Syncerus caffer. African forest buffalos are commonly found in swampy jungles, never far from water. They live in small herds and are often seen splashing in water and wallowing in mud. They have good hearing to compensate for their poor eyesight. Despite being a smaller buffalo, 3½ to 4½ feet tall at the shoulders, forest buffalos are considered to be powerful and deadly fighters.

Lutra maculicollis. The spotted-necked otter is a playful, aquatic animal found in lakes, rivers and swamps of south and central Africa. It has a short coat with dense underfur and reddish or brown spots on its cheek, throat and upper chest. The otter preys mainly on fish and is active during the day, near dusk or on moonlit nights. The spotted-necked otter is a slow, short-winded swimmer and despite its webbed hands, has good manual dexterity. Hippopotamus amphibius. The hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal in the world although it lives in an aquatic environment. Hippos have four webbed toes on each foot and typically reside in slow-moving or still waters. Only found in Africa, females can weigh up to 5,000 pounds; males up to 7,000 pounds. A sticky fluid secreted through pores in hippos' skin serves as both an antibiotic and sunblock. The name hippopotamus means river horse.

Okapi johnstoni. The only known living relative of the giraffe, the rare and elusive okapi is found in the immense Ituri Forest of the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It has a velvety, reddish-brown coat and black and white, horizontally striped legs. It has a long, bluish-black prehensile tongue it uses to clean its ears as well as wrap around high acacia branches. The San Diego Zoo, one of only 25 zoos in the world to exhibit okapi, contributes to the DRC's Okapi Wildlife Reserve to help preserve this rare animal and its habitat.

Cercopithecus neglectus. These monkeys primarily inhabit the damp forests of central Africa along rivers and swamps. They are always found living near water. They are quiet, slow animals that typically live in small groups consisting of parents and their offspring. They find fruit, insects, leaves, flowers and mushrooms in the small territories they live in.

		Cercopithecus nictitans. This monkey is one of the most distinctly colored primates. A pure white spot on the nose, olive-green cheeks and black limbs and tail distinguish this monkey from other primates. The spot-nosed guenon's body color and gestures are part of their visual communication system. This active monkey is most often seen in mid-canopy of the forest trees.
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