The Big 7: South Africa’s Most Extraordinary Wildlife List

The Big 5 is one of Africa’s most famous wildlife concepts — lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo, originally named by hunters for the five most dangerous animals to pursue on foot. South Africa has taken this concept further: only one national park in the world offers the Big 7, adding two extraordinary marine species to the terrestrial five.

That park is Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape.

The Big 7 adds great white shark and southern right whale to the classic Big 5 list. Both are accessible from Addo’s offshore marine section in Algoa Bay — making Addo the only national park in the world where a visitor can, within a single trip framework, encounter all seven species.

The Full Big 7

1. Lion

Addo’s lion population was reintroduced in 2003 after over a century of absence from the Eastern Cape. The current population has established several prides across the main reserve area. Sightings are possible but require patience — Addo’s dense valley bushveld provides substantial cover, and lion encounters depend significantly on timing and guide knowledge.

Best areas: Central Addo, night drives with private lodges on the reserve boundary.

2. Leopard

Leopard have always been part of Addo’s ecosystem — unlike lion, they were never fully eliminated from the Eastern Cape during the hunting era. The reserve’s dense thickets and rocky terrain are ideal leopard habitat. Sightings are genuine, though the thick vegetation makes them less frequent than in the more open Lowveld.

Best areas: Riverine areas, rocky outcrops, dawn and dusk drives.

3. Elephant — The Star of the Show

Addo’s elephant story is extraordinary. In 1931, only 11 animals remained in the Eastern Cape after a century of hunting. Today, over 600 elephants live in the main Addo reserve — the densest elephant population anywhere on Earth.

The recovery is one of conservation’s great success stories, and the elephants are its physical expression. Herds of 50–100 animals are common. The main waterhole at Addo’s camp area can draw 200 elephants simultaneously on a hot afternoon. These animals are habituated to vehicles and can be closely observed — watching a herd of 80 elephants at a waterhole, calves playing and adults drinking in organised succession, is an experience that matches anything the Lowveld offers.

Best areas: Main camp waterhole (passive viewing), central game drive routes.

4. Rhinoceros

Both white and black rhino are resident in Addo. The Eastern Cape is historically important for black rhino conservation — the region has been an established stronghold since the conservation programme began. Rhino sightings at Addo are genuine and meaningful.

Best areas: Open grassland sections of the reserve, particularly the northern Addo area.

5. Buffalo

Buffalo are widespread across the reserve in large herds. The open and semi-open sections of Addo — away from the dense valley bushveld — are reliable buffalo country. Herds of several hundred animals are possible during the dry season.

6. Great White Shark

The great white shark is the marine addition that elevates Addo to Big 7 status. Addo’s offshore marine section includes Bird Island in Algoa Bay — one of the world’s most significant great white shark aggregation sites. The island supports large Cape gannet and African penguin colonies, and the sharks are attracted by the seal and seabird populations.

Cage diving operations based in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) offer access to great white sharks in Algoa Bay. Guests are lowered in a secure cage alongside the vessel at water level as sharks are attracted by berley (chum). Close encounters — sharks moving within arm’s reach of the cage — are genuinely possible and produce what many guests describe as one of the most primal wildlife experiences of their lives.

Best season: Year-round, with peak activity typically April–September when seal populations are highest.

How to book: Through established cage diving operators in Gqeberha, or as a day trip from Addo with transfer. African Safari Group can arrange.

7. Southern Right Whale

The southern right whale — one of the world’s great marine mammals, weighing up to 60 tonnes — migrates through Algoa Bay annually. Whales typically enter the bay between June/July and November, with peak activity in August–October.

Southern right whales are among the most approachable of all whale species — historically hunted almost to extinction partly because they were “right” to hunt (they floated when killed), they are now one of the most recovered whale populations globally. In Algoa Bay, they come close to shore — sometimes in very shallow water — and their behaviour includes breaching, lobtailing, and rolling that is clearly visible from land and from whale watching vessels.

Access: Whale watching cruises from Port Elizabeth/Gqeberha harbour, or shore-based viewing from the Port Elizabeth beachfront and Van Stadens promontory.

Doing All 7 in One Trip

The Addo Big 7 trip is achievable in 5–6 days:

Day 1: Fly Cape Town → Gqeberha (1 hour). Drive to Addo accommodation (1 hour).

Days 2–3: Game drives in Addo — elephant, lion, buffalo, rhino, leopard. Morning and afternoon drives.

Day 4: Return to Gqeberha. Morning: great white shark cage diving (5–6 hours). Afternoon: rest.

Day 5: Whale watching cruise (June–November) or additional Addo game drive. Fly home or connect to Cape Town.

The logistics are straightforward and the combination is unique in the world: safari, shark diving, and whale watching within the boundary of a single national park framework.

The Conservation Context

Both marine species of the Big 7 have extraordinary conservation histories:

Great white sharks were hunted to near-depletion before protection began. The Algoa Bay population benefits from Marine Protected Area status and the absence of large-scale fishing in shark habitat areas.

Southern right whales were hunted to fewer than 300 animals globally by the mid-20th century. Today’s population of approximately 10,000 animals represents one of conservation’s most successful recoveries. The species is now classified as “least concern” by IUCN — an extraordinary turnaround.

Addo’s Big 7 framework is not marketing. It is a meaningful representation of what conservation success looks like when it actually works.

Frequently Asked Questions — Big 7 South Africa

What is the Big 7 in South Africa?

The Big 7 is a concept developed around Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape — the only national park in the world where a visitor can experience the terrestrial Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo) plus two marine species: great white shark (accessible via cage diving or boat in Algoa Bay) and southern right whale (which migrates through Algoa Bay June–November).

Where can you see all Big 7 in South Africa?

Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape is the only location for the full Big 7. The main park covers the terrestrial Big 5. The park’s marine section in Algoa Bay provides access to great white sharks and southern right whales. No other national park in South Africa — or the world — encompasses all seven species within a single protected area framework.

Is cage diving with great white sharks safe?

Yes — cage diving operations are regulated, use certified vessels and cages, and operate within strict safety protocols. Guests are secured in a cage that is partially submerged, with the sharks on the outside. Hundreds of thousands of divers globally have completed cage dives without incident. The experience is exhilarating but not dangerous.

African Safari Group designs Addo Big 7 itineraries and Eastern Cape safari combinations. Enquire here for a personalised itinerary.