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Savannah: Tropical Grasslands

Dominating the continent of Africa, savannahs are also found in India and the northern part of South America.

Savannahs are in fact tropical grasslands for they are located at tropical latitudes, however much drier than many tropical forests. Rainfall in this biome is between 20 to 60 inches a year, and can be very seasonal (usually falling within a time period of a couple weeks). Growth after the rainfall occurs, however long periods of drought follow.

Throughout the savannahs, the dominant plant life are grasses and small plants. Trees are sparse throughout this semi arid landscape, only growing where there are cracks in the surface or deep soil. In many savannahs around the world palm trees play an important role in the landscape. The most dominate wooded form in the savanna are the thorn woodlands. Often following the thorn woodlands come tropical dry forests. There is a large amount of wild fruit-trees, which provide food for many birds and animals.

Savannah Animals

Types of birds found in the Savannah biome are shrikes, hornbills, grey louries, flycatchers, knysna, purple-crested louries, green pigeons, rollers and raptors. Larger mammals of this biome are lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffalos, rhinoceroses, giraffes, hippopotami, gazelles, zebras, kudus, waterbucks, oryxes and many others.

Human activities

Out of the entire savannah biome, only 8.5% is protected. Such protected areas are parks and reserves, such as the Kruger National Park, Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, the Umfolozi-Hluhluwe and many other reserves.

• Savanna Biome

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