Wild Africa: A Look at the Savanna

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African Savanna Basics

African Savanna highlighted on World Map

• Tropical grassland dotted with trees and shrubs that covers over 25 African countries
• Dry, but nutrient-rich volcanic soil due to the seven month dry season
• Long dry season (winter) and short wet season (summer)
• Warm temperature year-round and never drops below 20˚C



Zebras grazing as the sun sets over the grasslands




Photograph. Animal Fact Guide. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.animalfactguide.com/animalfacts/giraffe/>.

Photograph. The Perversity of Conservatism. 30 Aug. 2010. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://perversityofconservatism.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html>.

S., Maya. "African_savanna.htm." Blue Planet Biomes. 2003. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/african_savanna.htm>.

3 Keystone Animal Species

The African Buffalo

 http://www.arkive.org/african-buffalo/syncerus
-caffer/image-G26658.html

• Species include the Cape & Forest Buffalo
• Main predator is humans
• Lions, hyenas, and leopards are natural predators
• Known to be a dangerous animal
• Travels in herds up to 1,000

The African Elephant

• Hunted for their ivory                                            
• Species include the Forest & Savanna Elephant          



   http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/photography/
Elephant%20Album/WWFImgFullitem4438.jpg

• Possibly a third species called the West African Elephant
• Travel in herds of around 10
• Currently Endangered

The African Lion                                

• Prey on impalas, giraffes, buffalo, wild hogs, rhinos, hippos, hares, birds, and certain reptiles
• When food is scarce they'll prey on elephants       
• Population decrease
• Drought affected their prey, diseases transferred from prey to lions



http://openwalls.com/image/4651/african_
lion_and_his_cub_1280x800.jpg

• Farmers poison/ kill lions to protect crops
• If we protect lions, we protect many other species along with them
• Hyenas, wildebeest, plain zebras, and many more

- "African Buffalo." The Animal Files. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/hoofed_mammals/buffalo_african.html>.

- "African Elephants - National Zoo| FONZ." Welcome to the National Zoo| FONZ Website - National Zoo| FONZ. Smithsonian National Zoological Park. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/AfricanSavanna/fact-afelephant.cfm>.

- "African Lion Facts - Panthera Leo - Defenders of Wildlife - Defenders of Wildlife."Defenders of Wildlife - Protection of Endangered Species, Imperiled Species, Habitats. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/lion.php>.
- "Great Cats: Lions - National Zoo| FONZ." Welcome to the National Zoo| FONZ Website - National Zoo| FONZ. Smithsonian National Zoological Park. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GreatCats/lionfacts.cfm>.

Plant and Animal Adaptation

Both plants and animals have adapted to their surroundings.

• Plants:
• Roots are extremely long and extend deep into the ground to reach groundwater 
• Most trees have developed fire-resistant bark and have high water-holding capacities



Baobab tree

• Animals: 
• Alter their diets to fit with available food sources and can go long periods without food
• "Grazers" and "browsers" learn to compete/work with with other species and use their size to their advantage

Giraffe grazing from an acacia tree

Photograph. BetterPhoto.com. 29 Jan. 2006. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGallDetail.asp?photoID=1705295>.

Photograph. Trip Advisor. Mar. 2010. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g488122-Musina_Limpopo_Province.html>.

S., Maya. "African_savanna.htm." Blue Planet Biomes. 2003. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/african_savanna.htm>.

10 Pictures

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/249140/WILDEBEEST.jpg

A herd of wildebeests near a water source

http://wallpapers.free-review.net/15__Grant%27s_Gazelle_antelope_

%28deserts%2C_grasslands%2C_savannas_of_Africa%29.htm

A herd of African Antelopes traveling

http://savannaenvironment.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/giraffe.jpg

The African Giraffe

http://kentsimmons.uwinnipeg.ca/16cm05/1116/50-25bx-Savanna.jpg

A herd of African Buffalos and 
several zebras traveling

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/assets_c/2010/05/sn-termites-thumb-autox600-3370.jpg
One of the many termite mounds,known to 
benefit the African Savanna ecosystem

http://www.itsnature.org/ground/mammals-land/african-lion/
African Lions eating their prey

http://awsassets.panda.org/img/scr_53941_370480.jpg

An African Elephant eating

http://cache2.artprintimages.com/p/LRG/38/3813/
5PPIF00Z/art-print
/gerald-buff-corsi-african-elephant-with-
a-savanna-tree-loxodonta-africana
-masai-mara-game-reserve-kenya-africa.jpg

The Umbrella Thorn Acacia tree (one of the 700 species of the Acaica tree)

http://blogs.worldwatch.org/nourishingtheplanet/wp-content/
uploads/2011/01/black-plum.bmp?cda6c1
The African Black Plum

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tuv5pHlBifs/Tzm0bAlGbWI/AAAAAAAAAA0/
P0Bygwp8sSc/s320/
gerald-buff-corsi-african-elephant-with-a-savanna-tree-loxodonta-africana-
masai-mara-game-reserve-kenya-africa.jpeg
An African Elephant shaking a tree

Anthropogenic Environmental Threats

Poaching

Poachers inspecting an elephant

Hornless rhino

Habitat destruction and desertification

Cattle grazing

"KDE Santa Barbara." Kids Do Ecology. 2004. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. <http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/savanna.html>.

"NATURE: The Elephants of Africa - The Poaching Problem." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/elephants/poaching.html>.

Photograph. 123RF. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.123rf.com/photo_7276010_african-cattle-grazing.html>.

Photograph. Center for Conservation Biology. University of Washington. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://conservationbiology.net/research-programs/tracking-poached-ivory-2/>.

Photograph. Turn It Around. 12 Jan. 2012. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.turnitaround.co.za/petition/39/stop-rhino-poaching>.

The Circle of Life