The topographic and climatic conditions of the country has resulted in faunal species dominated by rare species such as African bush elephant ("Loxodonta africana"), striped hyena, Northwest African cheetah ("Acinonyx jubatus hecki"), waterbuck, African leopard ("Panthera pardus pardus"), West African lion ("Panthera leo senegalensis"), antelope, common warthog ("Phacochoerus africanus"), scimitar oryx ("Oryx dammah"), hippopotamuses ("Hippopotamus amphibius") in the Niger River, crocodiles, horned vipers, lizards, pythons, manatee, the endemic Nigerian giraffe ("Giraffa camelopardalis peralta") which is endangered, the Critically Endangered dama gazelle, which is the national symbol of Niger (named "meyna" or "ménas" in the Hausa language) as well as Soemmerring's gazelle ("Nanger soemmerringii"), Grant's gazelle ("Nanger granti") and slender-horned gazelle ("Gazella leptoceros").