Johannesburg - Visitors to South Africa will soon have two new additions to their checklist of must-see game as the Big Five undergoes a big bang expansion, local media reported Tuesday.

To the lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo, South Africa's environmental affairs department plans to add the whale and the shark for a beefed-up Big Seven tourist attraction, the public SABC broadcaster reported.

Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said the addition of the two ocean predators would be "a very significant move for tourism as we will become the only country in the world to boast a Big Seven."

South Africa's game parks, including the renowned Kruger National Park are home to the Big Five, a term coined by big-game hunters. Whales and sharks are commonly seen around the Western Cape, near Cape Town.

Yet, other African countries such as Kenya are also home to all seven animals at some point in the year.

Sonjica said South Africa would be increasing its marketing of encounters with whales and sharks, including shark dives. (dpa)