Savanna

The Savanna is an ecosytem that makes up roughly 1/3 of the world's land with large areas of grassland and scattered trees

Mostly located in South America, Africa and Austrailia and found between rainforests and deserts around 30'N and 30'S

Warm all year around with rainy season during summer and dry season during winter

Most diverse large mammals on Earth

Hebevors including gazells, Wilderbeasts, Zebra, Rhinos, Giraffe, Snakes, Carcal, Emu, Mongosse and Koala

Carnivors include Lion, Leopard, and Hyenas

Adaptations

Many have long wings or long legs for migration

Giraffes have long necks to eat from taller trees

Cheetas can run very fast (up to over 110 km/h) to catch prey

Leopards have strong jaws that can crush skulls in a single bite

Nocturnal animals hunt at night when less predators lurk around

Burrowing animals are protected from predator and fires as well as to avoid heat

Adaptations

Trees have long 'tap root' to reach water underground

Grass is sharp and bladed to protect from animals. Only some can eat it

Grass grows rapidly during rainy season and then dies back to drought resistant roots during dry period

Thorny Acacia and Water Storing Boabab are some of the few species of trees that can survive the devastating dry seasons

Increasing population means more domestic animals graze in the Savanna

Fences put up disrupt animals migrating for food and water

Ranchers raising native (Savanna) herbivors for meat instead of cattle

People setting fires or not putting them out properly

Poaching has lead to many animal species being endangered and even close to extinction