serengeti photo safari for mr piers

1. Serengeti Park photo safari FRANCESCA ARTHUR

2. DAY 1 WET SEASON Acacia leaves are small because so when they lose leaves (elephants, giraffe and other animals eat them) they lose less water. Acacia Tree has an umbrella shape not only to provided shade to the animals, but this feature keeps the earth below it cool, so then when the dry season comes the earth is moist and full with nutrients. Animals grazing the grass. This reflects the huge amount of grass and trees they are in the park. Zebras can run very fast and because they don’t really camouflage into the surrounding it’s when they run that the confuse the predators, because all they see is a blur of lines. Grass is long and green, showing that it’s wet season. http://www.dovesafaris.com/pictures/tanzania_serengeti.jpg

3. DAY 2 DRY SEASON Grass is all dry and shriveled, the leaves stay on top all dead so the heat doesn’t get to the roots and kill it. So next wet season because the roots were protected the grass leaves will grow back. This tree has a thick trunk so that in the wet season it can take up and store water for the dry season. Also the thick bark protects from fires. Because of wooded areas there has been an increase of impala. Impala have long springy legs so they can jump up to 12 meters to get away from predators. Wildebeest and impala are both brown to camouflage with the dry grass so it’s harder for predators to kill them. http://www.ganeandmarshall.com/images/tnz_serengeti_main.jpg

4. DAY 3 END OF WET SEASON Lions have light brown fur that helps them camouflage when they hunt. The grass is starting to lose it’s water and it’s turning brown. The pond where all the animals drink from is starting to dry up and in the picture it’s obvious the water levels are low because of how the lions have positioned themselves for drinking, they’re crouching very low to the ground and leaning in. Water is important in the Savanna eco-system because it’s a major way in which plants grow, because the water helps spread seeds so new trees and plants can grow. Lions drink freely when it’s wet season and there is plenty of water, however during dry season they rely on the water the animal they have killed has to keep hydrated. The water has collected from the rain that has fallen throughout the wet season. http://www.tanzania-safaris.org/pictures/tanzania_camping_safari.jpg

5. DAY 4 END OF WET SEASON Animals such as lions sleep in the branches of trees to keep cool. Many plants have spikes to reduce transpiration and loss of water. Denser Vegetation by the pond because when the pond dries up in the dry season, the bed of the pond and also around the pond will be moist and still have minimal water for plants and grass to grow. Impala and Wildebeest are usually found near water sources. Temperatures in the Serengeti Park can reach 26° Celsius, so animals need to drink and cool down often so they don’t overheat. http://www.planetware.com/i/photo/serengeti-national-park-tza122.jpg

6. Day 5 DRY SEASON Wildebeest have a heavy mane to protect the neck from being bitten and hurt by predators, also the mane keeps the neck and back cool by not allowing exposure to the sun. Males have big horns to fight. Trees are sparse because of the shortage of water and also because all the grazing animals eat the seedling that had started growing during the wet season. Grazing animals are all together so it’s harder for predators to single one out and kill it. Grass has very deep roots to get water deep in the ground during dry season. Seeds for future trees have been dropped on the ground by animal excrement and await the wet season to blossom and grow http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/70/20270-004-4FD72B32.jpg

7. DAY 6 WET SEASON Elephants destroy trees by rubbing their tusks against them. Though this is negative they also do positive things. They eat plants and then drop the seeds with their dung. The dung acts as a fertilizer and so the seed grows into plant faster. Also, when it’s dry season elephants will dig a hole to reach water and this also benefits other animals. Big Ears help the elephant keep cool, when the flap them. Large and powerful molars help the elephant chew through tough fibrous plants. Elephants eat twigs, branches and leaves. Baby elephant was in it’s mothers uterus for 22 months and will continue to nurse from it’s mother for up to 4 years. The trunk enables the elephant to eat high up in trees, drink water and communicating with other elephants. http://www.globalgayz.com/image/tanzania-serengeti-national-park-elephants.jpg

8. DAY 7 WET SEASON Only the Maasai tribe is allowed to live the Serengeti Park. But they have to follow their traditional way of life, meaning they are not allowed to break the ground and also the Park regulates the number of people and cattle compared to those of the wild animals so there isn’t any dominant species. The houses are in a circular shape and built by the women, they are made from mud, cow dung and grass. They only eat what the cattle has. Such as meat, milk and at times the blood. By-products like the skin and fur are used for bedding and traditionally clothes and the dung is used for building. The Maasai are semi-nomadic and have a special relationship with the cow, they believe they are the only people that can have cows. Hence they measure their wealth through how many cows they have and also the amount of children. http://www.kenya-information-guide.com/image-files/maasai-home.jpg http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/wp-content/uploads/masai-warriors.jpg

9. Additional Websites:-http://www.tanzania-adventure.com/serengeti_tanzania.htm-http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/lion.php# -http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081209145101AAVh7oV -http://whozoo.org/Intro98/verodona/verodona.htm -http://funkymunky.co.za/animalfacts.html -http://ezinearticles.com/?The-History-of-Elephants&id=587098 -http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/zoo/meet-our-animals/mammals/hoofed/plains-zebra.htm -http://www.kenya-information-guide.com/maasai-tribe.html THE END