THE SAVANNA BIOME

Savanna is grassland with scattered individual trees. Savannas of one sort or another cover almost half the surface of Africa (about five million square miles, generally central Africa) and large areas of Australia, South America, and India.

Savannas are a transitional biome, not really a forest and not really a desert – just somewhere in between. This habitat is home to many different species of plants and animals around the world, and in Africa, it is home to the largest land mammal in the world – the African elephant

Climate is the most important factor in creating a savanna. Savannas are always found in warm or hot climates.

Savanna has both a dry and a rainy season. It rarely falls below 60° F (15°C), even during the season defined as “winter” in the northern hemisphere. Most of the year, it can get up between 80 and 100°F (27 to 37°C). This is the dry season.

However, the wet season gets lots of rain. During this period, which lasts about six months, a savanna can get anywhere from 20-50 inches (500 - 1200  mm) of rain. This allows the grasses to grow thick and lush, creating a habitat where many different animals and birds can live.

Dominant flora in the savanna biome include the Jackal berry tree, Bermuda grasses, Lemongrass, acacia trees, and baobab trees.

Dominant fauna include the kangaroo, elephant, ostriches, baboons, crocodiles, rhinos, zebras, lions, cheetahs, and leopards. 

Prey often conceal themselves by camouflaging and hiding from animals higher up on the food chain.