Natural history of Africa

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A composite satellite image of Africa.
Africa map of Köppen climate classification.

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

cork trees and pines, intermixed with cypresses, myrtles, arbutus and fragrant tree-heaths.[1]

South of the

Atlas range, the conditions alter. The zones of minimum rainfall have a very scanty flora, consisting of plants adapted to resist the great dryness. Characteristic of the Sahara is the date palm, which flourishes where other vegetation can scarcely maintain existence, while in the semidesert regions the acacia, from which gum arabic is obtained, is abundant.[1]

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

thorny acacias, etc. Forests also occur on the humid slopes of mountain ranges up to a certain elevation. In the coast regions, the typical tree is the mangrove, which flourishes wherever the soil is of a swamp character.[1]

The dense

camwood (Baphia nitida). The climbing plants in the tropical forests are exceedingly luxuriant and the undergrowth or "bush" is extremely dense.[1]

In the savannas the most characteristic trees are the monkey-bread tree or baobab (

Indo-China.[1]

In the swamp regions of north-east Africa,

Cape ebony (Pteroxylon utile) and ironwood. Extensive miniature woods of heaths are found in almost endless variety and covered throughout the greater part of the year with innumerable blossoms in which red is very prevalent. Of the grasses of Africa, alfa is very abundant in the plateaus of the Atlas range.[1]

Fauna

Main article: Fauna of Africa
Southwest African lion
(Panthera leo bleyenberghi).

The fauna again shows the effect of the characteristics of the vegetation. The open savannas are the home of large

buffalo, wild donkey and four species of rhinoceros; and of carnivores, such as the lion, leopard, hyena, etc. The okapi (a genus restricted to Africa) is found only in the dense forests of the Congo basin. Bears are confined to the Atlas region, wolves and foxes to North Africa. The elephant (though its range has become restricted through the attacks of hunters) is found both in the savannas and forest regions, the latter being otherwise poor in large game, though the special habitat of the chimpanzee and gorilla. Baboons and mandrills, with few exceptions, are peculiar to Africa. The single-humped camel, as a domestic animal, is especially characteristic of the northern deserts and steppes.[1]

The rivers in the tropical zone abound with

East Africa, Somaliland, etc., while measures for the protection of wild animals were laid down in an international convention signed in May 1900.[1]

The

plantain-eaters, are noted for the brilliance of their feathers.[1]

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

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Heawood, Edward; Cana, Frank Richardson (1911). "Africa". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 323.
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