1.
International Union for Conservation of Nature
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The International Union for Conservation of Nature is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. It is involved in gathering and analysis, research, field projects, advocacy, lobbying. IUCNs mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve nature and to ensure that any use of resources is equitable. Over the past decades, IUCN has widened its focus beyond conservation ecology and now incorporates issues related to equality, poverty alleviation. Unlike other international NGOs, IUCN does not itself aim to mobilize the public in support of nature conservation and it tries to influence the actions of governments, business and other stakeholders by providing information and advice, and through lobbying and partnerships. The organization is best known to the public for compiling and publishing the IUCN Red List. IUCN has a membership of over 1200 governmental and non-governmental organizations, some 11,000 scientists and experts participate in the work of IUCN commissions on a voluntary basis. It employs approximately 1000 full-time staff in more than 60 countries and its headquarters are in Gland, Switzerland. IUCN has observer and consultative status at the United Nations, and plays a role in the implementation of several conventions on nature conservation. It was involved in establishing the World Wide Fund for Nature, in the past, IUCN has been criticized for placing the interests of nature over those of indigenous peoples. In recent years, its relations with the business sector have caused controversy. It was previously called the International Union for Protection of Nature, establishment In 1947, the Swiss League for the Protection of Nature organised an international conference on the protection of nature in Brunnen. It is considered to be the first government-organized non-governmental organization, the initiative to set up the new organisation came from UNESCO and especially from its first Director General, the British biologist Julian Huxley. At the time of its founding IUPN was the international organisation focusing on the entire spectrum of nature conservation Early years. Its secretariat was located in Brussels and its first work program focused on saving species and habitats, increasing and applying knowledge, advancing education, promoting international agreements and promoting conservation. Providing a solid base for conservation action was the heart of all activities. IUPN and UNESCO were closely associated and they jointly organized the 1949 Conference on Protection of Nature. In preparation for this conference a list of endangered species was drawn up for the first time
2.
National park
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A national park is a park in use for conservation purposes. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns, although individual nations designate their own national parks differently, there is a common idea, the conservation of wild nature for posterity and as a symbol of national pride. An international organization, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, although Yellowstone was not officially termed a national park in its establishing law, it was always termed such in practice and is widely held to be the first and oldest national park in the world. The first area to use national park in its legislation was the USs Mackinac Island. Australias Royal National Park, established in 1879, was the third official national park. In 1895 ownership of Mackinac Island was transferred to the State of Michigan as a state park, as a result, Australias Royal National Park is by some considerations the second oldest national park now in existence. The largest national park in the meeting the IUCN definition is the Northeast Greenland National Park. According to the IUCN,6,555 national parks worldwide met its criteria in 2006, IUCN is still discussing the parameters of defining a national park. National parks are almost always open to visitors, in 1971, these criteria were further expanded upon leading to more clear and defined benchmarks to evaluate a national park. In 1810, the English poet William Wordsworth described the Lake District as a sort of property, in which every man has a right and interest who has an eye to perceive. It was known as Hot Springs Reservation, but no authority was established. Federal control of the area was not clearly established until 1877, John Muir is today referred to as the Father of the National Parks due to his work in Yosemite. He published two articles in The Century Magazine, which formed the base for the subsequent legislation. President Abraham Lincoln signed an Act of Congress on July 1,1864, ceding the Yosemite Valley, according to this bill, private ownership of the land in this area was no longer possible. The state of California was designated to manage the park for use, resort. Leases were permitted for up to ten years and the proceeds were to be used for conservation, a public discussion followed this first legislation of its kind and there was a heated debate over whether the government had the right to create parks. The perceived mismanagement of Yosemite by the Californian state was the reason why Yellowstone at its establishment six years later was put under national control, in 1872, Yellowstone National Park was established as the United States first national park, being also the worlds first national park. In some European countries, however, national protection and nature reserves already existed, such as Drachenfels, Yellowstone was part of a federally governed territory
3.
Tanzania
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Tanzania /ˌtænzəˈniːə/, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in Eastern Africa within the African Great Lakes region. Parts of the country are in Southern Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, Africas highest mountain, is in northeastern Tanzania. Tanzanias population of 51.82 million is diverse, composed of ethnic, linguistic. Dar es Salaam, the capital, retains most government offices and is the countrys largest city, principal port. Tanzania is a one party dominant state with the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party in power, from its formation until 1992, it was the only legally permitted party in the country. Elections for president and all National Assembly seats were last held in October 2015, the CCM holds approximately 75% of the seats in the assembly. Prehistoric population migrations include Southern Cushitic speakers, who are ancestral to the Iraqw, Gorowa, and Burunge and who moved south from Ethiopia into Tanzania. Based on linguistic evidence, there may also have two movements into Tanzania of Eastern Cushitic people at about 4,000 and 2,000 years ago. These movements took place at about the time as the settlement of the iron-making Mashariki Bantu from West Africa in the Lake Victoria. They brought with them the west African planting tradition and the staple of yams. They subsequently migrated out of these regions across the rest of Tanzania, European colonialism began in mainland Tanzania during the late 19th century when Germany formed German East Africa, which gave way to British rule following World War I. The mainland was governed as Tanganyika, with the Zanzibar Archipelago remaining a separate colonial jurisdiction, following their respective independence in 1961 and 1963, the two entities merged in April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. Tanzania is mountainous and densely forested in the northeast, where Mount Kilimanjaro is located, three of Africas Great Lakes are partly within Tanzania. To the north and west lie Lake Victoria, Africas largest lake, and Lake Tanganyika, the eastern shore is hot and humid, with the Zanzibar Archipelago just offshore. The Menai Bay Conservation Area is Zanzibars largest marine protected area, over 100 different languages are spoken in Tanzania, making it the most linguistically diverse country in East Africa. Among the languages spoken in Tanzania are all four of Africas language families, Bantu, Cushitic, Nilotic, Swahili and English are Tanzanias official languages. In connection with his Ujamaa social policies, President Nyerere encouraged the use of Swahili, approximately 10% of Tanzanians speak Swahili as a first language, and up to 90% speak it as a second language. Most Tanzanians thus speak both Swahili and a language, many educated Tanzanians are trilingual, also speaking English
4.
Geographic coordinate system
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A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system used in geography that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation, to specify a location on a two-dimensional map requires a map projection. The invention of a coordinate system is generally credited to Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Ptolemy credited him with the adoption of longitude and latitude. Ptolemys 2nd-century Geography used the prime meridian but measured latitude from the equator instead. Mathematical cartography resumed in Europe following Maximus Planudes recovery of Ptolemys text a little before 1300, in 1884, the United States hosted the International Meridian Conference, attended by representatives from twenty-five nations. Twenty-two of them agreed to adopt the longitude of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the Dominican Republic voted against the motion, while France and Brazil abstained. France adopted Greenwich Mean Time in place of local determinations by the Paris Observatory in 1911, the latitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle between the equatorial plane and the straight line that passes through that point and through the center of the Earth. Lines joining points of the same latitude trace circles on the surface of Earth called parallels, as they are parallel to the equator, the north pole is 90° N, the south pole is 90° S. The 0° parallel of latitude is designated the equator, the plane of all geographic coordinate systems. The equator divides the globe into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the longitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle east or west of a reference meridian to another meridian that passes through that point. All meridians are halves of great ellipses, which converge at the north and south poles, the prime meridian determines the proper Eastern and Western Hemispheres, although maps often divide these hemispheres further west in order to keep the Old World on a single side. The antipodal meridian of Greenwich is both 180°W and 180°E, the combination of these two components specifies the position of any location on the surface of Earth, without consideration of altitude or depth. The grid formed by lines of latitude and longitude is known as a graticule, the origin/zero point of this system is located in the Gulf of Guinea about 625 km south of Tema, Ghana. To completely specify a location of a feature on, in, or above Earth. Earth is not a sphere, but a shape approximating a biaxial ellipsoid. It is nearly spherical, but has an equatorial bulge making the radius at the equator about 0. 3% larger than the radius measured through the poles, the shorter axis approximately coincides with the axis of rotation
5.
Tanzania National Parks Authority
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The Tanzania National Parks Authority commonly known as TANAPA is responsible for the management of Tanzanias national parks. TANAPA is a corporation and all its income is reinvested into the organization. It is governed by a number of instruments including the National Parks Act, Chapter 282 of the 2002 and the Wildlife Conservation Act No.5 of 2009. TANAPA manages the nations 17 National parks which cover ~15% of the area and has the mandate to conserve and manage wildlife in Tanzania. It manages the biodiversity of the country, protecting and conserving the flora, currently TANAPA is governed by the National Parks Ordinance Chapter 282 of the 2002 and manages 17 national parks. TANAPA manages 17 national parks covering an area of 57,024 km2 approximately the area of Croatia. TANAPA is responsible for the parks, TANAPAs main source of revenue is sourced from tourist arrivals. TANAPA in collaboration with the Tanzania Tourist Board markets the national parks locally and internationally to attract visitors, TANAPA has also been mandated to promote domestic tourism. It is TANAPAs first and foremost goal to protect the wildlife and natural living in the park. The organization has received donations of vehicles and aircraft to help train rangers with modern technology. TANAPA also pays to maintain the facilities for tourists and conservation activities such as Roads, Gates, Boundaries. TANAPA currently manages 26 airstrips throughout its network of national parks, often forest fires break out in the parks and it is under TANAPAs mandate to put them out. List of protected areas of Tanzania Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute Official Website
6.
World Heritage Site
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A World Heritage Site is a landmark which has been officially recognized by the United Nations, specifically by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Sites are selected on the basis of having cultural, historical, scientific or some form of significance. UNESCO regards these sites as being important to the interests of humanity. The programme catalogues, names, and conserves sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common culture, under certain conditions, listed sites can obtain funds from the World Heritage Fund. The program was founded with the Convention Concerning the Protection of the Worlds Cultural and Natural Heritage, since then,192 state parties have ratified the convention, making it one of the most adhered to international instruments. As of July 2016,1052 sites are listed,814 cultural,203 natural, in 1959, the governments of Egypt and Sudan requested UNESCO to assist their countries to protect and rescue the endangered monuments and sites. In 1960, the Director-General of UNESCO launched an appeal to the Member States for an International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia, the campaign, which ended in 1980, was considered a success. The project cost $80 million, about $40 million of which was collected from 50 countries, the projects success led to other safeguarding campaigns, saving Venice and its lagoon in Italy, the ruins of Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan, and the Borobodur Temple Compounds in Indonesia. UNESCO then initiated, with the International Council on Monuments and Sites, the United States initiated the idea of cultural conservation with nature conservation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature developed similar proposals in 1968, the Convention came into force on 17 December 1975. As of June 2016, it has been ratified by 192 states, including 188 UN member states plus the Cook Islands, the Holy See, Niue, a country must first list its significant cultural and natural sites, the result is called the Tentative List. A country may not nominate sites that have not been first included on the Tentative List, next, it can place sites selected from that list into a Nomination File. The Nomination File is evaluated by the International Council on Monuments and Sites and these bodies then make their recommendations to the World Heritage Committee. There are ten selection criteria – a site must meet at least one of them to be included on the list, up to 2004, there were six criteria for cultural heritage and four criteria for natural heritage. In 2005, this was modified so there is now only one set of ten criteria. Nominated sites must be of outstanding value and meet at least one of the ten criteria. Thus, the Geneva Convention treaty promulgates, Article 53, PROTECTION OF CULTURAL OBJECTS AND OF PLACES OF WORSHIP. There are 1,052 World Heritage Sites located in 165 States Party, of these,814 are cultural,203 are natural and 35 are mixed properties
7.
Tanzanian
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Tanzania /ˌtænzəˈniːə/, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in Eastern Africa within the African Great Lakes region. Parts of the country are in Southern Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, Africas highest mountain, is in northeastern Tanzania. Tanzanias population of 51.82 million is diverse, composed of ethnic, linguistic. Dar es Salaam, the capital, retains most government offices and is the countrys largest city, principal port. Tanzania is a one party dominant state with the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party in power, from its formation until 1992, it was the only legally permitted party in the country. Elections for president and all National Assembly seats were last held in October 2015, the CCM holds approximately 75% of the seats in the assembly. Prehistoric population migrations include Southern Cushitic speakers, who are ancestral to the Iraqw, Gorowa, and Burunge and who moved south from Ethiopia into Tanzania. Based on linguistic evidence, there may also have two movements into Tanzania of Eastern Cushitic people at about 4,000 and 2,000 years ago. These movements took place at about the time as the settlement of the iron-making Mashariki Bantu from West Africa in the Lake Victoria. They brought with them the west African planting tradition and the staple of yams. They subsequently migrated out of these regions across the rest of Tanzania, European colonialism began in mainland Tanzania during the late 19th century when Germany formed German East Africa, which gave way to British rule following World War I. The mainland was governed as Tanganyika, with the Zanzibar Archipelago remaining a separate colonial jurisdiction, following their respective independence in 1961 and 1963, the two entities merged in April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. Tanzania is mountainous and densely forested in the northeast, where Mount Kilimanjaro is located, three of Africas Great Lakes are partly within Tanzania. To the north and west lie Lake Victoria, Africas largest lake, and Lake Tanganyika, the eastern shore is hot and humid, with the Zanzibar Archipelago just offshore. The Menai Bay Conservation Area is Zanzibars largest marine protected area, over 100 different languages are spoken in Tanzania, making it the most linguistically diverse country in East Africa. Among the languages spoken in Tanzania are all four of Africas language families, Bantu, Cushitic, Nilotic, Swahili and English are Tanzanias official languages. In connection with his Ujamaa social policies, President Nyerere encouraged the use of Swahili, approximately 10% of Tanzanians speak Swahili as a first language, and up to 90% speak it as a second language. Most Tanzanians thus speak both Swahili and a language, many educated Tanzanians are trilingual, also speaking English
8.
Serengeti
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The Serengeti ecosystem is a geographical region in Africa. It is located mainly in northern Tanzania and extends into south-western Kenya between 1 and 3 degrees south and between 34 and 36 degrees east, the Kenyan part of the Serengeti is known as Maasai Mara. The Serengeti hosts the largest terrestrial mammal migration in the world, the Serengeti is also renowned for its large lion population and is one of the best places to observe prides in their natural environment. The region contains the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and several game reserves, approximately 70 large mammal and 500 bird species are found there. This high diversity is a function of diverse habitats, including forests, swamps, kopjes, grasslands. Blue wildebeests, gazelles, zebras, and buffalos are some of the commonly found large mammals in the region, there has been controversy about a proposed road to be built through the Serengeti. Serengeti is derived from the Maasai language, Maa, specifically, much of the Serengeti was known to outsiders as Maasailand. The Maasai are known as warriors and live alongside most wild animals with an aversion to eating game and birds. Historically, their strength and reputation kept the newly arrived Europeans from exploiting the animals, a rinderpest epidemic and drought during the 1890s greatly reduced the numbers of both Maasai and animal populations. The Tanzanian government later in the 20th century re-settled the Maasai around the Ngorongoro Crater, poaching and the absence of fires, which had been the result of human activity, set the stage for the development of dense woodlands and thickets over the next 30–50 years. Tsetse fly populations now prevented any significant human settlement in the area, by the mid-1970s, wildebeest and the Cape buffalo populations had recovered and were increasingly cropping the grass, reducing the amount of fuel available for fires. The reduced intensity of fires has allowed acacia to once again become established and this migration is a natural phenomenon determined by the availability of grazing. Few calves are born ahead of time and of these, hardly any survive, the main reason is that very young calves are more noticeable to predators when mixed with older calves from the previous year. As the rains end in May, the start moving northwest into the areas around the Grumeti River. The crossings of the Grumeti and Mara rivers beginning in July are a popular attraction because crocodiles are lying in wait. The herds arrive in Kenya in late July / August, where they stay for the remainder of the dry season, except that the Thomsons and Grants gazelles move only east/west. About 250,000 wildebeest die during the journey from Tanzania to the Maasai Mara National Reserve in southwestern Kenya, death is usually from thirst, hunger, exhaustion, or predation. The Serengeti has some of East Africas finest game areas, besides being known for the great migration, the Serengeti is also famous for its abundant large predators
9.
Mara Region
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Mara Region is one of Tanzanias 30 administrative regions. The regional capital is the municipality of Musoma, according to the 2012 national census, the region had a population of 1,743,830, which was lower than the pre-census projection of 1,963,460. For 2002-2012, the regions 2.5 percent average annual growth rate was the thirteenth highest in the country. It was also the twelfth most densely populated region with 80 people per square kilometer, the neighboring regions are Mwanza Region and Simiyu Region, Arusha Region, and Kagera Region. To the northeast, the Mara Region borders Narok County and Migori County in Kenya, the Mara Region is the home of Tanzanias first president, Julius Nyerere. The Mara Region was also the birthplace of Benga music, the Mara Region is home to the Serengeti National Park, one of the worlds most famous national parks. Listed as a World Heritage Site, the park occupies a large area of grasslands and woodlands and is home to a diverse range of wildlife. It attracts close to 150,000 tourists every year, the sanctuary is home to more than a million wildebeest,200,000 zebras, and 300,000 Thomsons gazelles. Apart from conventional tourism in the park, there is also a range of opportunities available in the Mara Region. As of the 2010 elections the Mara Region had seven constituencies, Bunda Constituency and Mwibara Constituency in Bunda District
10.
Wildebeest
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The wildebeests, also called gnus, are a genus of antelopes, scientific name Connochaetes. They belong to the family Bovidae, which includes antelopes, cattle, goats, sheep, Connochaetes includes two species, both native to Africa, the black wildebeest, or white-tailed gnu, and the blue wildebeest, or brindled gnu. Fossil records suggest these two species diverged about one years ago, resulting in a northern and a southern species. The most obvious way of telling the two species apart are the differences in their colouring and in the way their horns are oriented. In East Africa, the blue wildebeest is the most abundant big game species, some populations perform an annual migration to new grazing grounds, but the black wildebeest is merely nomadic. Breeding in both takes place over a period of time at the end of the rainy season. Nevertheless, some fall prey to large carnivores, Wildebeest often graze in mixed herds with zebra which gives heightened awareness of potential predators. They are also alert to the signals emitted by other animals such as baboons. Wildebeest are a tourist attraction but compete with domesticated livestock for pasture and are blamed by farmers for transferring diseases and parasites to their cattle. Some illegal hunting goes on but the trend is fairly stable. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists both as least-concern species, the wildebeest, also called the gnu is an antelope of the genus Connochaetes. Wildebeest is Dutch for wild beast or wild cattle in Afrikaans, while Connochaetes derives from the Greek words κόννος, kónnos, beard, some sources claim the name gnu originates from the Khoikhoi name for these animals, tgnu. Others contend the name and its pronunciation in English go back to the word. nu, the name Connochaetes was given by German zoologist Hinrich Lichtenstein in 1814. Wildebeest were first discovered about 1700 by Dutch settlers on their way to the interior of South Africa, due to their resemblance to wild cattle, these people called them wild ox or wildebeest. The black wildebeest was first known to westerners in the part of South Africa a century later. In the early century, one species of the wildebeest. In 1914, two races of the wildebeest were introduced, namely Gorgon a. albojubatus and G. a. mearnsi. However, in 1939, the two were again merged into a single race, Connochaetes taurinus albojubatus
11.
Zebra
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Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white striped coats. Their stripes come in different patterns, unique to each individual and they are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds. Unlike their closest relatives, horses and donkeys, zebras have never truly domesticated. There are three species of zebras, the zebra, the Grévys zebra and the mountain zebra. The plains zebra and the mountain zebra belong to the subgenus Hippotigris, the latter resembles an ass, to which it is closely related, while the former two are more horse-like. All three belong to the genus Equus, along with other living equids, the unique stripes of zebras make them one of the animals most familiar to people. They occur in a variety of habitats, such as grasslands, savannas, woodlands, thorny scrublands, mountains, however, various anthropogenic factors have had a severe impact on zebra populations, in particular hunting for skins and habitat destruction. Grévys zebra and the mountain zebra are endangered, the name zebra in English dates back to c. 1600, from Italian zebra, perhaps from Portuguese, which in turn is said to be Congolese, the Encarta Dictionary says its ultimate origin is uncertain, but perhaps it may come from Latin equiferus meaning wild horse, from equus and ferus. The pronunciation with an initial vowel remains standard in the United States. Zebras evolved among the Old World horses within the last 4 million years and it has been suggested that zebras are polyphyletic and that striped equids evolved more than once. Extensive stripes are posited to have been of use to equids that live in low densities in deserts or ones that live in colder climates with shaggy coats. However, molecular evidence supports zebras as a monophyletic lineage, collectively, two of the species have eight subspecies. Zebra populations are diverse, and the relationships between, and the status of, several of the subspecies are not well known. It, or particular subspecies of it, have also known as the common zebra, the dauw, Burchells zebra, Chapmans zebra, Wahlbergs zebra, Selous zebra, Grants zebra, Boehms zebra. The mountain zebra of southwest Africa tends to have a coat with a white belly. It has two subspecies and is classified as vulnerable, Grévys zebra is the largest type, with a long, narrow head, making it appear rather mule-like. It is an inhabitant of the grasslands of Ethiopia and northern Kenya
12.
Crocodile
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Crocodiles or true crocodiles are large aquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. Crocodylinae, all of whose members are considered true crocodiles, is classified as a biological subfamily, a broader sense of the term crocodile, Crocodylidae that includes Tomistoma, is not used in this article. The term crocodile here applies only to the species within the subfamily of Crocodylinae, although they appear to be similar to the untrained eye, crocodiles, alligators and the gharial belong to separate biological families. The gharial having a narrow snout is easier to distinguish, while morphological differences are more difficult to spot in crocodiles and alligators. The most obvious differences are visible in the head with crocodiles having narrower and longer heads, with a more V-shaped than a U-shaped snout compared to alligators. Also, when the mouth is closed, the large fourth tooth in the lower jaw fits into a constriction in the upper jaw. For hard-to-distinguish specimens, the tooth is the most reliable feature to define the family that the species belongs to. Crocodiles have more webbing on the toes of the feet and can better tolerate saltwater due to specialized salt glands for filtering out salt. Another trait that separates crocodiles from other crocodilians is their higher levels of aggression. Crocodile size, morphology, behaviour and ecology somewhat differs between species, however, they have many similarities in these areas as well. All crocodiles are semiaquatic and tend to congregate in freshwater such as rivers, lakes, wetlands. They are carnivorous animals, feeding mostly on such as fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. All crocodiles are tropical species that, unlike alligators, are sensitive to cold. They separated from other crocodilians during the Eocene epoch, about 55 million years ago, many species are at the risk of extinction, some being classified as critically endangered. The word crocodile comes from the Ancient Greek κροκόδιλος, lizard, used in the phrase ho krokódilos tou potamoú, there are several variant Greek forms of the word attested, including the later form κροκόδειλος found cited in many English reference works. In the Koine Greek of Roman times, crocodilos and crocodeilos would have been pronounced identically, crocodilos or crocodeilos is a compound of krokè, and drilos/dreilos, although drilos is only attested as a colloquial term for penis. It is ascribed to Herodotus, and supposedly describes the habits of the Egyptian crocodile. The form crocodrillus is attested in Medieval Latin and it is not clear whether this is a medieval corruption or derives from alternative Greco-Latin forms
13.
Honey badger
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The honey badger, also known as the ratel, is the only species in the mustelid subfamily Mellivorinae and its only genus Mellivora. It is native to Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, despite its name, the honey badger does not closely resemble other badger species, instead, it bears more anatomical similarities to weasels. It is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN owing to its extensive range and it is primarily a carnivorous species and has few natural predators because of its thick skin and ferocious defensive abilities. Ratel is an Afrikaans word, possibly derived from the Middle Dutch word raat for honeycomb, the honey badger is the only species of the genus Mellivora. Although in the 1860s it was assigned to the badger subfamily and it is much more closely related to the marten subfamily, Mustelinae, but furthermore is assigned its own subfamily, Mellivorinae. Differences between Mellivorinae and Melinae include differences in their dentition formulae, the species first appeared during the middle Pliocene in Asia. Its closest relation was the extinct genus Eomellivora, which is known from the upper Miocene, as of 2005,12 subspecies are recognised. Points taken into consideration in assigning different subspecies include size and the extent of whiteness or greyness on the back, the honey badger has a fairly long body, but is distinctly thick-set and broad across the back. Its skin is loose, and allows it to turn. The skin around the neck is 6 millimetres thick, an adaptation to fighting conspecifics, the head is small and flat, with a short muzzle. The eyes are small, and the ears are more than ridges on the skin. The honey badger has short and sturdy legs, with five toes on each foot, the feet are armed with very strong claws, which are short on the hind legs and remarkably long on the forelimbs. It is a partially plantigrade animal whose soles are thickly padded and naked up to the wrists, the tail is short and is covered in long hairs, save for below the base. Honey badgers are the largest terrestrial mustelids in Africa, adults measure 23 to 28 cm in shoulder height and 55–77 cm in body length, with the tail adding another 12–30 cm. Males weigh 9 to 16 kg while females weigh 5 to 10 kg on average, skull length is 13. 9–14.5 cm in males and 13 cm for females. There are two pairs of mammae, the honey badger possesses an anal pouch which, unusual among mustelids, is eversible, a trait shared with hyenas and mongooses. The smell of the pouch is reportedly suffocating, and may assist in calming bees when raiding beehives, the skull bears little similarity to that of the European badger, and greatly resembles a larger version of that of a marbled polecat. The skull is solidly built, with that of adults having no trace of an independent bone structure
14.
Maasai people
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The Maasai are a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are among the best known local populations due to their residence near the game parks of the African Great Lakes. The Maasai speak the Maa language, a member of the Nilo-Saharan family that is related to Dinka and they are also educated in the official languages of Kenya and Tanzania, Swahili and English. The Maasai population has been reported as numbering 841,622 in Kenya in the 2009 census, the Tanzanian and Kenyan governments have instituted programs to encourage the Maasai to abandon their traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle, but the people have continued their age-old customs. Recently, Oxfam has claimed that the lifestyle of the Maasai should be embraced as a response to change because of their ability to produce food in deserts. Many Maasai tribes throughout Tanzania and Kenya welcome visits to their villages to experience their culture, traditions, the Maasai speak a Nilo-Saharan language. They inhabit the African Great Lakes region and arrived via the South Sudan, most Nilotic speakers in the area, including the Maasai, the Samburu and the Kalenjin, are pastoralists, and are famous for their fearsome reputations as warriors and cattle-rustlers. The Nilotic ancestors of the Kalenjin and Samburu likewise absorbed some early Cushitic populations, the Maasai territory reached its largest size in the mid-19th century, and covered almost all of the Great Rift Valley and adjacent lands from Mount Marsabit in the north to Dodoma in the south. At this time the Maasai, as well as the larger Nilotic group they were part of, raiders used spears and shields, but were most feared for throwing clubs which could be accurately thrown from up to 70 paces. In 1852, there was a report of a concentration of 800 Maasai warriors on the move in what is now Kenya, in 1857, after having depopulated the Wakuafi wilderness in what is now southeastern Kenya, Maasai warriors threatened Mombasa on the Kenyan coast. Because of this migration, the Maasai are the southernmost Nilotic speakers, the period of expansion was followed by the Maasai Emutai of 1883–1902. This period was marked by epidemics of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, rinderpest, the estimate first put forward by a German lieutenant in what was then northwest Tanganyika, was that 90 percent of cattle and half of wild animals perished from rinderpest. German doctors in the area claimed that every second African had a pock-marked face as the result of smallpox. Rains failed completely in 1897 and 1898, warriors scarcely able to crawl on all fours, and apathetic, languishing elders. Swarms of vultures followed them from high, awaiting their certain victims, by one estimate two-thirds of the Maasai died during this period. Maasai in Tanganyika were displaced from the lands between Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro, and most of the fertile highlands near Ngorongoro in the 1940s. Maasai are pastoralist and have resisted the urging of the Tanzanian and Kenyan governments to adopt a sedentary lifestyle. They have demanded grazing rights to many of the parks in both countries
15.
Oscar Baumann
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Oscar Baumann was an Austrian explorer, cartographer and ethnographer. He attended classes on history and geography at the University of Vienna. However, because of illness, Baumann would be forced to leave the expedition prior to its conclusion. In 1886 he conducted research on the island of Fernando Po. When he returned to Europe, he received his PhD from the University of Leipzig, Baumann is best known for his exploration of the interior of German East Africa, and for producing maps of the region. In 1888, with geographer Hans Meyer, he explored the Usambara region, the two explorers progress was stopped, however, due to ramifications associated with the so-called Abushiri Revolt. Within a matter of days Baumann and Meyer were captured and held as prisoners, only after a large ransom was paid to rebel leader Abushiri ibn Salim al-Harthi were the two men released. Baumanns most celebrated mission was the 200-member Maasai Expedition of 1891-1893, on the expedition, he performed map-making duties, and was the first European to enter Rwanda. He was also the first European to visit Lake Eyasi, Lake Manyara, on the expedition, he explored the headwaters of the Kagera River, which he reasoned, was the true source of the Nile. As a result of the journey, he produced a book titled Durch Massailand zur Nilquelle, in 1896, Baumann was appointed consul to Zanzibar by the Austro-Hungarian government. However, he died a few years later of a disease at the age of 35. In 1902 the thoroughfare Baumannstraße, in the district of Landstraße, was named in his honor, beiträge zur Ethnologie des Congo,1887. Versuch einer Monographie von Fernando Póo,1888, in Deutsch-Ostafrika während des Aufstandes, Vienna. Die kartographischen Ergebnisse der Massai-Expedition, In, Petermanns Geographische Mitteilungen, Ergebnisheft 111, maps and Expedition Information on German East Africa Dr. Oscar Baumann
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Stewart Edward White
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Stewart Edward White was an American writer, novelist, and spiritualist. He was a brother of noted mural painter Gilbert White, born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he attended Grand Rapids High School, and earned degrees from University of Michigan. From about 1900 until about 1922 he wrote fiction and non-fiction about adventure and travel, with an emphasis on natural history, starting in 1922 he and his wife Elizabeth Betty Grant White wrote numerous books they say were received through channelling with spirits. They also wrote of their travels around the state of California, whites books were popular at a time when America was losing its vanishing wilderness. He was an observer of the beauties of nature and human nature. Based on his own experience, whether writing camping journals or Westerns, he included pithy and fun details about cabin-building, canoeing, logging, gold-hunting, and guns and fishing and hunting. He also interviewed people who had involved in the fur trade. He salted in humor and sympathy for characters such as canny Indian guides. Theodore Roosevelt wrote that White was the best man with both pistol and rifle who ever shot at Roosevelts rifle range at Sagamore Hill and he encounters mountain man Joe Crane, who becomes his mentor in the ways of survival in the wild. The remainder of the saga follows Andy as he moves west, ultimately settling in California, the series incorporates actual events and characters from the time period in the narrative. This series was in ways a follow-up to Disneys much more successful Davy Crockett. In 1927 the Boy Scouts of America made White an Honorary Scout, the other eighteen who were awarded this distinction were, Roy Chapman Andrews, Robert Bartlett, Frederick Russell Burnham, Richard E. Byrd, George Kruck Cherrie, James L. Clark, Merian C. The Betty Book Across the Unknown The Unobstructed Universe, the Road I Know Anchors to Windward The Stars are Still There With Folded Wings The Gaelic Manuscripts Jane Roberts J. C. Underwood, Literature and Insurgency Staff report
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Bernhard Grzimek
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Bernhard Klemens Maria Grzimek was a renowned German zoo director, zoologist, book author, editor, and animal conservationist in postwar West-Germany. Grzimek was born in Neisse, Prussian Silesia and his father Paul Franz Constantin Grzimek was a lawyer and civil law notary and his mother was Margarete Margot. After studying veterinary medicine in 1928, first at Leipzig and later in Berlin and he married Hildegard Prüfer on 17 May 1930 and had three sons, Rochus, Michael, and an adopted son, Thomas. During World War II he was a veterinarian in the Wehrmacht, in early 1945, the Gestapo raided Grzimeks Berlin apartment, because he had repeatedly supplied food to hidden Jews. Grzimek then fled from Berlin to Frankfurt, which was occupied by the U. S. Army, in April 1945 he was appointed police chief of Frankfurt by U. S. authorities, but he refused the job. In late 1947, Grzimek was accused of membership in the NSDAP by the U. S. military government and he was then removed from office in the Frankfurt Zoo, fined, and sent for denazification. On 23 March 1948, it was determined that he was innocent and had participated in the Resistance War and he was then reinstated at the Zoo by the U. S. government but his reputation was besmirched. The Zoo Director of Munich, Heinz Heck, led a private smear, Grzimek was acquitted of any wrongdoing in 1949. Grzimek became director of the Frankfurt Zoological Garden on 1 May 1945, the zoo then in ruins and all but 20 animals killed, he prevented the permanent closure of the Frankfurt Zoo and the relocation of the Center Zoo to the suburbs. The Zoo reopened on 1 July 1945, after all bomb craters were filled, with festivals, dances and actors, Grzimek attracted the Frankfurt population and received the assent of the Provisional Government and the U. S. military to continue the Frankfurt Zoo. Grzimek led the Frankfurt Zoo for 29 years, until his retirement on 30 April 1974 and he made it into one of the largest zoological gardens in Germany. At the same time he served as president of the Frankfurt Zoological Society for over forty years, in 1954 he founded the image agency Okapia, specialized in animals and nature. Today, the agency specializes in science and employs 650 photographers, the firm is led by Christian Bernhard Grzimek, the son of his son who died in the Serengeti. Grzimek is most famous for the work he undertook for the conservation of the Serengeti and he spent several years studying the wildlife there along with his son Michael Grzimek, especially on areal observation and counts of large scale annual migrations. The documentary film Serengeti Shall Not Die was written and directed by Bernard and Michael Grzimek, in the same year Michael was killed in an air crash while flying the Dornier Do 27 due to a collision with a griffon vulture. Grzimek wrote a book, Serengeti Shall Not Die, which first appeared in German in 1959. It appealed enormously to the public and was key in driving the creation of the Serengeti National Park and he prophesied in his book, Large cities continue to proliferate. Countries which have preserved such places will be envied by other nations, there is a difference between wild animals living a natural life and famous buildings
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Ngorongoro Conservation Area
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The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a protected area and a World Heritage Site located 180 km west of Arusha in the Crater Highlands area of Tanzania. The area is named after Ngorongoro Crater, a volcanic caldera within the area. It has been reported in 2009 that the government authority has proposed a reduction of the population of the area from 65,000 to 25,000. There are plans being considered for 14 more luxury tourist hotels, Ngorongoro was named by the Maasai as El-Nkoronkoro meaning Gift of Life. This was because they were migrating from Central Africa for a permanent settlement and that is why the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is mostly occupied by the Maasai. Based on fossil found at the Olduvai Gorge, various hominid species have occupied the area for 3 million years. Hunter-gatherers were replaced by pastoralists a few years ago. The Mbulu came to the area about 2,000 years ago and were joined by the Datooga around the year 1700, both groups were driven from the area by the Maasai in the 1800s. Massive fig trees in the northwest of the Lerai Forest are sacred to the Maasai, some of them may have been planted on the grave of a Datago leader who died in battle with the Maasai around 1840. No Europeans are known to have set foot in the Ngorongoro Crater until 1892, two German brothers farmed in the crater until the outbreak of World War I, after leasing the land from the administration of German East Africa. The brothers regularly organized shooting parties to entertain their German friends and they also attempted to drive the wildebeest herds out of the crater. In 1921, the first game preservation ordinance was passed, which restricted hunting to permit holders throughout Tanzania, in 1928, hunting was prohibited on all land within the crater rim, except the former Siedentopf farms. The National Park Ordinance of 1948 created the Serengeti National Park and this, however, caused problems with the Maasai and other tribes, resulting in the NCA Ordinance that separated the NCA from the SNP. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority was established by the Game Park Laws Act,1976 and owns the majority of NCA land, the area became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Land in the area is multi-use and unique because it is the only conservation area in Tanzania that protects wildlife while allowing human habitation. Land use is controlled to prevent negative effects on the wildlife population, for example, cultivation is prohibited at all but subsistence levels. The area is part of the Serengeti ecosystem and, to the northwest and these plains also extend to the north into the unprotected Loliondo division and are kept open to wildlife through transhumance pastoralism practiced by the Maasai. The south and west of the area are volcanic highlands, including the famous Ngorongoro Crater, the southern and eastern boundaries are approximately defined by the rim of the East African Rift wall, which also prevents animal migration in these directions
19.
Lake Manyara National Park
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Lake Manyara National Park is a Tanzanian national park located both in Arusha Region and Manyara Region, Tanzania. The two administrative regions have no jurisdiction over the parks, the park is governed by the Tanzania National Parks Authority. The majority of the area of the park is a narrow strip running between the Gregory Rift wall to the west and Lake Manyara, an alkaline or soda-lake. The park consists of 330 km2 of arid land, forest, Lake Manyara National Park is known for the flamingos that inhabit the lake. During the wet season they inhabit the edges of the lake in flocks of thousands, more than 400 species of birds inhabit the park and many remain throughout the year. Because of this Lake Manyara National Park is a spot for bird watching. Visitors to the park can expect to see upwards of 100 different species of bird on any day, There is a hippo pond at one end of the park where visitors can get out of their cars and observe from a safe distance. The leopards and lions are known to lounge in the trees while not hunting for prey. Lake Manyara National Park is located 126 km south west of Arusha and can be reached by car in an hour, the park can also be reached easily from Babati the capital of Manyara Region. The park is very close to Tarangire National Park There is also an airport, Lake Manyara Airport
20.
Tarangire National Park
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Tarangire National Park is the sixth largest national park in Tanzania, it is located in Manyara Region. The name of the park originates from the Tarangire River that crosses the park, the Tarangire River is the primary source of fresh water for wild animals in the Tarangire Ecosystem during the annual dry season. The Tarangire Ecosystem is defined by the migration of wildebeest. During the dry season thousands of animals concentrate in Tarangire National Park from the surrounding wet-season dispersal and it covers an area of approximately 2,850 square kilometers The landscape is composed of granitic ridges, river valley, and swamps. Vegetation is a mix of Acacia woodland, Commiphora-Combretum woodland, seasonally flooded grassland, the park is famous for its high density of elephants and baobab trees. Visitors to the park in the June to November dry season can expect to see large herds of thousands of zebra, wildebeest and cape buffalo. Other common resident animals include waterbuck, giraffe, dik dik, impala, eland, Grants gazelle, vervet monkey, banded mongoose, predators in Tarangire include African lion, leopard, cheetah, caracal, honey badger, and African wild dog. Home to more than 550 bird species, the park is a haven for bird enthusiasts, the park is also famous for the termite mounds that dot the landscape. Those that have been abandoned are often home to dwarf mongoose, in 2015, a giraffe that is white due to leucism was spotted in the park. Current wildlife research projects in the include the Tarangire Elephant Project, Tarangire Lion Project. Tarangire National Park can be reached via paved road south from Arusha in under two hours, lake Manyara National Park is only a 70 kilometer drive from Tarangire. Little Olivers Olivers Camp Sanctuary Swala Sopa Lodge Tarangire Safari Lodge Official website World Conservation Monitoring Centre
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Arusha National Park
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Arusha National Park covers Mount Meru, a prominent volcano with an elevation of 4566 m, in the Arusha Region of north eastern Tanzania. The park is small but varied with landscapes in three distinct areas. In the west, the Meru Crater funnels the Jekukumia River, ngurdoto Crater in the south-east is grassland. The shallow alkaline Momella Lakes in the north-east have varying colours and are known for their wading birds. Mount Meru is the second highest peak in Tanzania after Mount Kilimanjaro, Arusha National Park lies on a 300-kilometre axis of Africas most famous national parks, running from Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater in the west to Kilimanjaro National Park in the east. The park is just a few kilometres north east of Arusha and it is also 58 km from Moshi and 35 km from Kilimanjaro International Airport. Arusha National Park has a variety of wildlife, but visitors shouldnt expect the same game-viewing experience they find in other national parks of Tanzanias northern circuit. Leopard populations are present, but rarely seen, Tanzania Parks Field guide to the amphibians and reptiles of Arusha National Park
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Savanna
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A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland grassland ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support a herbaceous layer consisting primarily of grasses. Savannas maintain an open canopy despite a high tree density and it is often believed that savannas feature widely spaced, scattered trees. However, in savannas, tree densities are higher and trees are more regularly spaced than in forests. Savanna covers approximately 20% of the Earths land area, the word originally entered English in 1555 as the Latin Zauana, equivalent in the orthography of the times to zavana. Peter Martyr reported it as the name for the plain around Comagre. The accounts are inexact, but this is placed in present-day Madugandí or at points on the nearby Guna Yala coast opposite Ustupo or on Point Mosquitos. These areas are now given over to modern cropland or jungle. The common usage meaning to describe vegetation now conflicts with a simplified yet widespread climatic concept meaning, the divergence has sometimes caused areas such as extensive savannas north and south of the Congo and Amazon Rivers to be excluded from mapped savanna categories. Barrens has been used almost interchangeably with savanna in different parts of North America, sometimes midwestern savanna were described as grassland with trees. Different authors have defined the limits of savanna tree coverage as 5–10%. Two factors common to all environments are rainfall variations from year to year. In the Americas, e. g. in Belize, Central America, savanna vegetation is similar from Mexico to South America, savannas are subject to regular wildfires and the ecosystem appears to be the result of human use of fire. For example, Native Americans created the Pre-Columbian savannas of North America by periodically burning where fire-resistant plants were the dominant species, pine barrens in scattered locations from New Jersey to coastal New England are remnants of these savannas. Aboriginal burning appears to have responsible for the widespread occurrence of savanna in tropical Australia and New Guinea. The maquis shrub savannas of the Mediterranean region were created and maintained by anthropogenic fire. These fires are usually confined to the layer and do little long term damage to mature trees. However, these either kill or suppress tree seedlings, thus preventing the establishment of a continuous tree canopy which would prevent further grass growth
23.
Kenya
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Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country in Africa and a founding member of the East African Community. Its capital and largest city is Nairobi and it is bordered by Tanzania to the south and southwest, Uganda to the west, South Sudan to the north-west, Ethiopia to the north and Somalia to the north-east. Kenya covers 581,309 km2, and had a population of approximately 48 million people in January 2017, Kenya has a warm and humid tropical climate on its Indian Ocean coastline. The climate is cooler in the grasslands around the capital city, Nairobi, and especially closer to Mount Kenya. Further inland are highlands in Central and Rift Valley regions where tea, in the West are Nyanza and Western regions, there is an equatorial, hot and dry climate which becomes humid around Lake Victoria, the largest tropical fresh-water lake in the world. This gives way to temperate and forested areas in the neighbouring western region. The north-eastern regions along the border with Somalia and Ethiopia are arid and semi-arid areas with near-desert landscapes, Kenya is known for its world class athletes in track and field and rugby. The African Great Lakes region, which Kenya is a part of, has been inhabited by humans since the Lower Paleolithic period, by the first millennium AD, the Bantu expansion had reached the area from West-Central Africa. Bantu and Nilotic populations together constitute around 97% of the nations residents, European and Arab presence in coastal Mombasa dates to the Early Modern period, European exploration of the interior began in the 19th century. The British Empire established the East Africa Protectorate in 1895, which starting in 1920 gave way to the Kenya Colony, Kenya obtained independence in December 1963. Following a referendum in August 2010 and adoption of a new constitution, Kenya is now divided into 47 semi-autonomous counties, the capital, Nairobi, is a regional commercial hub. The economy of Kenya is the largest by GDP in East, agriculture is a major employer, the country traditionally exports tea and coffee and has more recently begun to export fresh flowers to Europe. The service industry is also an economic driver. Additionally, Kenya is a member of the East African Community trading bloc, the Republic of Kenya is named after Mount Kenya. The origin of the name Kenya is not clear, but perhaps linked to the Kikuyu, Embu and Kamba words Kirinyaga, Kirenyaa, if so, then the British may not so much have mispronounced it, as misspelled it. In the 19th century, the German explorer Johann Ludwig Krapf was staying with the Bantu Kamba people when he first spotted the mountain. On asking for the name of the mountain, he was told Kĩ-Nyaa or Kĩĩma- Kĩĩnyaa probably because the pattern of black rock, the Agikuyu, who inhabit the slopes of Mt. Kenya, call it Kĩrĩma Kĩrĩnyaga in Kikuyu, which is quite similar to the Kamba name. Ludwig Krapf recorded the name as both Kenia and Kegnia believed by most to be a corruption of the Kamba version, others say that this was—on the contrary—a very precise notation of a correct African pronunciation /ˈkɛnjə/
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Maasai Mara
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The Maasai Mara National Reserve is a large game reserve in Narok County, Kenya, contiguous with the Serengeti National Park in Mara Region, Tanzania. When it was established in 1961 as a wildlife sanctuary the Mara covered only 520 square kilometres of the current area. The area was extended to the east in 1961 to cover 1,821 km2, the Narok County Council took over management of the reserve at this time. Part of the reserve was given National Reserve status in 1974, an additional 162 km2 were removed from the reserve in 1976, and the park was reduced to 1,510 km2 in 1984. In 1994, the TransMara County Council was formed in the part of the reserve. In May 2001, the not-for-profit Mara Conservancy took over management of the Mara Triangle, the Maasai Mara National Reserve covers some 1,510 km2 in south-western Kenya. It is the northern-most section of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, which covers some 25,000 km2 in Tanzania and it is bounded by the Serengeti Park to the south, the Siria escarpment to the west, and Maasai pastoral ranches to the north, east and west. Rainfall in the ecosystem increases markedly along a southeast–northwest gradient, varies in space and time, the Sand, Talek River and Mara River are the major rivers draining the reserve. Shrubs and trees fringe most drainage lines and cover hillslopes and hilltops, the terrain of the reserve is primarily open grassland with seasonal riverlets. In the south-east region are clumps of the acacia tree. The western border is the Esoit Escarpment of the East African Rift, Wildlife tends to be most concentrated here, as the swampy ground means that access to water is always good, while tourist disruption is minimal. The easternmost border is 224 kilometres from Nairobi, and hence it is the regions which are most visited by tourists. Herds of all three species are resident in the reserve. All members of the Big Five are found in the Maasai Mara, the population of black rhinos was fairly numerous until 1960, but it was severely depleted by poaching in the 1970s and early 1980s, dropping to a low of 15 individuals. Numbers have been increasing, but the population was still only up to an estimated 23 in 1999. Hippopotami and crocodiles are found in groups in the Mara. Leopards, hyenas, cheetahs, jackals, and bat-eared foxes can also be found in the reserve, the plains between the Mara River and the Esoit Siria Escarpment are probably the best area for game viewing, in particular regarding lion and cheetah. As in the Serengeti, the wildebeest are the dominant inhabitants of the Maasai Mara, around July of each year, these animals migrate north from the Serengeti plains in search of fresh pasture, and return to the south around October
25.
Hartebeest
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The hartebeest, also known as kongoni, is an African antelope, first described by the German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas in 1766. Eight subspecies have been described, including two considered to be independent species. A large antelope, the hartebeest stands just over 1 m at the shoulder, the weight ranges from 100 to 200 kg. It has a particularly elongated forehead and oddly shaped horns, short neck and its legs, which often have black markings, are unusually long. The coat is short and shiny. Coat colour varies by the subspecies, from the brown of the western hartebeest to the chocolate brown of the Swaynes hartebeest. Both sexes of all subspecies have horns, with those of females being more slender, horns can reach lengths of 45–70 cm. Apart from its face, the large chest and the sharply sloping back differentiate the hartebeest from other antelopes. Gregarious animals, hartebeest form herds of 20 to 300 individuals and they are very alert and non-aggressive. They are primarily grazers, with their diets consisting mainly of grasses, mating in hartebeest takes place throughout the year with one or two peaks, and depends upon the subspecies and local factors. Both males and females reach maturity at one to two years of age. Gestation is eight to nine months long, after which a single calf is born, births usually peak in the dry season. The lifespan is 12 to 15 years, inhabiting dry savannas and wooded grasslands, hartebeest often move to more arid places after rainfall. They have been reported from altitudes on Mount Kenya up to 4,000 m, the hartebeest was formerly widespread in Africa, but populations have undergone drastic decline due to habitat destruction, hunting, human settlement, and competition with livestock for food. Each of the eight subspecies of the hartebeest has a different conservation status, the Bubal hartebeest was declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 1994. While the populations of the red hartebeest are on the rise, the hartebeest is extinct in Algeria, Egypt, Lesotho, Libya, Morocco, Somalia, and Tunisia, but has been introduced into Swaziland and Zimbabwe. It is a game animal due to its highly regarded meat. The vernacular name hartebeest could have originated from the obsolete Afrikaans word hertebeest, the name was given by the Boers, based on the resemblance of the antelope to deer
26.
Waterbuck
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The waterbuck is a large antelope found widely in sub-Saharan Africa. It is placed in the genus Kobus of the family Bovidae and it was first described by Irish naturalist William Ogilby in 1833. The thirteen subspecies are grouped under two varieties, the common or ellipsen waterbuck and the defassa waterbuck, the head-and-body length is typically between 177–235 cm and the average height is between 120 and 136 cm. A sexually dimorphic antelope, males are taller as well as heavier than females, males reach approximately 127 cm at the shoulder, while females reach 119 cm. Males typically weigh 198–262 kg and females 161–214 kg, the coat colour varies from brown to grey. The long, spiral horns, present only on males, curve backward, Waterbuck are rather sedentary in nature. A gregarious animal, the waterbuck may form herds consisting of six to 30 individuals and these groups are either nursery herds with females and their offspring or bachelor herds. Males start showing territorial behaviour from the age of five years, the waterbuck can not tolerate dehydration in hot weather, and thus inhabits areas close to sources of water. Predominantly a grazer, the waterbuck is found on grassland. In equatorial regions, breeding takes place throughout the year, the gestational period lasts for seven to eight months, followed by the birth of a single calf. Waterbuck inhabit scrub and savanna areas along rivers, lakes and valleys, due to their requirement for grasslands as well as water, the waterbuck have a sparse ecotone distribution. The IUCN lists the waterbuck as being of Least Concern, more specifically, the common waterbuck is listed as of Least Concern while the defassa waterbuck is Near Threatened. The scientific name of the waterbuck is Kobus ellipsiprymnus, the waterbuck is one of the six species of the genus Kobus and belongs to the family Bovidae. It was first described by Irish naturalist William Ogilby in 1833, the generic name Kobus is a New Latin word, originating from an African name, koba. The specific name refers to the white elliptical ring on the rump, from the Greek ellipes. The animal acquired the vernacular name waterbuck due to its dependence on water as compared to other antelopes. The type specimen of the waterbuck was collected by South African hunter-explorer Andrew Steedman in 1832 and this specimen was named Antilope ellipsiprymnus by Ogilby in 1833. This species was transferred to the genus Kobus in 1840, becoming K. ellipsiprymnus and it is usually known as the common waterbuck
27.
Hyrax
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Hyraxes, also called dassies, are small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. Hyraxes are well-furred, rotund animals with short tails, typically, they measure between 30 and 70 cm long and weigh between 2 and 5 kg. They are superficially similar to pikas or other rodents, but are closely related to elephants. Four extant species are recognised, the hyrax, the yellow-spotted rock hyrax, the western tree hyrax. Their distribution is limited to Africa and the Middle East, unlike most other browsing and grazing animals, they do not use the incisors at the front of the jaw for slicing off leaves and grass, rather, they use the molar teeth at the side of the jaw. The two upper incisors are large and tusk-like, and grow continuously through life, similar to rodents, the four lower incisors are deeply grooved comb teeth. A diastema occurs between the incisors and the cheek teeth, the dental formula for hyraxes is 1.0.4.32.0.4.3. Their mandibular motions are similar to chewing cud, but the hyrax is physically incapable of regurgitation as in the even-toed ungulates. This behaviour is referred to in a passage in the Bible which describes hyraxes as chewing the cud and this chewing behaviour may be a form of agonistic behaviour when the animal feels threatened. Hyraxes inhabit rocky terrain across sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and their feet have rubbery pads with numerous sweat glands, which may help the animal maintain its grip when quickly moving up steep, rocky surfaces. Hyraxes have stumpy toes with hoof-like nails, there are four toes on each front foot and they also have efficient kidneys, retaining water so that they can better survive in arid environments. Female hyraxes give birth to up to four young after a period between seven and eight months, depending on the species. The young are weaned at one to five months of age, hyraxes live in small family groups, with a single male that aggressively defends the territory from rivals. Where living space is abundant, the male may have access to multiple groups of females. The remaining males live solitary lives, often on the periphery of areas controlled by larger males, hyraxes have highly charged myoglobin, which has been inferred to reflect an aquatic ancestry. Hyraxes share several characteristics with elephants and the Sirenia, which have resulted in them all being placed in the taxon Paenungulata. Male hyraxes lack a scrotum and their testicles remain tucked up in their abdominal cavity next to the kidneys, the same as elephants, manatees, the tusks of hyraxes develop from the incisor teeth as do the tusks of elephants, most mammalian tusks develop from the canines. Hyraxes, like elephants, have flattened nails on the tips of their digits, the words rabbit, hare, or coney appear as terms for the hyrax in some English translations of the Bible
28.
Pythonidae
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The Pythonidae, commonly known simply as pythons, from the Greek word python, are a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia. Among its members are some of the largest snakes in the world, eight genera and 31 species are currently recognized. Pythons are found in sub-Saharan Africa, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, southern China, Southeast Asia, and from the Philippines southeast through Indonesia to New Guinea and Australia. In the United States, a population of Burmese pythons. Many species have been hunted aggressively, which has decimated some, most members of this family are ambush predators, in that they typically remain motionless in a camouflaged position, and then strike suddenly at passing prey. They will generally not attack humans unless startled or provoked, although females protecting their eggs can be aggressive, reports of attacks on human beings were once more common in South and Southeast Asia, but are now quite rare. In 2017, there was a case of a human devoured by a python in Sulawesi. All prey is swallowed whole, and may take days or even weeks to fully digest. All snakes, including pythons, are descended from a venomous ancestor and this sets them apart from the family Boidae, most of which bear live young. After they lay their eggs, females typically incubate them until they hatch and this is achieved by causing the muscles to shiver, which raises the temperature of the body to a certain degree, and thus that of the eggs. Keeping the eggs at a constant temperature is essential for healthy embryo development, during the incubation period, females will not eat and only leave to bask to raise their body temperature. Most species in this family are available in the pet trade. However, caution must be exercised with the species, as they can be dangerous. *) Not including the nominate subspecies. T) Type genus, pythons are more closely related to boas than to any other snake family. Boulenger considered this group to be a subfamily of the family Boidae, Pythonidae at the Reptarium. cz Reptile Database
29.
Nile crocodile
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The Nile crocodile is an African crocodile and may be considered the second largest extant reptile in the world, after the saltwater crocodile. Although capable of living in environments, this species is rarely found in saltwater. The range of species once stretched northward throughout the Nile. On average, the adult male Nile crocodile is between 3.5 and 5 m in length and weighs 225 to 750 kg, however, specimens exceeding 6.1 m in length and weighing up to 1,090 kg have been recorded. Sexual dimorphism is prevalent, and females are usually about 30% smaller than males and they have thick scaly skin that is heavily armored. The Nile crocodile is an apex predator and a very aggressive species of crocodile that is capable of taking almost any animal within its range. They are generalists, taking a variety of prey and their diet consists mostly of different species of fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. The Nile crocodile is a predator that can wait for hours, days. They are agile predators and wait for the opportunity for an item to come well within attack range. Even swift prey are not immune to attack and they can apply high levels of force for extended periods of time, a great advantage for holding down large prey underwater to drown. Nile crocodiles are relatively social crocodiles and they share basking spots and large food sources, such as schools of fish and big carcasses. There is a hierarchy, which is determined by size. Large, old males are at the top of hierarchy and have primary access to food. Crocodiles tend to respect this order, when it is infringed, like most other reptiles, Nile crocodiles lay eggs, these are guarded by the female. The hatchlings are also protected for a period of time, the Nile crocodile is one of the most dangerous species of crocodile and is responsible for hundreds of human deaths every year. It is a common species of crocodile and is not endangered despite some regional declines or extinctions. The binomial name Crocodylus niloticus is derived from the Greek κροκό, kroko, δειλος, deilos, referring to its rough skin, and niloticus, meaning from the Nile River. The Nile crocodile is called tanin ha-yeor in Hebrew, timsah al-nil in Arabic, mamba in Swahili, garwe in Shona, ngwenya in Ndebele, ngwena in Venda, kwena in Sotho and Tswana
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Patas monkey
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The patas monkey, also known as the wadi monkey or hussar monkey, is a ground-dwelling monkey distributed over semi-arid areas of West Africa, and into East Africa. It is the species classified in the genus Erythrocebus. Recent phylogenetic evidence indicates that it is the closest relative of the vervet monkey, others, however, have suggested that at least some of the features used to separate these subspecies are merely variations in the females facial pattern during pregnancy. On the other hand, the change in the nose during pregnancy occurs only in the West African populations, the patas monkey grows to 85 cm in length, excluding the tail, which measures 75 cm. Adult males are larger than adult females. Reaching speeds of 55 km/h, it is the fastest runner among the primates, the patas monkey lives in multi-female groups of up to 60 individuals. The group contains just one male for most of the year. During the breeding season, there are multi-male influxes into the group, once juvenile males reach sexual maturity they leave the group, usually joining all-male groups. The adult females in the group initiate movement of the group with the male following their lead, variation in the female social structure of patas monkeys has been observed across different populations. This variation may be dependent on resources, as conflict between individuals is often a result of competition for limited resources. Variation in the availability of resources has been associated with variation in dominance hierarchies among females. Conflict among females has also shown the presence of recognition among matrilineal relatives and it has been observed that, shortly after conflicts among two females, patas monkeys often act differently toward each other than if they had not been in conflict. Females often “reconcile” with each other by activities such as sitting together, while this reconciliatory behavior is observed even between unrelated individuals, it is most common among matrilineal relatives. Dominance structure has little effect on the probability of reconciliation occurring. Affiliation toward matrilineal relatives is common in primates as well. Mating in patas monkeys is seasonal and occurs during the wet season, during periods when females are not receptive, relatively stable groups with one adult resident male and several females are the norm. This leaves an excess of males that form all male groups or live on their own. During the mating season, resident males may be chased away by invading solitary males and this usually results in the formation of multi-male, multi-female groups shortly thereafter, as more males invade a group
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Hippopotamus
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The common hippopotamus, or hippo, is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the pygmy hippopotamus. The name comes from the ancient Greek for river horse, after the elephant and rhinoceros, the common hippopotamus is the third-largest type of land mammal and the heaviest extant artiodactyl. The common ancestor of whales and hippos split from other even-toed ungulates around 60 million years ago, the earliest known hippopotamus fossils, belonging to the genus Kenyapotamus in Africa, date to around 16 million years ago. Despite its stocky shape and short legs, it is capable of running 30 km/h over short distances, the hippopotamus is a highly aggressive and unpredictable animal and is ranked among the most dangerous animals in Africa. Nevertheless, they are threatened by habitat loss and poaching for their meat. The common hippopotamus is semiaquatic, inhabiting rivers, lakes and mangrove swamps, during the day, they remain cool by staying in the water or mud, reproduction and childbirth both occur in water. They emerge at dusk to graze on grasses, while hippopotamuses rest near each other in the water, grazing is a solitary activity and hippos are not territorial on land. The Latin word hippopotamus is derived from the ancient Greek ἱπποπόταμος, hippopotamos, from ἵππος, hippos, horse, in English, the plural is hippopotamuses, but hippopotami is also used, hippos can be used as a short plural. Hippopotamuses are gregarious, living in groups of up to thirty animals, a group is called a pod, herd, dale, or bloat. The hippopotamus is the genus of the family Hippopotamidae. The pygmy hippopotamus belongs to a different genus in Hippopotamidae, either Choeropsis or Hexaprotodon, Hippopotamidae are sometimes known as hippopotamids. Sometimes, the subfamily Hippopotaminae is used, further, some taxonomists group hippopotamuses and anthracotheres in the superfamily Anthracotheroidea. Hippopotamidae are classified along with other even-toed ungulates in the order Artiodactyla, other artiodactyls include camels, cattle, deer and pigs, although hippopotamuses are not closely related to these groups. Genetic analyses have tested the existence of three of these putative subspecies, a study examining mitochondrial DNA from skin biopsies taken from 13 sampling locations, considered genetic diversity and structure among hippo populations across the continent. The authors found low, but significant, genetic differentiation among H. a. amphibius, H. a. capensis, neither H. a. tschadensis nor H. a. constrictus has been tested. Until 1909, naturalists grouped hippos with pigs, based on molar patterns, the common ancestor of hippos and whales branched off from Ruminantia and the rest of the even-toed ungulates, the cetacean and hippo lineages split soon afterwards. The most recent theory of the origins of Hippopotamidae suggests that hippos and this hypothesized ancestral group likely split into two branches around 54 million years ago. All branches of the anthracotheres, except that which evolved into Hippopotamidae, merycopotamus, Libycosaurus and all hippopotamids can be considered to form a clade, with Libycosaurus being more closely related to hippos
32.
Martial eagle
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The martial eagle is a large eagle found in open and semi-open habitats of sub-Saharan Africa. It is the member of the genus Polemaetus. The martial eagle is a large eagle, with an average length of 78–96 cm, weight of 3–6.2 kg. Its total length – in comparison to its wingspan – is restricted by its short tail. Among standard measurements, the chord is 56–67.5 cm, the tail is 27. 2–32 cm. This is the largest eagle in Africa and is the fifth heaviest eagle in the world, the adults plumage consists of dark grey-brown coloration on the upperparts, head and upper chest, with slightly lighter edging to these feathers. The body underparts are white with blackish-brown spotting, the underwing coverts are brown, with pale flight feathers being streaked with black. The female is larger and more spotted than the male. The immature is paler above, often whitish on the head and chest and it reaches adult plumage in its seventh year. Martial eagles have a short erectile crest, which is not prominent. It often perches in an upright position, with its long wings completely covering the tail. The bill, at 5.5 cm, is strong, there are few serious identification challenges for the species. The black-chested snake eagle is smaller, with a more prominent head. More so than any other African eagle, the eagle is often seen only in flight. Martial eagles have been noted as remarkable for their keen eyesight. Due to this power, they can spot potential prey from a great distance. The martial eagle can be found in most of sub-Saharan Africa, wherever food is abundant and it is never common, but greater population densities do exist in southern Africa, especially in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Generally, these birds are abundant in protected areas such as Kruger National Park and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa
33.
Commiphora
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The genus of the myrrhs, Commiphora, is the most species-rich genus of flowering plants in the frankincense and myrrh family, Burseraceae. The genus is drought-tolerant and common throughout the scrub, seasonally dry tropical forests. The common name refers to several species of the genus, from which aromatic resins are derived for various fragrance. Leaves in Commiphora are pinnately compound, many species are armed with spines. Bark is often exfoliating, peeling in thin sheets to reveal colorful, sometimes photosynthetic bark, stems are frequently succulent, especially in species native to drier environments. Flowers are subdioecious and fruits are drupes, usually with a 2-locular ovary, in response to wounding, the stems of many species will exude aromatic resins. The closely related genus to Commiphora, Bursera, has been used as a model genus to study patterns of evolution in the New World seasonally dry tropical forests. Myrrh, the name for these dried resins, is fragrant and has been used both as fragrance and for medicinal purposes. Use of myrrh resin is frequent and pronounced throughout historical texts of cultural significance, species include, Commiphora africana Engl. sometimes identified with ancient bdellium. Commiphora corrugata J. B. Gillett & Vollesen Commiphora erythraea, Commiphora glandulosa Commiphora guidottii, producing scented Myrrh or habak hadi in Somali. Commiphora guillaminii Commiphora habessinica Commiphora harveyi Commiphora holtziana Commiphora humbertii Commiphora kataf producing bisabol, Commiphora madagascariensis Commiphora mossambicensis Commiphora myrrha, producing myrrh. Flora of Pakistan, Commiphora GRIN taxonomy, Commiphora Biblical Burseraceae
34.
Elephant
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Elephants are large mammals of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. Three species are recognised, the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Elephantidae is the surviving family of the order Proboscidea, other, now extinct, members of the order include deinotheres, gomphotheres, mammoths. Male African elephants are the largest extant terrestrial animals and can reach a height of 4 m, all elephants have several distinctive features, the most notable of which is a long trunk or proboscis, used for many purposes, particularly breathing, lifting water, and grasping objects. Their incisors grow into tusks, which can serve as weapons and as tools for moving objects, Elephants large ear flaps help to control their body temperature. Their pillar-like legs can carry their great weight, African elephants have larger ears and concave backs while Asian elephants have smaller ears and convex or level backs. Elephants are herbivorous and can be found in different habitats including savannahs, forests, deserts and they prefer to stay near water. They are considered to be keystone species due to their impact on their environments, other animals tend to keep their distance from elephants while predators, such as lions, tigers, hyenas, and wild dogs, usually target only young elephants. Females tend to live in groups, which can consist of one female with her calves or several related females with offspring. The groups are led by a known as the matriarch. Elephants have a society in which multiple family groups come together to socialise. Males leave their family groups when they reach puberty and may live alone or with other males, calves are the centre of attention in their family groups and rely on their mothers for as long as three years. Elephants can live up to 70 years in the wild and they communicate by touch, sight, smell, and sound, elephants use infrasound, and seismic communication over long distances. Elephant intelligence has been compared with that of primates and cetaceans and they appear to have self-awareness and show empathy for dying or dead individuals of their kind. African elephants are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature while the Asian elephant is classed as endangered, one of the biggest threats to elephant populations is the ivory trade, as the animals are poached for their ivory tusks. Other threats to elephants include habitat destruction and conflicts with local people. Elephants are used as working animals in Asia, in the past, they were used in war, today, they are often controversially put on display in zoos, or exploited for entertainment in circuses. Elephants are highly recognisable and have featured in art, folklore, religion, literature
35.
Giraffe
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The giraffe is a genus of African even-toed ungulate mammals, the tallest living terrestrial animals and the largest ruminants. The genus consists of eleven or more species including Giraffa camelopardalis, seven of these species are extinct, prehistoric species known from fossils, though numerous subspecies have been described and its taxonomy is not definitively set. Indeed, research into the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA of Giraffa has suggested to recognize four to six extant species. The giraffes chief distinguishing characteristics are its long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, each of the four species is distinguished by its coat patterns and genetics. Its scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs and woodlands. Their food source is leaves, fruits and flowers of plants, primarily acacia species. Giraffes may be preyed on by lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, Giraffes live in herds of related females and their offspring, or bachelor herds of unrelated adult males, but are gregarious and may gather in large aggregations. Males establish social hierarchies through necking, which are combat bouts where the neck is used as a weapon, dominant males gain mating access to females, which bear the sole responsibility for raising the young. The giraffe has intrigued various cultures, both ancient and modern, for its appearance, and has often been featured in paintings, books. It is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as Vulnerable to extinction, the name giraffe has its earliest known origins in the Arabic word zarāfah, perhaps borrowed from the animals Somali name geri. The Arab name is translated as fast-walker, there were several Middle English spellings, such as jarraf, ziraph, and gerfauntz. The Italian form giraffa arose in the 1590s, the modern English form developed around 1600 from the French girafe. Camelopard is an archaic English name for the giraffe deriving from the Ancient Greek for camel and leopard, referring to its camel-like shape, living giraffes were originally classified as one species by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. He gave it the binomial name Cervus camelopardalis, morten Thrane Brünnich classified the genus Giraffa in 1772. The species name camelopardalis is from Latin, the giraffe belongs to the suborder Ruminantia. Many ruminants have been described from the mid-Eocene in Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the earliest ruminants date back to about 50 million years ago. The Rumanantia arose from early artiodactyls, which experienced adaptive radiation in the middle Eocene period that led to related to herbivory
36.
Dik-dik
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A dik-dik is the name for any of four species of small antelope in the genus Madoqua that live in the bushlands of eastern and southern Africa. Dik-diks stand about 30–40 centimetres at the shoulder, are 50–70 cm long, weigh 3–6 kilograms, dik-diks are named for the alarm calls of the females. In addition to the alarm call, both the male and female make a shrill, whistling sound. These calls may alert other animals to predators, female dik-diks are somewhat larger than males. The males have horns, which are small, slanted backwards, the hair on the crown forms an upright tuft that sometimes partially conceals the short, ribbed horns of the male. The upper body is gray-brown, while the parts of the body, including the legs, belly, crest. A bare black spot below the corner of each eye contains a preorbital gland that produces a dark. Dik-diks insert grass stems and twigs into the gland to scent-mark their territories, apparently to prevent overheating, dik-diks have elongated snouts with bellows-like muscles through which blood is pumped. Airflow and subsequent evaporation cools this blood before it is recirculated to the body, however, this panting is only implemented in extreme conditions, dik-diks can tolerate air temperatures of up to 40 °C. Dik-diks live in shrublands and savannas of eastern Africa, dik-diks seek habitats with a plentiful supply of edible plants such as shrubs. Dik-diks may live in places as varied as dense forest or open plain and they usually live in pairs in territories of about 5 hectares. The territories are often in low, shrubby bushes with plenty of cover, dik-diks, with their dusty colored coat, are able to blend in with their surroundings. Dik-diks have a series of runways through and around the borders of their territories that are used when they feel threatened. Their diet mainly consists of foliage, shoots, fruit and berries and they receive sufficient amounts of water from their food, which makes drinking unnecessary. Like all even-toed ungulates, they digest their food with the aid of micro-organisms in their four-chambered stomachs, after initial digestion, the food is repeatedly eructated and rechewed, a process known also as rumination, or chewing the cud. Dik-diks tapering heads may help them eat the leaves between the spines on the trees, and feed while still keeping their head high to detect predators. Dik-diks are monogamous, and conflicts between neighbors are rare. When they occur, the males from each territory dash at each other, stop short, vigorously nod their heads and they will repeat this process, increasing the distance each time until one stops
37.
Frankfurt Zoological Society
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Frankfurt Zoological Society is an international conservation organisation founded in 1858 with headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. FZS focuses on maintaining biodiversity and conserving wildlife and ecosystems in protected areas, FZS leads and supports about 40 projects in 19 countries. FZS was founded in 1858 by Frankfurt citizens to establish a zoo, the Frankfurt Zoological Garden, the city council then assumed responsibility for the zoo until 1950, when the society again became the zoos development association. In the 1950s the society involved in conservation in the Serengeti. Since then the society has become involved in protecting and preserving endangered animals. FZS participates in programs to protect endangered species and to reintroduce endangered species, acquires land for conservation areas and helps protect. Projects are designed as long-term and carried out in cooperation with local organisations. Also, the integration of the population is a vital aspect of FZSs project work. FZS concentrates its efforts on habitats in grasslands, wetlands, forests, all projects follow the common goal of maintaining wilderness and biodiversity. Traditionally, many FZS projects are located in Tanzania, currently, FZS is engaged in the protection of the Serengeti, the Selous and the Mahale Ecosystem and carries out research for the preservation of East Africas threatened habitats. Lifestock and migration data is collected, rangers, scientists and veterinarians are educated, further projects are located in Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Democratic republic of Congo. Exemplary local partners are Tanzania National Parks Authority and Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, another major project is situated in Central Sumatra, The Bukit Tigapuluh Sanctuary for the preservation of rainforest and wildlife. This project is aiming at the resettlement and reintroduction of confiscated Orang Utans, important project partners on site are the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park as well as the Orang Utan Project, the Jambi Province Conservation Authority and WWF. In South America, FZS furthers the protection of the forests located at the Andes´ eastern slope. Patrols, aerial view evaluation, the education of rangers and environmental education are supported here, on site, FZS collaborates, amongst others, with Crees Foundation and the Fondo de las Américas. In Kazakhstan, FZS is involved in the Altyn Dala Conservation and this international joint project furthers the protection of Kazakhstans unique grasslands and their keystone species. The initiative aims at building up a network of protected grasslands in central Kazakhstan, a special focus lies on the saiga-antilopes, of the Betpak-Dala population as they hold a key role in the ecosystems of the steppes and semi-deserts. Exemplary local project-partners are the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
38.
African leopard
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The African leopard is the leopard nominate subspecies native to many countries in Africa. It is widely distributed in most of sub-Saharan Africa, but the range has been fragmented in the course of habitat conversion. African leopards exhibit great variation in color, depending on location. Coat colour varies from yellow to deep gold or tawny, and sometimes black. Male leopards are larger, averaging 60 kg with 91 kg being the maximum weight attained by a male, females weigh about 35 to 40 kg on average. Between 1996 and 2000,11 adult leopards were radio-collared on Namibian farmlands, males weighed 37.5 to 52.3 kg only, and females 24 to 33.5 kg. Leopards inhabiting the mountains of the Cape Provinces appear physically different from leopards further north and their average weight may be only half that of the more northerly leopard. African leopards used to occur in most of sub-Saharan Africa, occupying both rainforest and arid desert habitats and they were found in all habitats with annual rainfall above 50 mm, and can penetrate areas with less than this amount of rainfall along river courses. They range exceptionally up to 5,700 m, have been sighted on high slopes of the Ruwenzori and Virunga volcanoes and they appear to be successful at adapting to altered natural habitat and settled environments in the absence of intense persecution. There were many records of their presence near major cities, but already in the 1980s, they have become rare throughout much of West Africa. Now, they remain patchily distributed within historical limits, in North Africa, a tiny relict population, the Barbary leopard, persists in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. African leopards inhabited a wide range of habitats within Africa, from forests to grasslands and savannahs. They are most at risk in areas of semi-desert, where scarce resources often result in conflict with nomadic farmers, Leopards are generally most active between sunset and sunrise, and kill more prey at this time. In Kruger National Park, male leopards and female leopards with cubs were relatively more active at night than solitary females, the highest rates of daytime activity were recorded for leopards using thorn thickets during the wet season, when impala also used them. They have an ability to adapt to changes in prey availability. Small prey are taken where large ungulates are less common, the known prey of leopards ranges from dung beetles to adult elands, which can reach 900 kg. In sub-Saharan Africa, at least 92 prey species have been documented in their diet including rodents, birds, small and large antelopes, hyraxes and hares, and arthropods. They generally focus their hunting activity on locally abundant medium-sized ungulate species in the 20 to 80 kg range, average intervals between ungulate kills range from seven to 12–13 days
39.
Tanzanian cheetah
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The Tanzanian cheetah, also commonly known as East African cheetah or Kenyan cheetah, is a subspecies of cheetah native to East Africa. They live in grasslands and savannas of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, the Tanzanian cheetahs are inhabiting mainly the Serengeti ecosystem, the Maasai Mara and the Tsavo landscape. The East African specimen was described by the American zoologist Edmund Heller under the trinomen Felis jubatus raineyi in British East Africa in 1913. These cheetahs are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, as it is threatened by loss, predation. In 2007, the number of cheetahs in East Africa were estimated at 1,960 to 2,572 adults. Tanzanian cheetahs are the second-largest population after the most numerous South African cheetah, in 2007, there were between 569 and 1,007 cheetahs in Tanzania, between 710 and 793 cheetahs in Kenya, between 40 and 295 cheetahs in Uganda and approximately 200 left in Somalia. Kenya is the stronghold for Eastern African cheetahs, with the largest population of 800 to 1,200 adults in the country since 2015. In 2016, it was estimated more than 1,000 individuals live in the Serengeti/Maasai Mara ecosystem of Tanzania. Formerly widespread in East Africa, the East African cheetah have lost high percent of ranges, the Tanzanian cheetahs scientific name was also sometimes known as Felis fearsoni by Scottish zoologist Andrew Smith in 1834. Although, that name was meant to be given to the South African cheetahs which Smith found at the northeast of the Natalia Republic, therefore, A. j. fearsoni was never a scientific name or synonymous to Tanzanian cheetahs from the beginning. Until in 1913, the American zoologist Heller described the East African cheetah skin shot by American businessman, the East African specimen was named in honor of Rainey. The specimen is known as Raineys cheetah, respectively. J. raineyi, In 1834, the Scottish zoologist Andrew Smith proposed the scientific name Felis fearonii, although it was supposedly given to the South African cheetah which Smith found at the northeast of the Natal. In 1869, the Austrian zoologist Leopard Fitzinger proposed the scientific name Felis fearonis for a cheetah he discovered at the Cape of Good Hope, although it serves as a substitute for Felis fearonii described by Smith in 1834. It was first discovered Loita Plains, near Narok in British East Africa, however, in the 1990s, DNA research revealed the Tanzanian cheetahs and their southern cousins are separate subspecies. It was suggested that a population in East Africa might be derived from a relatively recent re-colonization events as observed in the African lions, the mtDNA study reveals that the divergence between the two populations occurred between 28,000 and 36,000 years ago. The East African cheetah is the largest subspecies, cheetahs usually can measure from 110–135 cm in head-and-body length and weighs between 70 and 75 kg. The males are larger than females
40.
Grey crowned crane
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The grey crowned crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara and they can also be found in marshes, cultivated lands and grassy flatlands near rivers and lakes in Uganda and Kenya and as far south as South Africa. This animal does not migrate due to the climate it inhabits. It has an area of bare red facial skin above the white patch than the smaller nominate species, B. r. regulorum. This species and the closely related black-crowned crane are the only cranes that can roost in trees and this habit, amongst other things, is a reason why the relatively small Balearica cranes are believed to closely resemble the ancestral members of the Gruidae. The grey crowned crane has a display involving dancing, bowing. It has a call which involves inflation of the red gular sac. It also makes a honking sound quite different from the trumpeting of other crane species, both sexes dance, and immature birds join the adults. Dancing is an part of courtship, but also may be done at any time of the year. Flocks of 30-150 birds are not uncommon, during the breeding season, pairs of cranes construct a large nest, a platform of grass and other plants in tall wetland vegetation. The grey crowned crane lays a clutch of 2-5 glossy, dirty-white eggs, chicks are precocial, can run as soon as they hatch, and fledge in 56–100 days. The grey crowned crane is about 1 m tall and weighs 3.5 kg and its body plumage is mainly grey. The wings are predominantly white, but contain feathers with a range of colours. The head has a crown of golden feathers. The sides of the face are white, and there is a bright red throat pouch. The bill is short and grey, and the legs are black. They have long legs for wading through the grasses, the feet are large, yet slender, adapted for balance rather than defence or grasping. The sexes are similar, although tend to be slightly larger
41.
Superb starling
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The superb starling is a member of the starling family of birds. It was formerly known as Spreo superbus and this species has a very large range and can commonly be found in East Africa, including Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Sudan, and Tanzania. These starlings live in savanna, in thornbush and acacia arid areas, open woodland, lakeshore woodlands, gardens and cultivated fields and this species is 18 to 19 cm long. These small short-tailed starlings have a narrow bill, robust bodies, strong feet. Adults have black heads and iridescent blue-to-green back, upper breast, wings, the belly is red-orange, separated from the blue breast by a white bar. The undertail coverts and the linings are white. Juveniles have duller plumage with no more than a suggestion of the white breast band and their eyes are brown at first, later grayish white. The superb starling has a long and loud song consisting of trills, at midday it gives a softer song of repeated phrases. There are several calls, the most complex of which is described as a shrill. The appearance of the starling is very similar to Hildebrandts starling. The superb starling is distinguished by having pale creamy-white eyes, as opposed to red eyes in the Hildebrandts, moreover only adult Superb starlings have a white breast band. Lamprotornis superbus feeds primarily on the ground, often below, or in the vicinity of acacia trees and these birds mainly feeds on insects and worms, but also on grains, fruits and small berries. They ares gregarious and are rather tame and unafraid of people. The breeding season lasts from October to February in Ethiopia, from March to June in Somalia, spherical nests of grasses and twigs are built in bushes, in trees of medium height and also in rock crevices. Females lay 3-4 eggs which are incubated for twelve days, both the male and the female take care of the offspring. Colin Harrison & Alan Greensmith, Vögel, dorling Kindersly Limited, London 1993,2000, ISBN 3-831-00785-3 Bryan Richard, Vögel. Parragon, Bath, ISBN 1-405-45506-3 Zimmerman, Dale A. Turner, Donald A. & Pearson, David J. Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania, Superb Starling videos, photos & sounds on the Internet Bird Collection
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