Tag Archive | Africa
World’s Largest Antelopes
Two species of eland hold this record; the giant eland is the largest and the common eland is the second largest antelope. (An antelope is an even-toed hoofed animal of Africa and Eurasia where there are about 25 species.) Eland prefer open forest and savanna habitats where they eat foliage and grasses. This antelope is […]
World’s Largest Mammal Migration
Making a circular migration route of up to 1,000 miles and numbering 1.5 million animals, the wildebeest takes the record for the largest migration on earth. Wildebeests live on African savannas where they feast on wild grasses and other herbaceous plants. After the rainy season ends in May and June, these large African antelope migrate […]
World’s Fastest Land Mammal
Able to reach speeds up to 70 m.p.h. for short sprints, the cheetah is the world’s swiftness land animal. The cheetah becomes so exhausted after catching prey that it takes this cat a half an hour to catch its breath before it can eat its meal. Though we associate cheetahs with Africa, they once roamed […]
Our Closest Living Relative!
Sharing 98% of our DNA, the chimpanzee is a great ape that lives in the dense tropical forests of Africa. Apes are different from monkeys in that they lack the tails that monkeys have, walk upright at times, are bigger and have a larger, more developed brain. Chimpanzees weigh 70 – 130 lbs. when full […]
World’s Tallest Land Mammal
Standing up to 18 feet tall and weighing upwards of 3,000 pounds, the giraffe lives on the African savanna where trees flourish. Giraffes browse on acacia trees (those are the umbrella like trees of the African savanna) and mimosa and apricot trees. The giraffe’s heart is huge. It is 2 feet long and weighs 25 […]
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