search of food. They are vegetarians eating roots, tubers, bark and fruit.

Ibex

Jackal

The jackal is a medium-sized carnivore with doglike features and a bushy tail.  It can be found all over Africa.  Jackals work together to hunt small or young antelopes and even domestic sheep and also eat reptiles, insects, ground-dwelling birds, fruits, berries and grass.  Different types of jackal live in different environments: the Common jackal lives in open savannah, desert and arid grass and shrub. Side-striped jackals prefer damper conditions including savannas, marshes, bushlands and mountains. Sliver-backed jackals live in savanna and woodland environments.

Kobus kob

The Kob

 Preferes waterside environments.

Lates

The Nile Perch

Lates niloticus is found all over central Africa and also found extensively in the Nile river system, inhabiting both still and flowing waters. Nile perch prefer warm waters where they grow to large sizes and can occur in high densities. They feed on fish, larger crustaceans and insects.

Lepus

Hare

Hares belong to a family of mammals called leporids.

Nerita

Zebra Nerita Snail

Resident in ponds and slow-moving streams with muddy substrate. They are omnivores, living on algae and general debris.

Nile Perch

See: Lates niloticus

Ourebia ourebi

The Orebi is a small type of antelope. Prefers waterside environmnets.

Oryx

Ostrich

Ovicaprid

A combined term to describe sheep and goat, which are often difficult to distinguish from each other in the archaeological record, as their skeletal remains are often very similar.

Ovis

Pila wernei

Snail

A large African apple-snail species whose preferred habitat is stagnant water in marshes, swamps and flood-plains.  It lives on aquatic vegetation.

Polypterus

Roan

Porcupine

See Hystrix cristata

Scaridae

Parrot fish

Silurus

Catfish

Snake

Soft-shell tortoise

Sus scrofa

Pig

Synodontis

A type of catfish found only in Africa, south of the Sahara desert, synodontis catfish prefer lagoons and  slow-flowing waters. They spend most of the day hidden under submerged tree trunks or riverbanks, and are more active at night.

Tilapia

A fish also known as the Egyptian Mouth-Breeder. Nile tilapia are known as Oreochromis niloticus. A  popular fish today (farmed all over the world) the tilapia was often part of the Egyptian diet.

Unio (shell)

Warthog