The arthropod with 1,000 feet? Although the name millipede means “thousand-feet,” the giant African millipede only has about 300 to 400 legs. The largest of the 10,000 species of millipede, these gentle giants call the rain forests of Africa home. Find out more!

Giant African millipedes love warm, dark places on the rain forest floor. The most common hiding places include areas near rotting wood and burrows where they can curl up and hide. Millipedes are a type of organism called a detritivore. Detritivores feed on dead and decaying organic matter within their habitat.

This organic matter could be things such as decaying trees, logs, and plants. All of these items are nutrient-rich for a millipede and make up most of their diet. Once digested, millipedes leave their waste or droppings along the forest floor. This excrement is full of helpful nutrients and acts as new soil for the environment.

This particular species of millipede is nocturnal, meaning they come out to forage for food and explore the forest at night. They will crawl along the rain forest floor looking for decomposing material to feed on.

Giant African millipedes have poor eyesight, so their sense of touch seems to play an important role. They can feel with their antennae and their legs, and could possibly communicate by scent as well. This particular species of millipede is not known to vocalize or make sound; unless of course you count the sound of hundreds of legs moving across the forest floor.