Endangered Species in Africa
Introduction
Animals
Problems
Solutions
Literature
Games
African Elephant
The African Elephant is considered the
world's largest living land mammal.
These elephants live in many parts of the of sub-saharan Africa, however their range
is split up into two different habitats which are forest elephants and savanna elephants.
African Elephants body parts are used in a significant way.
The elephants trunk is important because it helps gather food, tiny objects, and much more.
Their ears are special because they help keep their bodies cool. Their skin is tough, but very sensitive.
Tusks are an elephant's incisor teeth that differ in size, shape, and angle.
Tusks are usually one of the reasons elephants become endangered.
African Elephants make different sounds that are used as signals to communicate with other elephants.
These elephants eat grass and fruit as well as leaves and bark and they drink about 30 gallons of water a day.
The average life span of an African Savanna elephant is 60 years.
African Elephants population went from 1,300,000 animals down to 750,000 due to mostly ivory hunting.
There are several programs to help elephants survive, such as the WSC elephant research projects.
These elephants live in many parts of the of sub-saharan Africa, however their range
is split up into two different habitats which are forest elephants and savanna elephants.
African Elephants body parts are used in a significant way.
The elephants trunk is important because it helps gather food, tiny objects, and much more.
Their ears are special because they help keep their bodies cool. Their skin is tough, but very sensitive.
Tusks are an elephant's incisor teeth that differ in size, shape, and angle.
Tusks are usually one of the reasons elephants become endangered.
African Elephants make different sounds that are used as signals to communicate with other elephants.
These elephants eat grass and fruit as well as leaves and bark and they drink about 30 gallons of water a day.
The average life span of an African Savanna elephant is 60 years.
African Elephants population went from 1,300,000 animals down to 750,000 due to mostly ivory hunting.
There are several programs to help elephants survive, such as the WSC elephant research projects.
Learn more at
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/AfricanSavanna/fact-afelephant.cfm
and
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-elephant.html
Hippopotamus
Hippos spend most of their time in water.
Their life span is about 45 years. They live in West, East, Central, and South
Africa.
Hippos are fat and have barely any hair on their bodies. Their skin is very colorful because it has a combination of different colors.
The upper surface of a hippo is grey-brown to blue-black and the lower surface is a pink color.
Hippos ears, eyes, and even their nostrils are located on top of their head. They also have webbed toes.
Hippos eat grass, but they can also eat small animals. They can remain under water for over five minutes and they are fast runners.
Dominant males mate in the water with females in their territory. Hippos use grunts and deep rumples to communicate with one another.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/3034.shtml
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/AfricanSavanna/fact-hippo.cfm
Black Rhinoceros
http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/mammals/Diceros_bicornis/more_info.html
Zebra
Zebras have big heads with thick erect manes. Their coats have narrow stripes that wrap around each other
in a pattern and bisect a black stripe which runs down their spine.
Male zebras are 10% larger than females. They live in northern Kenya and southern and eastern Ethiopia.
They eat tough grasses and leaves. Zebras tend to live longer in zoos versus the wild.
Zebras are hunted for food and their beautiful skin.
Learn more at:
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/AfricanSavanna/fact-gzebra.cfm
Leopard
Leopards come in many different coat colors such as, a light buff or tawny in warmer dryer areas, to a dark shade in deep forests.
Their spots also called "rosettes" are circular on East African Leopards, but square on Southern African Leopards.
They adapt to many places in both warm and cold climates. Their adaptability has helped them survive longer.
Leopards are nocturnal. They growl, roar and purr and their diet consists of fish, reptiles and birds.
Leopards also eat mammals such as rodents and antelopes.
Leopards are hunted because of their fur which has been used for clothing.
Also their tail, claws and whiskers attract hunters as well.
Hippos are fat and have barely any hair on their bodies. Their skin is very colorful because it has a combination of different colors.
The upper surface of a hippo is grey-brown to blue-black and the lower surface is a pink color.
Hippos ears, eyes, and even their nostrils are located on top of their head. They also have webbed toes.
Hippos eat grass, but they can also eat small animals. They can remain under water for over five minutes and they are fast runners.
Dominant males mate in the water with females in their territory. Hippos use grunts and deep rumples to communicate with one another.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/3034.shtml
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/AfricanSavanna/fact-hippo.cfm
Black Rhinoceros
The most well known of the five rhinoceros
species is the Black Rhinoceros.
Rhinos posses two horns and the front horn can be 60 centimeters or longer.
Black rhinos are found throughout Sub-Saharon Africa with the exception of the Congo Basin and other forest areas of West Africa.
Rhinoceros have poor eye sight, but a very good sense of smell and hearing.
They are very agressive towards humans and other animals.
Rhinos eat leaves and a variety of woody plants and herbs.
Rhinos rest in the shade in shallow water holes coating their skin in mud to protect it from the sun.
The reason for the Black rhinos endangerment is due to the demand for their horns.
Rhinos posses two horns and the front horn can be 60 centimeters or longer.
Black rhinos are found throughout Sub-Saharon Africa with the exception of the Congo Basin and other forest areas of West Africa.
Rhinoceros have poor eye sight, but a very good sense of smell and hearing.
They are very agressive towards humans and other animals.
Rhinos eat leaves and a variety of woody plants and herbs.
Rhinos rest in the shade in shallow water holes coating their skin in mud to protect it from the sun.
The reason for the Black rhinos endangerment is due to the demand for their horns.
http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/mammals/Diceros_bicornis/more_info.html
Zebra
Zebras have big heads with thick erect manes. Their coats have narrow stripes that wrap around each other
in a pattern and bisect a black stripe which runs down their spine.
Male zebras are 10% larger than females. They live in northern Kenya and southern and eastern Ethiopia.
They eat tough grasses and leaves. Zebras tend to live longer in zoos versus the wild.
Zebras are hunted for food and their beautiful skin.
Learn more at:
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/AfricanSavanna/fact-gzebra.cfm
Leopard
Leopards come in many different coat colors such as, a light buff or tawny in warmer dryer areas, to a dark shade in deep forests.
Their spots also called "rosettes" are circular on East African Leopards, but square on Southern African Leopards.
They adapt to many places in both warm and cold climates. Their adaptability has helped them survive longer.
Leopards are nocturnal. They growl, roar and purr and their diet consists of fish, reptiles and birds.
Leopards also eat mammals such as rodents and antelopes.
Leopards are hunted because of their fur which has been used for clothing.
Also their tail, claws and whiskers attract hunters as well.
Learn more at: