Animals

Climate

Australian Tropical Savanna

African Savanna

A savanna is a rolling grassland scattered with shrubs and isolated trees, which can be found between a
tropical rainforest and desert biome. Not enough rain falls on a savanna to support forests. Savannas are
also known as tropical grasslands. They are found in a wide band on either side of the equator on the
edges of tropical rainforests.

Savannas have warm temperature year round. There are actually two very different seasons in a
savanna; a very long dry season (winter), and a very wet season (summer). In the dry season only an
average of about 4 inches of rain falls. Between December and February no rain will fall at all. Oddly
enough, it is actually a little cooler during this dry season. But don't expect sweater weather; it is still
around 70° F.

In the summer there is lots of rain. In Africa the monsoon rains begin in May. An average of 15 to 25
inches of rain falls during this time. It gets hot and very humid during the rainy season. Every day the
hot, humid air rises off the ground and collides with cooler air above and turns into rain. In the
afternoons on the summer savanna the rains pour down for hours. African savannas have large herds of
grazing and browsing hoofed animals. Each animal has a specialized eating habit that reduces
compitition for food.

There are several different types of savannas around the world. The savannas we are most familiar with
are the East African savannas covered with acacia trees. The Serengeti Plains of Tanzania are some of
the most well known. Here animals like lions, zebras, elephants, and giraffes and many types of
ungulates(animals with hooves) graze and hunt. Many large grass-eating mammals (herbivores) can
survive here because they can move around and eat the plentiful grasses. There are also lots of
carnivores (meat eaters) who eat them in turn.

South America also has savannas, but there are very few species that exist only on this savanna. In
Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela, savannas occupy some 2.5 million square kilometers, an area about
one-quarter the size of Canada. Animals from the neighboring biomes kind of spill into this savanna. The
Llanos of the Orinoco basin of Venezuela and Columbia is flooded annually by the Orinoco River. Plants
have adapted to growing for long periods in standing water. The capybara and marsh deer have adapted
themselves to a semi-aquatic life.

Brazil's cerrado is an open woodland of short twisted trees. The diversity of animals is very great here,
with several plants and animals that don't exist anywhere else on earth.

There is also a savanna in northern Australia. Eucalyptus trees take the place of acacias in the Australian
savanna. There are many species of kangaroos in this savanna but not too much diversity of different
animals

Plants of the savannas are highly specialized to grow in this environment of long periods of drought.
They have long tap roots that can reach the deep water table, thick bark to resist annual fires, trunks
that can store water, and leaves that drop of during the winter to conserve water. The grasses have
adaptations that discourage animals from grazing on them; some grasses are too sharp or bitter tasting
for some animals, but not others, to eat. The side benefit of this is that every species of animal has
something to eat. Different species will also eat different parts of the grass. Many grasses grow from the
bottom up, so that the growth tissue doesn't get damaged by grazers. Many plants of the savanna also
have storage organs like bulbs and corms for making it though the dry season.

Most of the animals on the savanna have long legs or wings to be able to go on long migrations. Many
burrow under ground to avoid the heat or raise their young. The savanna is a perfect place for birds of
prey like hawks and buzzards. The wide, open plain provides them with a clear view of their prey, hot air
updrafts keep them soaring, and there is the occasional tree to rest on or nest in. Animals don't sweat to
lose body heat, so they lose it through panting or through large areas of exposed skin, or ears, like those
of the elephant.
The savanna has a large range of highly specialized plants and animals. They all depend on the each
other to keep the environment in balance. There are over 40 different species of hoofed mammals that
live on the savannas of Africa. Up to 16 different species of browsers (those who eat leaves of trees) and
grazers can coexist in one area. They do this by having their own food preferences, browsing/grazing at
different heights, time of day or year to use a given area, and different places to go during the dry
season.

These different herbivores provide a wide range of food for carnivores, like lions, leopards, cheetahs,
jackals and hyenas. Each species has its own preference, making it possible to live side by side and not
be in competition for food.

In many parts of the savannas of Africa people have started using it to graze their cattle and goats. They
don't move around and soon the grasses are completely eaten up. With no vegetation, the savanna
turns into a desert. Huge areas of savanna are lost to the Sahara desert every year because of
overgrazing and farming.

Australian Tropical Savanna

A home to many animals, the Australian tropical savanna is one of the world's largest tropical savannas.
The world's other savannas cover two fifths of Africa and large amounts of India and South America. The
Australian tropical savanna is an area of dense grass and scattered trees that stretches across northern
Australia from Broome to Townsville.

A savanna is usually very flat and with few trees and shrubs, this is because the fires destroy most of the
trees and shrubs which usually aren't fire resistant. This happens frequently during the summer. This is
also because savannas across the world have a limited water supply and bigger vegetation such as trees
are the first to die out. Most savannas are near the equator, but the Australian savanna is south of the
equator, which causes this region to have summer while we are having fall. Savannas usually occur only
in a climate that has both a rainy and dry season. Each of these different seasons is very extreme.

The dry seasons, or "the dry", of the Australian savanna can last up to five months, from May to
October. With each dry season come forest fires. These forest fires occur often, and geographers believe
that fire keeps the savanna healthy. The tropical rain forest trees, that would have otherwise grown in
that climate, don't grow because they are destroyed by the fires. Though the fires don't destroy all of
the underground grasses, the fires limit the growth of any vegetation that isn't fire resistant. Usually the
temperatures are cooler, with clear skies and low humidity.

During this time, water is key. The rainy season, or "the wet", can be pretty bad too. Some savannas
around the world get ten inches of rain, and some ten full feet. Some pools, ponds, lakes, rivers, and
streams flood. Much of the Australian savanna rain falls in heavy bursts of thunderstorms and
monsoons. During the wet, which lasts from December to March, it is hot and humid. Temperatures can
get as high as 50°C but usually stays around 30s (°C).

Marsupials dominate among the animals in this area of Australia. Marsupial's are mammals whose
young are born undeveloped. The premature marsupial baby spends most of its growing up attached to
the mother's nipple in a pouch. Marsupials are different from other mammals because they give birth to
such undeveloped offspring while other mammal's young are much more mature. The animals include
the Echidna, Eastern Gray Kangaroo, the Koala Agile and Whiptale Wallabies, Walaroos, Possums,
Gliders, the Northern Qoull, and the Golden Bandicoot. These animals live in or near the few trees in this
area for shade, food, and water. In the other parts of the tropical savanna, the reptiles dominate. The
saltwater Crocodile, which is found here, is the world's largest reptile. It can grow to be from 7 to 8
meters long.

The vegetation in Australia differs from that of other Savannas. The acacia, part of the 1,200 members of
the pea family, is the most common tree in other savannas. The acacia tree does grow in Australia but
only in tropical and subtropical areas so, it's not the most common. Acacia's produce a gum called gum
arabic, this is used in drugs, foods and others. The acacia's flowers are yellow or white and they grow in
bundles.

The most common tree in Australia is the eucalyptus. They are famous for their oil, gum, and timber.
The eucalyptus grows in warm climates and they are the most important tree for timber in Australia. The
bark of some of these trees furnishes tannin, which is used in medicine.

There are many threats to this biome. The foreign pests and weeds that have been brought to this
biome, such as the wetland weed Mimosa, threaten the survival of the region's ecosystems and native
species. The Australian government has sponsored programs to clear away brush for agricultural
reasons. When some of the farmers took over land, they brought with them new systems that caused
some species to become endangered. The Aboriginal people have been stripped of their homes so that
the government can make more room for agriculture. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Australia is
reacting to this destruction by working with the communities to stop the clearing programs.

This savanna is unique in many ways, including its climate, its animals, its vegetation, and its beauty. It's
not quite like the other savannas of the world. It provides a home for the animals we don't have
anywhere else in the world. Its vegetation is unique too. The area of the world it is in makes its climate
extremely different from the others around the world. The entire planet would suffer greatly if we
destroyed this biome.

Thanks to the WWF, this ecosystem may survive. Without such intervention, this world's savannas won't
stand a chance.

by Alix C. 2001.

African Savanna

The African Savanna biome is a tropical grassland in Africa between latitude 15° North and 30 degrees S
and longitude 15 degrees W and 40° West. It covers Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote D'ivore, Ghana,
Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, and South Africa.

Annual rainfall in the African Savanna is about the same as that of Wisconsin. During the rainy season,
beginning in May and ending in November, they get fifteen to twenty-five inches of rain a month. In the
dry season they only get about four inches of rain. The dry season occurs more then seven months of
the year, from October to March in the southern hemisphere and April to September in the northern
hemisphere. The dry season comes in the low sun period and the wet season comes in the high sun
period. They have a wet-dry tropical climate.

A rolling grassland dotted with trees is one way to define the African Savanna. The African Savanna is a
thornbush savanna, which has many different kinds of plants such as acacia Senegal, candelabra tree,
jackalberry tree, umbrella thorn acacia, whistling thorn, Bermuda grass, baobabs, and elephant grass.
The Serengeti Plains are a grass savanna that has very dry but nutrient-rich volcanic sand. Around 2
million large plant-eating mammals live in the savanna. There are 45 species of mammals, almost 500
species of birds, and 55 species of acacia in the Serengeti Plains. There are animals such as lions, African
wildcats, klipspringer, steenbok, Burchell's zebra, African Savanna monitor, and puff adders. They have
the largest diversity of hoofed animals in the world including antelopes, wildebeest, buffalos, zebras,
and rhinoceros.

Both plants and animals have adapted very well to living where they live. Some animals are grazers,
some are browsers, and some do a little of both. One herd of browsers nibbles at the trunk of a tree,
another looks a little higher for food, a third eats even higher than the ones below them, and another
herd browses at the very top. Many plants have developed long taproots to reach down to water. Some
kinds of trees have thick fire resistant bark and trunks that can store water. Some animals migrate when
it gets too hot or too cold for them, and others burrow in the ground. Some animals have tough cheek
teeth so they can stand their diets, many animals cannot eat tough grasses like the animals of the
African Savanna. Some animals have developed speed for hunting such as cheetahs others such as
giraffes have developed long legs to become too high for a cheetah or other predators to get to. Naked
mole rats feed on large underground tubers produced by plants, the secretary bird feeds on snakes so it
has evolved to have long legs to walk through the grasses, and ostriches can run as fast as 31 miles per
hour to escape predators. They can also have very thick skin to make it so predators cannot bite through
their skin.

This biome has been helped, hurt, and changed by humans in many ways. For example people use the
land for cattle grazing, which kills the grass and turns the savanna into a desert, they cause many fires
that destroy the land, use of wood for fuel also causes problems to the environment, and people also
poach (hunt the animals illegally) very often causing animals to become extinct. To repair damage
people are creating controlled burning programs to keep worse fires from developing, they are creating
nature preserves to keep the savanna natural, and they set up a biosphere reserve in South Africa to
help protect the environment. The Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area together have
been named a World Heritage site. The Serengeti is one of the most famous national parks in the world.
It has the most grazing animals and their predators in Africa. Some of the greatest wildlife scenes ever
seen take place there. The African Savanna takes up almost half of the continent, about 5 million square
miles. If it weren't for the efforts that people made to preserve the savanna they may not have all the
animals, plants, and other wonderful things they have now.

by Maya S. 2003
Plants

Baobab

Common Name: Baobab

Genus: Adansonia

Species: digitata

Parts Used: all parts of the tree are used

The baobab is found in the savannas of African and India, mostly around the equator. It can grow up to
25 meters tall and can live for several thousand years. The baobab is leafless for nine months of the
year. If I were to describe the baobab, I would say that it looks like it has been picked out of the ground
and stuffed back in upside-down. The trunk would be the tap-root, and the branches the finer capillary
roots.

The Arabian legend of the baobab is that "the devil plucked up the baobab, thrust its branches into the
earth and left its

roots in the air". Another legend describes what happens if you are never satified with what you already
have;

"The baobab was among the first trees to appear on the land. Next came the slender, graceful palm
tree. When the baobab saw the palm tree, it cried out that it wanted to be taller. Then the beautiful
flame tree appeared with its red flower and the baobab was envious for flower blossoms. When the
baobab saw the magnificent fig tree, it prayed for fruit as well. The gods became angry with the tree and
pulled it up by its roots, then replanted it upside down to keep it quiet."

The baobab looks like this for a reason. In the wet months water is stored in its thick, corky, fire-
resistant trunk for the nine dry months ahead.
The baobab's bark, leaves, fruit, and trunk are all used. The bark of the baobab is used for cloth and
rope, the leaves for condiments and medicines, while the fruit, called "monkey bread", is eaten.
Sometimes people live inside of the huge trunks, and bush-babies live in the crown.

Nirvana H. 2000

Bermuda Grass

Common Names: Bahama Grass, Devil's Grass, Couch Grass, Wire Grass, Indian Doab

Genus: Cynodon

Species: dactylon

Parts Used: the stems and the leaves

Bermuda grass originally came from the savannas of Africa and is the common name for all the East
African species of Cynodon. It grows in open areas where there are frequent disturbances such as
grazing, flooding, and fire.

Although most of these species have remained in Africa, today Cynodon dactylon is found in warm
climates all over the world between 45° south and 45° north latitude. It can be found growing in
pastures and the understories of open woodlands and orchards. It is called bermuda grass in the United
States because it was introduced from the Bermuda Island.

Bermuda grass is a creeping grass, and will creeps along the ground and root
where ever a node touches the ground, forming a dense mat. It also reproduces from roots under the
ground. It has a deep root system, and in drought situations the root system can grow 47 to 59 inches
(120-150 cm) deep. Most of the root mass lies 24 inches (60 cm) under the surface.

Its blades are a gray-green color and are short, usually 1 to 4 inches (3-10 cm)long with rough edges. The
erect stems can grow 0.3 to 1.3 feet (0.1-0.4 m) tall. The stems are slightly flattened, and an inflorescent
purple in color.

Bermuda grass reproduces through seeds and through runners and rhizomes. The seedheads are on 1-3
inch (3-7 cm) spikes and are themselves about 2 inches long. Bermuda grass will put out seeds about 3
months after planting. The seeds germinate at temperatures above 68° F (20° C), and begin to grow
within 2 weeks. One plant can cover an area of 3 square yards (2.5 sqm.) in just 150 days after
germinating.

Bermuda grass can grow in poor soil. During droughts the upper parts die off, but the grass will keep
growing from its rhizomes. It prefers moist and warm climates, and where there is more than 16 inches
(410 mm) of rainfall a year.

Bermuda grass is an early successional grass, and is first to grow back after grass fires, which burn quite
often on the African savanna.

To the Hindu in India, bermuda grass was a sacred grass because it fed their sacred cows. In ancient
Roman days they squeezed the juice from the stems and used it as a diuretic and and astringent to stop
bleeding.

Bermuda grass is considered a very invasive and competitive weed. Few herbicides are effective against
it. Before mechanized farm machinery, bermuda grass was the farmer's worst weed. However, back
then it saved thousands of acres of farm soil from erosion. It was the most widely grown pasture and
turf grass in the South. Bermuda grass is highly nutritional for cattle and can be fed to sheep.

2002
Candelabra Tree

Genus: Euphorbia

Species: ingens

Candelabra trees are found near the equator and in the East Indies and Africa. They live in the savanna
biome. The candelabra tree can grow up to 30 to 40 feet (10 m) tall. The branches all grow from one
trunk, and look like little cactuses that grow near the top, giving it the shape of a candelabra. It has little
yellow flowers in mid-winter.

The candelabra tree is beautiful, but poisonous. If a drop of the white sap from the inner tree comes in
contact with the skin a blister will form.

It will blind you if it touches the eyes and even breathing the fumes burns. This sticky poisonous latex
along with its sharp spines makes it so animals don't feed on it.

The candelabra tree is sometimes used as a living fence probably because it has sharp spines on its
branches, and touching it burns.

by Nirvana H. 2000

Elephant Grass

Common Name: Napier grass, Uganda grass

Genus: Pennistum

Species: purpureum
Parts Used: leaves for animal fodder

Elephant grass is a tall grass that originally came from Africa in 1913. It grows in dense clumps of up to
10 feet tall. In the savannas of Africa it grows along lake beds and rivers where the soil is rich. Local
farmers cut the grass for their animals, carrying it home in huge piles on their backs or on carts.

Yellowish or purple in color,the stems are coarse and hairy, and about 1 inch thick near the base. The
leaves are 2 to 3 feet long, pointed at the ends, and about 1 inch wide. The edges of the leaves are
razor-sharp. This makes stands of elephant grass nearly impenetrable. Many bird species make their
home in the stands.

The dense seed heads of elephant grass are about 9 inch tufted plumes, usually a tawny or purple color.
Elephant grass does reproduce sexually, but the seeds are very small and don't germinate well. The
grass reproduces mainly through its rhizomes (root-like underground stems that produce roots below
and sends up shoots to the surface).

Elephant grass can be very invasive and clogs the natural waterways of Florida which have to be cleared
periodically. It likes tropical weather and can be killed by a light frost. The underground parts will stay
alive if the soil doesn't freeze.

2000

Jackal Berry Tree

Common Names: Jackalberry Tree, Jakkalbessie, African Ebony

Genus: Diospyros
Species: mespiliformis

Parts used: bard, leaves, twigs, and roots

© Willem van der Merwe 2001

The Jackalberry tree is found throughout Africa, from Senegal and the Sudan to Mamibia and the
northern Transvaal. It is most commonly found on savannas or savanna woodlands where it can be
found growing on termite mounds. In heavy soils the termite mounds provide the tree with aerated soil,
and a source of moisture. The roots provide protection for the termites, who don't eat the living wood.
Jackalberry wood is almost termite-resistant after it has been cut down.

The tree prefers moist soil, rocky soils. It grows well in red loams,

volcanic and loamy sands. Jackalberry trees are also commonly found along river beds and swampy
areas.

The Jackalberry tree can grow very tall, up to 80 feet, with a trunk circumference of 16 feet. Most trees
don't grow that tall, however, and heights of 15 to 18 feet are more usual. The trunks grow straight and
high, with the first spreading branches growing far above the ground. The mature trunks from older and
heavier trees have fluted, flattened ridges along the trunk which buttress and strengthen them. The bark
is dark brown when young, turning dark gray as it matures with a rough texture, forming deep horizontal
grooves.

They have a dense, dark green and spreading crown. The single leaves are elliptical in shape, up to 5.5
inches long and 3 inches wide with smooth or slightly wavy edges. Older leaves have a glossy, leathery
look, darker green above and a lighter green below. Young leaves and twigs are covered with downy
hairs. While they are young the trees don't lose their leaves, but as the tree gets older it will shed its
leaves in early spring. New leaves will grow from June to October and be pinkish, orange or reddish in
color.
Jackalberry flowers are small and inconspicuous. The fragrant, white to pale cream hairy flowers are
separate genders, growing on different trees. The females grow singly on a hairy stalk while the males
grow in clusters. The fruit only grows on female trees. The tree flowers during the rainy season, and
fruits in the dry season.

The fruit of the Jackalberry tree is a favorite of many animals. The fleshy fruit is oval, almost round in
shape and about 1 inch in diameter and yellow or yellow-green in color. Five sepals of the calyx of the
flower remain on the bottom of the fruit, their tips curling backwards. Two to six wrinkled seeds can be
found inside the fruit. The skin is tough but the edible fruit has a chalky, floury consistency with a lemon-
sweet flavor. They can be eaten fresh or preserved. They are also dried and ground into flour. A beer
and brandy is also brewed from them.

When the Jackalberry fruit is fully ripe, it turns purple, but one hardly ever sees it this color since it is
eaten by various animals long before it can get that ripe. Animals such as kukus, nyalas, impalas,
warthogs, baboons, parrots, and hornbills, to name a few, love to eat the fruit of the Jackalberry. It got
its name because the Jackalberry seeds are also found in the dung of jackals. The leaves are eaten by
elephants, rhinos, giraffes, buffaloes, and kudus. The larvae of the bushveld emperor butterfly also eat
the leaves of this tree.

The Jackalberry tree is part of the Ebenaceae family, and is also known as African ebony. Wood from the
tree is hard, heavy and very strong, and almost completely resistant against termites. The heartwood is
fine-grained and good for floors, high quality furniture and pestels. It varies in color from light, reddish
brown to almost black. The trunks are used to make canoes.

It is also traditionally used for medical purposes. Tanin is contained in the leaves, bark and roots, and
acts as an astringent that helps stop bleeding. The tree is also supposed to have antibiotic substances
that help heal wounds. A mixture made from the roots is used get rid of parasites like ring worm, and
dysentery and fever. It is also considered a remedy for leprosy

Although Jackalberries aren't found in very many places outside of the savannas and savanna woodlands
of Africa, they aren't in danger of becoming extinct eirher.

2001
Manketti Tree

Common Names: mongongo nut, feather weight tree

Genus: Schinziophyton

Species: rautanenii

The African savanna is a lush area filed with life. There are many trees in this area, one of them,
unknown by many, is the manketti tree. The Schinziophyton rautanenii (formally known as the
Ricinodendron) is found in the African savanna. Its habitat is dotted with trees and does not receive
enough rain to be considered a prairie. The countries that lie in this biome are Mauritania, Guinea,
Liberia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Chad, Mali, Niger and Uganda. The savanna has two seasons, summer and
winter. Temperatures average from about 68 to 86 degrees F (20 to 25 degrees C). The average
precipitation ranges from 10 to 30 inches (100 to 150 cm) per year. It lies between 20° North to 34°
South latitude and 15° to 35° East longitude. Most the of

southern and eastern part of Africa is more than 3,000 feet above sea level while the western, northern
and central parts are between 500 to 2,000 feet. The savanna has a long dry season and is filled with
many grasses and scattered clumps of trees.

Some common names for this tree are manketti tree, mongongo nut and featherweight tree. The
manketti tree prefers hot and dry climates with low amounts of rain. It also prefers to grow in wooded
hills and sand dunes. The manketti tree has a large, straight trunk with stubby and contorted branches
and a large spreading crown. It has an upright manner of growth and is about 49 to 66 feet (15 to 20)
meters tall. The leaves are a distinctive hand shape and are compound. The leaflet is a wide lance to an
egg shape. They are composed of seven leaflets that are carried on hairy stalks that are up to 6 inches
(15 cm) in length. The leaves are about 6 inches (15 cm) long and both sides are dark green in color.
They are covered in fine hairs and are arranged alternately on branches.
The flowers are somewhat oval in shape, and are about 1 1/4 inch (3.5 cm) long, 3/4 inch (2.5 cm) wide,
and are about 1/2 inch (10 mm) in diameter. They flower in early summer. The whitish flowers are
carried in slender loose spays.

The taproot on the manketti tree goes down until it reaches water. In this case, it is long because it is
located in the savanna. The lateral root is very small. The manketti tree is deciduous. It has made many
adaptations to its environment including a trunk that can store water, a long taproot to reach water,
thick bark to resist annual fires and leaves that drop off in the winter to conserve water.

The manketti tree is distributed widely throughout the southern savanna (South Africa etc.). It is
considered a rapid growing tree and has been designated a protected tree in Namibia since 1952,
probably because of its socioeconomic importance. Also, the nuts and fruit are very popular and are part
of the African daily diet. The nuts also give oil and are considered one of the most important nuts in
Africa. The fruit is about 1 1/4 inches (35 mm) long and 1 inch (25 mm) wide. The fruit ripens on the
ground and the color turns from the original yellow to reddish brown with ripening. This tree is
important to African life and will hopefully continue to prosper in the wild.

by Beau M. 2003