Table of Contents

African Savanna..................................................... 4

Baobab Tree............................................................6

Cheetah...................................................................8

Desert Warthog....................................................10

Elephant................................................................12

Fennec Fox............................................................14

Giraffe....................................................................16

Hippopotamus......................................................18

Impala.................................................................. 20

Jackal Berry Tree...................................................22

Klipspringer...........................................................24

Lion........................................................................26

Manketti Tree.......................................................28

Nile Crocodile.......................................................30

Ostrich...................................................................32

Pangolin................................................................34

Quelea...................................................................36

Rhinoceros............................................................38

Sable......................................................................40

Topi........................................................................42

Umbrella Thorn Acacia Tree...............................44

Vulture...................................................................46

Wildebeest............................................................48

Xerus......................................................................50

Yellow Mongoose.................................................52

Zebra......................................................................54

Glossary.................................................................56

Sources..................................................................58

African Savanna

The African Savanna is a biome located on the continent of Africa. It covers 27 countries from Guinea to South Africa. The Savanna has two seasons, a wet season and a dry season, making it a tropical climate. A diverse population of plants and animals cover the grasslands and benefit from the unique climate the Savanna offers.

Baobab Tree

Baobab trees are impossible not to notice. They are known for their massive, bulbous structures. These trees are able to live 2,000 years and grow to extreme heights of 100 feet or taller! Many African tribes use these trees for spiritual and cultural purposes. 

Cheetah

Cheetahs are the fastest animal on the African Savanna grasslands. They can run up to speeds of 60-75 miles per hour! Unlike other species of cats, cheetahs cannot retract their claws because they provide traction while running. Many cheetahs, especially females, lead a solitary lifestyle roaming the Savanna as nomads.

Desert Warthog

The desert warthog is not one of the most beautiful animals in the Savanna, but it is one of the most attentive and caring to its offspring. The females and their young live in groups called sounders where they defend and look after each other. They live in burrows that they dig themselves that serve as protection from predators. 

Elephant

Elephants are the largest terrestrial mammals with front legs that are taller than their hind legs and enormous ears. Groups of elephants are called families, and when they combine with others, they create a clan led by an older female. These large mammals are endangered due to the value of their tusks to ivory industries. 

Fennec Fox

The fennec fox lives on the border of the African Savanna and the Sahara Desert. Their ears are adapted to the desert life because of their ability to eliminate heat and hunt prey in the sand. Due to the immense heat, they are nocturnal animals, so they hide out in burrows during the hottest parts of the day. Fennec foxes are also known to capture prey much larger than themselves, them only weighing 2 to 3 pounds!

Giraffe

Giraffes are the tallest mammals on Earth, and are specifically designed to reach vegetation other animals cannot access. Acacia trees are part of their favorite diet. Their horns protect their heads from harm, and unique blood vessels prevent them from fainting when moving their heads and long neck up and down.  

Hippopotamus

The hippopotamus comes in third place, after elephants and rhinos, as the largest mammal on Earth. They are semi-aquatic animals with webbed feet to help them move through the water easily. Hippos can open their jaws 150 degrees revealing their powerful incisors inside. Because of their thin skin, these incisors inflict many wounds when fighting with other hippos. 

Impala

Impalas are social animals, sometimes having up to 100 female individuals in one herd. When surprised, impala herds will start jumping in a disorganized manner which confuses potential predators. Males have distinct horns that set them apart from the females. They grow to be 40 to 90 centimeters long.

Jackal Berry Tree

Jackal berry trees grow in moist and soil-rich environments. Often they can be found along river beds and swamps or near termite mounds. The termite mounds provide them with aerated soil and in turn the jackal berry tree roots provide termite mounds with protection. The jackal berry tree is also food to many herbivores in the area and its fruit are loved by many. 

Klipspringer

The klipspringer is a type of antelope that is only half a meter tall. It dwells in rocky terrains because their hooves, each about the size of a dime, are able to hop from rock to rock. From the rocks, it is easier to spot predators, and when they detect one, they let out a whistle to alert other klipspringers. 

Lion

The lion is the king of the jungle. They live in groups called prides made up of a dominant male and females. The lead male protects the pride while the females do the hunting and provide for the cubs. Females use hunting techniques like circling and cutting off their prey so they do not have to run them down. Their leftover meals often serve as food to scavengers in the area. 

Manketti Tree

Manketti trees, or mongongo nut trees, are mainly found in the driest parts of the Savanna. Their roots travel down until reaching water which is then stored in its trunk. These trees are also deciduous in order to conserve water by shedding their leaves. It is referred to as a mongongo nut tree because the nuts are highly favored in the African tribe cultures. 

Nile Crocodile

Nile Crocodiles are only native to Africa and Madagascar. They live in swamps, rivers, and lakes, and eat almost anything in the bodies of water they inhabit. Growing to at least 5 meters long, they can also eat large animals like buffalo, antelope, and even big African cats. Their camouflaged bodies and high intellect allow them to sneak up on these larger animals in the water.

Ostrich

The ostrich is the largest bird on Earth; however, it is flightless! Instead of flying, they run at fast speeds with the help of their long, strong legs and two toes. The males help the females in guarding the egg nests and fighting off predators, and when threatened, the males give off a roaring sound much like a lion. 

Pangolin

Pangolins are small, scaly mammals that can roll up into balls. Their sharp scales make a dangerous defense mechanism against any predator. These mammals do not have any teeth so their stomach grinds up their food. To aid this process, they ingest small stones and sand particles. To add to their interesting characteristics, pangolins are also nocturnal and do most of their hunting for termites and ants at night. 

Quelea

The quelea bird, also known as the red-billed quelea, is the most numerous bird species on the planet! They move in flocks of millions from feeding grounds to nesting grounds and to waterholes. After hatching, it only takes 21 days for a quelea bird to become fully independent and take its place in the rest of the flock. These birds can be quite a spectacle to look at in the sky, but a little dangerous when traveling from one place to the next. 

The rhinoceros is the second largest mammal next to the elephant on Earth. There are two species of African rhino. The first is the white rhino which has squared lips and tends to be more social. The second is the black rhino which has hooked lips and is more solitary. Both have poor eyesight but they make up for it in their hearing and smelling. These species are endangered due to the high demand for their valuable horns. 

Rhinoceros

The sable is another variation of antelope. They are known for their ringed horns, which both males and females have. Their posture also resembles a flexed position to communicate dominance, a trait the males primarily exhibit. As calves, sables have a different color of coat which continues to change shades as they age. 

Sable

The topi is yet another type of antelope that is medium sized in comparison to the sable. Their different color combinations make them stand out among other antelope species. Both males and females have the distinguished antelope horns and are quite fast. Topis also graze and migrate with herds of zebras, wildebeests, and ostriches. Grazing the Savanna is their only source of food, so if there is not an abundance of grasslands, they must be near a waterhole.

Topi