Table of Contents Introduction .. January: African Elephants. February: Crowned Cranes, Olive Baboon: March: Lion April: Hippopotamuses.. May: Impalas. June: Black Rhinoceros July: Grant’s Gazelles, Spotted Hyenas August: Leopards, Cheetahs September: Wildebeests. October: Zebras ‘November: Giraffes December: Cape Buffalo, Ostrich.. People of the Savannah: The Masai Making a Difference: Wangari Maathci. Introduction Imagine you are on the savannah in East Africa, Grass surrounds you, and trees and shrubs grow nearby. Wild elephants parade past, vultures fly overhead, and a leopard rests in a tree. The savannah is home to countless numbers of wild animals. Some animals graze and browse. They feed on grasses, leaves, twigs, roots, and bark. Other animals feed on meat. They are predators. In East Africa, rain falls during certain times of the year. The savannah is green after the rains, but it dries during the months without rainfall. Many animals move with the seasons in search of food. The Maasai (Mahesy) people have long shared the savannah “= with the animals. Today, their old way of life is changing. Kenya and Tanzania are two countries in East Africo.A herd of elephants follows a trail on the savannah. January January is a dry month. It is a summer month on the savannah. January is a good time to take a safari in Africa. Safari is another word for journey. African Elephants On the savannah, you might see African elephants traveling across the grasslands in groups called herds. African elephants are the largest living land animals. They weigh as much as 9 tons and can be 13 feet tall. Elephants live in family groups. They spend most of each day consuming about 220 pounds of food and 26 gallons of water each! Elephants tear off grass and leaves with their trunks and use their trunks to put the food into their mouths. They drink by taking water into their trunks and squirting it into their mouths. Elephants use their trunks in other ways, too. Did you know that an elephant can hold a branch in its trunk to scratch? When elephants meet, they may wrap their trunks in a kind of handshake. African elephants have large ears, and their tusks are ivory. People have hunted them for ivory, and now these elephants are endangered. In dry seasons, it is hard for elephants to find water. They use their tusks, feet, and trunks to dig water holes. These water holes help other animals, too. Elephants also push over trees to get to roots and branches. This helps the grasses to survive.February Because the savannah is near the equator, it is warm throughout the year. February is a summer month. Itis the dry season, and it is a good time to watch the birds. Crowned Cranes Cranes are large birds with long necks, legs, and bills. If you are on the savannah, you might see crowned cranes. Their large wings make them good filers. In addition, they are the only cranes that perch in trees. These cranes eat almost anything, from plants and seeds to insects, snake, and small fish. Crowned cranes are known for their dances. They bob their heads, flutter their wings, leap, and bow, First, they hop forward to form a circle, They circle each other and hop backward. Then, they hop forward to form the circle again. The crowned crane is named for the feathers on the top of its head. They look like the bristles of a brush. Olive Baboons You can recognize olive baboons by their olive-green coats. Olive baboons have large, thick bodies and black faces. Their tails look broken because of the way they hang toward the ground. The olive baboons live in families, which are part of larger groups called troops. At night, they sleep on The olive baboon's face looks the top of trees, mainly ait lke the face of a dog acacia trees, Olive baboons eat grass, leaves, seeds, ants, lizards, small rodents, and eggs. Baboons search for food in the early morning and late evening. During the middle of the day, they rest. At the end of the day, the baboons groom each other. It's the way they keep clean and get rid of bugs. Baboons like human food, so if you are on the savannah, don't eat an ice-cream cone in front of them. A baboon might try to climb on your back to get the ice cream! zMarch March is a time of change. Storm clouds and thunder signal that the wet season is coming. The season of heaviest rainfall is called “the long rains.” The exact time the long rains begin varies from year to year. Lions On the East African savannah, lions sit alone or in pairs in the grass or on an outcrop of rock. Often called the king of beasts, lions are known for their majesty. They have long bodies, large heads, and short legs. Males can weigh as much as 500 pounds, but the females are smaller. Lions live in groups called prides, which can be as small as 3 lions or as large as 30. Usually, a pride consists of about 15 males, females, and cubs. Members will spend the day in smaller groups and then come together to hunt and feed, A pride has more females than males. The females are usually related to each other, and they may stay in the same pride for their entire lives. Some males belong to more than one pride, while others do not belong toa pride at all. Lions prey, or feed, on other animals. Usually females hunt the prey, while males guard the territory. This may be why the male has a large mane. It protects his neck ina fight. Lions hunt at night because the dark allows them to hide from their prey until they are ready to pounce. Sometimes a pride works together to surprise a large prey. The pride will trap a wildebeest, buffalo, or giraffe. Lions also prey on small animals such as birds and rodents. Usually two or three cubs are born in a litter, but a lioness can have as many as six cubs. When they are first born, the cubs are blind. After several months, they can follow their mothers, and they may begin taking part in hunts before they are a year old. Lions roar to let each other know where they are or to call their cubs, They also roar to establish their territory. ‘mother lioness and her cub in the tal] savannah graApril If the long rains don't begin in March, they come during April. Roads in East Africa flood at this time of year. Sudden downpours can surprise the animals. Hippopotamuses In East Africa, you might see a hippo sitting on the bank of a river or sleeping in a swamp. Hippos spend their days in the water and walk into the grassland at night where they graze for hours. Hippopotomuses The word hippopotamus means “river horse.” However, the huge animal is more closely related to a pig. Hippos have large bodies and heads and weigh about three and a half tons. Their legs and tails are short and stumpy. All you may see of a hippo in water is its ears, nostrils, and eyes. That's because these are high on its head. Hippos keep the rest of their bodies underwater to stay cool. They paddle using webbed toes, and they walk across the bottom of shallow water. Baby hippos are born under water, and they can swim soon after they are born. A hippo's skin is thick and almost hairless. Hippos don't sweat, but they produce a pinkish matter that protects them in water. A long time ago, people said that hippos sweat bload! Hippos look clumsy, yet they can move fast. In fact, they can outrun most humans. Their long, sharp lower teeth make them one of the world's most dangerous animals. Other animals do not often attack adult hippos.12 May The long rains continue in May. Some areas may flood, yet the rain in needed for the growth of grass, trees, and shrubs. Wild animals follow the rains in search of food. Impalas Impalas are slender antelopes. They live on grasslands near open woodlands. Since they prefer grass, they are grazers. During the dry season, they will browse on shrubs. If you are looking to see impalas, you will usually find them near a water source. An impala’s smooth and shiny coat is reddish brown to golden tan with black markings and a white underside. The male has horns. Males are 30-36 inches tall, while females are several inches shorter. Impalas stand proudly, but they are noisy. They snort ‘and grunt. When enemies attack, impalas jump over and across others in the herd. This may be to confuse the attackers. Impalas can leap as high as 10 feet and as far as 30 feet. They toss their heads and kick their hind legs high. An impala The male impalas set up territories. The females travel in herds that move in and out of male territories. In dry years, smaller groups of females travel farther distances to find food. The size of the territory varies with the season and location. 13June is a month of change. The rains are ending, and winter is beginning. Animals that move with the seasons have been living on the Serengeti (Sereuhnegeteee) Plain. Now they are starting the move north and west. Black Rhinoceros A black rhino has two horns—a longer one that is at the front of its nose and a shorter one near its eyes. The rhino’s horns are not real horns. instead, they are thick hair growing from the skull. The horns are used in battles for territory and to protect the rhino from predators. A.calf stays with its mother for several years, but then it goes off to live on its own. Rhinos establish their own territories and do not live in groups, but they sometimes share feeding grounds and water holes. They browse on leaves, bushes, and trees. Rhinos are large, but in spite of their size, they are fast. They can run 30 miles per hour! The black rhino has a thick, gray, wrinkled hide. Like the hippo, the rhino has an almost hairless body. Its feet have three short toes with nails. A rhinos senses of smell and hearing are good, but its eyesight is poor. This may explain why a rhino sometimes attacks seemingly without cause. 14 Ablack rhinoceros walks through the savannah, Rhinos have been hunted for their horns. These horns are used in medicines and carvings. To prevent rhinos. from becoming extinct, many rhinos were moved to fenced preserves in the 1990s. 1516 July July is a dry month. Fires break out on the savannah. The fires destroy trees and grassland. Yet, some trees with thick bark and deep roots survive. The burning of grasslands encourages new growth. Grant's Gazelles Large herds of Grant's gazelles graze on open plains and grasslands. Because they also browse shrubs, they get water from the leaves and do not need to live near a water source. They prefer the greenest plants. Grant's gazelles are graceful animals with slender legs and long necks. Both males and females have horns. Their coats are reddish tan, and they have white underbellies. The white stripes with black edges that run down their faces will help you recognize them. Grant's gazelle Females leave the herd to have their calves in tall grass. A mother gives birth to one baby at a time, She leaves to graze, but only after circling the calf several times to remember where it is hidden from predators. Hyenas are animals like dogs. They have coarse fur. Spotted Hyenas The spotted hyena lives in groups called clans. Females stay in the clan where they were born, but males leave when they are two or three years old. One female, often the oldest or largest, leads a clan. Hyenas have litters of two to four pups. The pups are born with their eyes open. They begin to hunt with their mothers when they are about a year old. Hyenas howl, moan, and laugh. The sounds let other clan members know they have found food. They are most active during the night. Although they will eat almost anything, they hunt wildebeest and antelope. They are also scavengers because they eat decaying meat left behind by other predators. 1718 August August is very dry. Because it is winter, nights are cold on the savannah. Herds of animals are headed toward the short grasses in Masai Mara (Mahesy Muherah). They will find water sources there, too, ‘male leopard rests ino tree in Kenya. Leopards The leopard stalks its prey by slinking through the grass. When it is close enough, it pounces. Its spotted coat helps it blend into the surrounding habitat. Leopards are good climbers. They rest in trees during the day and hunt at night. Leopards do not live in groups, and in fact, they avoid each other. A cough lets other leopards know itis near. A leopard is likely to move to a new place every few days. The leopard has a long body and broad head. It preys on fish, birds, and mammals such as antelopes and baboons. A cheetah leaps as it runs. Cheetahs The cheetah is the fastest animal in the world. Cheetahs race across the open grassland at 70 miles an hour. Cheetahs’ bodies are built for running, They have light skeletons and tails they can use for balance. Cheetahs’ claws stay out for extra traction. Their legs are long in proportion to their bodies, which allows them to take big leaps as they run. Like leopards, cheetahs are covered with dark spots. Their tails usually have a white tuft at the end. Their faces have black lines that stretch out from the corner of each eye and look a bit like tears. Cheetahs, unlike other predators, hunt early in the morning and late in the afternoon. 1920 Wildebeests September The dry season continues. Herds of wildebeest (wileduhebeest), antelope, and zebra are in Masai Mara, where they have found green grass and water. Wildebeests An African legend says that the wildebeest was made from spare parts. From the front it looks like an ox, but from the back it looks like an antelope. It has the mane and tail of a horse, and its head is large. Its horns curl and turn up at the tips. Wildebeests are noisy animals that moan and snort most of the time. They sometimes toss their heads and kick up their heels in a comical way when they are frightened. Wildebeests migrate each year in search of food and water. They may cover a thousand miles or more. The migration follows a circle. In January and February, wildebeests are on the Serengeti Plain in the southeast part of their migration area. From here, they move west and head toward Lake Victoria. Next, they turn north. They stay in Masai Mara until October. The “short rains” come, and they migrate south. Wildebeests travel in large herds. The herds are not organized, and they don't have leaders. The animals graze during the day and at night and are always on. the move. Nearly all calves are born during a short period of time in February and March. Lions and other predators hunt newborn calves. Older calves can run from an attack. Gnu (noo) is another name for wildebeest. 2122 October October is dry, but the animals are migrating south. The short rains will begin soon, Zebras Zebras are social animals that graze beside wildebeests and gazelles on the savannah. Like the wildebeests, they migrate in search of grass and water. They make the same circle from the southeast to the west and north, and then back south again. During the day, they stand out in a crowd of grazers because of their stripes. Yet, at dawn and dusk, the stripes help protect them from predators. The stripes make it difficult for a predator to see the shape of the zebra's body, They also make it hard for a predator to judge how far away the zebra is. Zebras prefer grass but also eat leaves and twigs. In the dry season, zebras need water at least once a day. Zebras have plump bodies and shiny coats. Their short manes stand up like the bristles on a brush. They are just four to five feet tall at the shoulder. They whinny and bark to communicate with each other. Can you guess what animal is related to the zebra? Look at the shape of its body, its ears, and its mane. If you guessed the horse, you're right. This zebra’s pattem of stripes differs from other zebras’ patterns. Just as fingerprints identify a human, stripes identify a zebra, Zebras have one foal at a time. At birth, a foal weighs about 70 pounds. Within a day, the foal can stand and run. Mothers form close bonds with their foals. One way they do this is by keeping other zebras: away for the first days of the foal's life. Family groups are close, and family members stay together for a long time. The families join other family groups in herds. Huge herds of zebras migrate in search of green grasslands and water. 2324 November The season of short rains begins. Herds of migrating animals are moving southeast to the short grasslands. Not all animals migrate. Some live in home territories throughout the savannah. Giraffes Giraffes are the tallest land animals and grow to almost their full height by the time they are four years old. When grown, they can be 17-18 feet tall. They have long necks and long legs. If you look closely, you can see a short black mane and a black tuft on the tail. Giraffes are so tall that they can reach branches and leaves six feet off the ground. They eat leaves and shoots of acacia trees in the grasslands and open woodlands of East Africa. Some giraffes consume 140 pounds of food a day! They browse for as many as 20 hours a day. Most of their water comes from their food. In the dry season they will drink water, but it's not easy because they are so tall. They spread their front legs apart to reach the ground. The size of a giraffe's home range varies. It is small ina wet area but large in a dry one. Giraffes are not territorial, and they move from one herd to another. Herds are not organized, and they don't have leaders. A giraffe feeds on an acacia tree, Giraffes have one calf at a time, and mothers are very protective of their calves. A calf can stand some five minutes after being born, but its legs are wobbly. Giraffes do lie down to sleep, but the sleeping periods are just minutes long. Zookeepers and veterinarians say that they bleat like sheep and grunt if threatened. 2526 Cope buffalo can run more than 37 miles an hour in spite of their December The short rains continue in December. The animals. migrate back to the short grass plains in the southeast. The grasses are once again green from the rains. Cape Buffalo Cape buffalo eat grass and, sometimes, leaves or shrubs. They need water to survive. Large herds move with the seasons. Their stampedes are dramatic. Cape buffalo are large, social animals that look like cows. They weigh more than 1,500 pounds. Usually Cape buffalo are dangerous only if attacked. The Cape buffalo is one of the “Big Five” animals. The others are the elephant, rhino, lion, and leopard. The name comes from the days when hunters wanted to take home a trophy from one of the five large game animals. ‘The ostrich’s head is small, but its eyes ‘are the biggest of all land animals. Ostrich The ostrich is the largest bird, and it lays the largest egg. An ostrich is heavy and can weigh over 300 pounds. Unlike most birds, it does not fly. In Africa, ostrich live in flocks. They eat mostly plants and get along on the grasslands with grazing animals like zebras. An ostrich escapes its enemies by running fast. It has strong legs and stands on two toes. One toe is almost like a hoof, and it helps in running. 2h28 AMasai herder watches his animals. People of the Savannah: The Masai The Masai people have lived on the savannah in East Africa for centuries, They travel with the wet and dry seasons to find green grass for their herds. Livestock are important to their survival. Today, their way of life is threatened by the growth of big farms. The Masai are tall, slim, and handsome. They dress in bright colors like red or blue. They trade livestock products for beads and use these to make beautiful earrings and ornaments. The women build the houses from mud, sticks, and grass. They also cook, collect firewood, and milk the cattle. Boys herd the livestock and protect the homes. The Masai want to preserve the land. They hope that in the future people will be able to live side by side with the wildlife as they have in the past. Making a Difference: Wangari Maathai Wangari Maathai saw that African women had to go too far to find firewood. Grazing areas were being destroyed in her home country of Kenya. She knew the problem. People were cutting down too many trees. On World Environment Day, June 5, 1977, she took action. She quit her job, planted nine trees in her backyard, and founded the Green Belt Movement. She encouraged women to plant 30 million trees. The goal was to rebuild the forests. Almost 30 years later, in 2004, Wangari Maathai won the Nobel Peace Prize. It is one of five Nobel Prizes awarded each year. It is given to people who have made important contributions to world peace. She was the first African woman to win the Peace Prize. 29The Serengeti National Park has grasstand, trees, and outcrops of rock Saving Wildlife In Africa today, national parks are kept as natural habitats for wildlife. Animals move around freely in search of food. Many people believe these parks will help the animals survive. The Serengeti National Park is in East Africa. The National Park has about 5,700 square miles of open grasslands, shrubs, and woodlands. It also has srnall rivers, lakes, and swamps. Travelers come to see the animals, and many people take safaris each year. If you took a safari, you would see wildebeests grazing beside zebras. Ostrich might be darting among them. In the morning, you might see lion cubs playing in the grass. At night, you could hear the leopard’s cough. You would see and hear the ‘amazing animals of the savannah. Glossary antelopes: hoofed animals that look like deer and are related to cows and goats browse: to feed by nibbling on grass, leaves, shoots, and shrubs endangered: likely to become extinct equator: an imaginary line that is an equal distance from the North and South Poles extinct: no longer existing; totally destroyed grazers: animals that feed on grass herds: groups of animals of the same species litter: young animals born at the same time migrate: to move from one region to another with the seasons outcrop: the part of a rack seen above the surface of the land preserves: reservations where animals are protected savannah: flat grasslands stampedes: wild charges by frightened animals territory: an area defended by an animal