78 Animals and Habitats: Supplemental Guide 4A | Animals of the East African Savanna Habitat
Show image 4A-12: Elephant
Over there I can see the largest land animal in the world. Can
you guess what it is? This African elephant is very big and eats
up to four hundred pounds of trees and grasses every day! That’s
about the same amount as the weight of nine fi rst-graders!
African elephants are adapted to the hot weather in the
savanna. They have huge ears that they fl ap like fans to stay cool
and keep away bugs. They also have thick skin, that protects them
from branches and thorns.
Do you see the trunk on that elephant? An elephant uses its
trunk for all sorts of things. The trunk is, of course, the elephant’s
nose for breathing and smelling, but the trunk is also used like
a hand for lifting things, gathering food, and even holding onto
other elephants’ tails. Baby elephants, or calves, use their trunks
to grasp other elephants’ tails to keep them from wandering away
from the rest of the herd and getting lost. Elephants also use their
trunks to drink water. They suck up the water with their trunks and
then put the water from the trunk into their mouths. They also use
their trunks like a hose for showers and playtime!
Show image 4A-13: Lions
These animals are lions. Lions live in groups called prides. The
females, or lionesses, do most of the hunting. They are carnivores
that hunt zebras, elephants, and all kinds of other savanna
animals. Most groups of lions have just one or two male lions.
The male lion is huge and incredibly strong. It has a furry mane,
powerful jaws, and fearsome claws. Unless this lion meets a
stronger lion, no other animal in the savanna habitat can match the
lion’s strength and power.
Animals that are hunted by predators are called prey. One
of lions’ favorite prey to hunt and eat are zebras. Zebras try to
use the camoufl age of their stripes to hide in the grasses of the
savanna so the lions will not see them.