The aardwolf is not actually a wolf, but is the smallest member of the hyena family. It specializes in a diet of termites, consuming up to 300,000 insects every night without destroying the mound. It has a striped coat and a distinctive mane and is considered nocturnal.
Interestingly, the aardwolf is split into two distinct, geographically separate populations. They are found in the dry, open country of Southern Africa and in the short-grass environments, like the Serengeti, farther north.
2. Pangolin
Answer: Mammals
The pangolin is a unique, scale-covered mammal, renowned for its armor made of keratin, the same material found in human fingernails. The scales can vary in color from light to yellowish-brown, olive, or dark brown. It is often described as a walking pinecone or an artichoke with legs.
When threatened, the pangolin curls into an almost impenetrable ball, protecting its soft, unscaled belly and face. This nocturnal animal lives across various African and Asian habitats, including the Serengeti.
3. Dik-dik
Answer: Mammals
The dik-dik is a tiny, shy antelope native to Africa, including the Serengeti. It gets its name from the distinctive alarm sound (zik-zik or dik-dik) the female makes when startled. Reaching only about 12 to 16 inches (30-40 cm) high they are one of the smallest antelopes in the world.
They are recognizable by their large, dark eyes ringed with white, and the tuft of hair on the males' foreheads that often conceals short, spiky horns. Unfortunately for them, they are a vital prey source for numerous African predators!
4. Rock hyrax
Answer: Mammals
The portly, medium sized hyrax is unique in that it looks like a guinea pig but its closest relative is the elephant! These social herbivores live in colonies of up to 80 individuals, spending much of their day basking in the sun on warm rocks to regulate their body temperature. Typically, their upper coat is a blend of brownish-gray to yellowish-brown, with the color often depending on their specific environment. Hyraxes in wetter areas tend to be darker, while those in arid regions are paler. Equipped with rubbery foot pads that act like suction cups, they are exceptionally agile climbers on the rocky granite outcrops that dot the Serengeti plains.
5. Baobob
Answer: Trees
The African baobab is known as the "Tree of Life" for its incredible ability to adapt to very dry environments by storing water in its gigantic, bottle-shaped trunk. With that massive trunk and sparse branches, it often looks as though it was planted upside-down with its roots reaching toward the sky.
It provides food and shelters for animals. Found in parts of the Serengeti, this ancient tree can live for thousands of years!
6. Commiphora
Answer: Trees
The Commiphora genus of tree features peeling, papery bark that can be green beneath the outer layer, allowing the tree to produce food even when leafless during drought. Found prominently in the Serengeti's Acacia-Commiphora woodlands, this bark feature is an evolutionary mechanism to reflect light and minimize water loss from the extreme heat in the environment.
The tree is historically significant as the source of aromatic resins, most famously myrrh.
7. Acacia
Answer: Trees
The acacia tree, found on the Serengeti savanna, is characterized by its tough, thorny branches and small leaves. This minimizes water loss and deters grazing. This does not deter the giraffes, however, which use their tough, prehensile tongues to navigate between the sharp thorns to strip the tiny, nutritious leaves.
The trees themselves are vital as they provide forage, nesting sites, and essential nitrogen to the nutrient-poor savanna soils.
8. Candelabra
Answer: Trees
This tree on the Serengeti gets his name from its towering, heavily branched structure that resembles a massive, spiked chandelier or candelabra. A crucial defense mechanism of this plant is its production of a highly toxic, milky-white latex sap which is corrosive and makes it unpalatable to most herbivores. With its height and thorns, the candelabra tree provides a refuge and nesting site for many bird species.
9. Maasai
Answer: Tribes
The Maasai are one of the Serengeti's most recognizable tribes, renowned for their distinctive, semi-nomadic lifestyle centered on raising sacred cattle across the vast plains. Their social structure is governed by an age-set system, where young men transition into the revered status of a warrior, known for their bravery and protection of the community.
They can easily be spotted in their vibrant red cloth garments and intricate beadwork.
10. Hadza
Answer: Tribes
The Hadza are one of the last remaining true hunter-gatherer communities in Africa, living primarily near the southern boundaries of the Serengeti. Their lifestyle remains deeply traditional, relying solely on hunting animals with bows and poison-tipped arrows, and foraging for roots, berries, and baobob fruit. Men often wear simple loincloths or pieces of hide while the women may wear simple leather skirts.
They also speak a unique click language.
11. Kurya
Answer: Tribes
The Kurya community resides primarily on the northern border of the Serengeti. They follow an agro-pastoralist lifestyle, cultivating food crops like corn and cassava while also keeping livestock. They are historically divided into numerous clans, and traditional practices include complex marriage arrangements and ceremonial rites of passage.
Although they wear modern clothing on a daily basis, for the ceremonies the men wear dancing skirts and items made from ostrich feathers with wooden blocks/shakers tied to their feet for rhythmic sound.
12. Ikoma
Answer: Tribes
The Ikoma tribe resides on the western boundary of the Serengeti within Tanzania. Historically, they lived a life of hunting and gathering but later transitioned to an agro-pastoralist lifestyle, cultivating crops like grain and keeping livestock. Their culture is rich in traditional dances and stories, including the honoring of elephant tusks known as "Machaba," which signifies their deep and ancient connection to the Serengeti landscape.
Some elders of the tribe may exhibit traditional scarification patterns or earlobe stretching.
13. Kori bustard
Answer: Birds
The kori bustard is the heaviest bird in Africa capable of flight, with large males weighing up to 40 pounds (18kg). However, they are most often found walking or running on the savanna of the Serengeti. They use their camouflaged feathers (gray, brown, black, and white) to stalk a variety of insects, small reptiles, and plant matter across the area. During the mating season, the male performs an elaborate courtship display where he inflates his neck to an enormous white "balloon" and booms loudly to attract females.
14. Hornbill
Answer: Birds
The southern ground hornbill is an avian predator, often nicknamed the "feathered lion" of the Serengeti. It stands around 3 feet (1 m) tall, with its plumage almost entirely a uniform, deep black color. The most distinguishing feature is the extensive patch of vivid bare skin on its face and throat, which is a bright red in males.
Despite being able to fly, they spend most of their day walking long distances to hunt. Their massive, powerful bills are used to stab and crush a diverse diet ranging from insects and frogs to small mammals and even venomous snakes.
15. Weaver
Answer: Birds
The weaver birds of the Serengeti are famously recognized for their extraordinary and intricate nest-building skills. The Speke's weaver is a brightly colored bird and is easily identified by the male's striking yellow and black plumage. The males will construct bulky, spherical nests primarily in acacia trees, weaving the grass messily with a short, downward-facing entrance.
The male does this to impress a female and hopes she accepts his nest. Feeding mainly on seeds and insects, the Speke's weaver bird is sometimes viewed as a crop pest to the local residents.
16. Oxpecker
Answer: Birds
The Serengeti is home to two species of oxpecker, the red-billed and yellow-billed, both small, brown birds renowned for their unique relationship with large mammals. They can be seen sitting on large animals like buffaloes, rhinos, and zebras. Here they are feeding primarily on ticks and flies, though they also consume blood by pecking at wounds.
They also provide a crucial service by emitting loud alarm calls when predators approach. They are easily identified by their colored bills and striking red eyes.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Fifiona81 before going online.
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