Natural history of Africa
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The natural history of Africa encompasses some of the well known megafauna of that continent.
Natural history is the study and description of organisms and natural objects, especially their origins, evolution, and interrelationships.
Flora
The
South of the
The more humid regions have a richer vegetation; dense forest where the rainfall is greatest and variations of temperature least, conditions found chiefly on the tropical coasts, and in the west African equatorial basin with its extension towards the upper
The dense
In the savannas the most characteristic trees are the monkey-bread tree or baobab (
In the swamp regions of north-east Africa,
Fauna
The fauna again shows the effect of the characteristics of the vegetation. The open savannas are the home of large
The rivers in the tropical zone abound with
The
Of reptiles, the lizard and chameleon are common, and there are a number of venomous snakes, though these are not so numerous as in other tropical countries.[1]
The scorpion is abundant. Of insects, Africa has many thousand different kinds; of these the locust is the proverbial scourge of the continent, and the ravages of the termites are almost incredible. The spread of malaria by means of mosquitoes is common. The tsetse fly, whose bite is fatal to all domestic animals, is common in many districts of South and East Africa. It is found nowhere outside Africa.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k public domain: Heawood, Edward; Cana, Frank Richardson (1911). "Africa". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 323. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the