Africa! Adventure
At a glance
Participants will explore the different habitats of the African
continent and will learn about some of the animals that live
there.
Time requirement
Goal(s)
1.5 hour program
Insert general goals
Group size and grade(s)
Objective(s)
8-25 participants
Due to the family nature of this class,
participant ages will vary (infant to
grandparent age range)
Materials
Lion mask craft materials
Hike Helper cards
Radio
Black first aid bag
Maasai lion bracelet (for you to wear during
the program – please put it back in the bag
after the program for the next instructor)
Africa! Adventure, July 2013
x
x
Learn about the kinds of habitats
found in Africa
Learn about African animals and
their adaptations
Theme
Animals that live on the African continent
have special adaptations that let them
survive in the different habitats.
Sub-themes
1. Every habitat has its own food web.
2. Every continent has many different
types of habitat.
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Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Background
Africa is made up of mostly 3 biomes: savanna,
desert, and rainforest. Each is host to a unique
variety of wildlife with adaptations especially
suited to the habitats found there.
Savanna
The African Savanna biome is a tropical
grassland that can be found in the African
countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote
D'ivore, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria,
Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad,
Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, and the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Angola, Uganda,
Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi,
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana,
and South Africa.
Savannas have warm temperature year round
but two very different seasons; a very long dry
season (winter), and a very wet season
(summer). In the dry season only an average of
about 4 inches of rain falls. Between December
and February no rain will fall at all. Oddly
enough, it is actually a little cooler during this
dry season. Cooler does not mean cold,
however, and temperatures still stay around
70° F. In the rainy summer season, It gets hot
and very humid. The monsoon rains begin in
May, with an average of 15 to 25 inches of rain
falls during this time. African savannas have
large herds of grazing and browsing hoofed
animals. Each animal has a specialized eating
habit that reduces competition for food.
There are several different types of savannas
around the world. The savannas of East Africa
are the ones that most people think of with flat
grassy land studded with acacia trees and
inhabited by predators such as lions and
cheetahs and grazing and browsing animals
such as zebras, elephants, gazelles, and giraffes.
Many of the larger animals that call the
savanna home are grass-eating mammals. They
are so successful on the savanna because the
grass is plentiful and they are able to move
easily between grazing areas. The carnivores
that inhabit the savanna may not be as
plentiful, but they are also well adapted to take
advantage of the habitat and prey that live
Africa! Adventure, July 2013
there. Camouflaged coloration, stealthy
hunting styles, speed or cooperative hunting
strategies often lead to success when hunting
individuals within the many herds of
herbivores.
One of the most well known African Savannas is
the Serengeti. This grassland boasts the largest
diversity of hoofed animals in the world
including antelopes, wildebeest, buffalos,
zebras, and rhinoceros.
The Zoo’s animals that live on the African
savanna include: lions, aardvark, black-footed
cat, caracal, serval, Grevy zebra, giraffe, &
cheetah
Desert
Africa is home to three deserts: the Sahara,
the Kalahari, and the Namib; together they
comprise more than a quarter of the continent.
The Sahel is the strip of land that separates
savanna from the desert. Sahel comes from the
Arabic word for "edge" or "border" because it is
the edge of the desert.
There are four major types of deserts in the
world, hot and dry deserts, cold deserts, coastal
deserts, and semi-arid deserts.
The average hot and dry desert temperature
ranges from 68 to 77° F. The extreme maximum
temperature for a hot and dry desert ranges
from 110 to 120° F. Cold desert temperature
ranges from 28.4°F in the winter to 79° F in the
summer. Coastal desert temperature ranges
from 24.8° F in the winter to 95° F in the
summer. Semi-arid deserts have an average
temperature range of 70-80° F but can get as
hot as 100.4° F in the summer. At night,
temperatures fall to around 50° F.
Many of the animals that live in the desert have
the ability to burrow underground. This
adaptation allows them to avoid the intense
sun and heat of the day. They emerge from
their dens, holes, and burrows at dusk or at
night when it is a little cooler. The animals that
employ this strategy include small nocturnal
(only active at night) carnivores and rodents as
well as some insects, arachnids, and reptiles.
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Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Some of our animals that live in the desert
include: black-footed cat, sand cat, naked mole
rats, and fennec foxes.
There are some desert animals that remain
active during the day. Some birds, reptiles and
insects remain in the shade of or in cavities
inside of the few plants.
Rainforest
In Africa, rainforests are found in the Zaire
basin, with a small area in West Africa; also
eastern Madagascar.
The temperature in a rain forest rarely gets
higher than 93 °F or drops below 68 °F; average
humidity is between 77 and 88%; rainfall is
often more than 100 inches per year. There is
usually a brief season of less rain. In monsoonal
areas, there is a real dry season. Almost all rain
forests lie near the equator. A tropical rain
forest has more kinds of trees than any other
area in the world. Scientists have counted
about 100 to 300 species in one 2 1/2-acre (1hectare) area in South America. Seventy
percent of the plants in the rainforest are trees.
About 1/4 of all the medicines we use come
from rainforest plants.
All tropical rain forests resemble one another in
some ways. Many of the trees have straight
trunks that don't branch out for 100 feet or
more. There is no sense in growing branches
below the canopy where there is little light. The
majority of the trees have smooth, thin bark
because there is no need to protect themselves
from water loss and freezing temperatures. It
also makes it difficult for epiphytes and plant
parasites to get a hold on the smooth trunks.
Some of the Zoo’s animals that live in this
biome are: fossa, lemur, gorilla, bonobo, Diana
monkey, potto, okapi
Vocabulary
Biome – A major regional or global biotic
community, such as a grassland or desert,
characterized chiefly by the dominant forms of
plant life and the prevailing climate.
Africa! Adventure, July 2013
Habitat – a place that provides food, water,
shelter, and space for a living thing
Nocturnal – an animal that is active at night and
asleep during the day.
Sahel - the strip of land that separates savanna
from the desert
Replete – packed with nutrients
Activity
Welcome/Intro
Getting ready
Grab the red FNH bin from the shelf by Sarah’s
desk. Radio Security to remind them that you
have a Family Night Hike tonight and will be out
in the Zoo in the Africa exhibit and Education
Center until 8pm. You do not need them to
leave any buildings open, but they need to
know who is hiking around after hours.
Make sure the room is set up and get your
demo animals.
Doing the activity
Greet people as they arrive and hand out
nametags and coloring page/word search for
them to do while waiting for the rest of the
group to arrive.
Once everyone is there (or it is time to start),
collect pencils, welcome the group, introduce
yourself, and thank them for joining you for this
program.
Introduce the topic. Africa is a wild and
wonderfully diverse place. Ask participants to
tell you what they think of when they imagine
“Africa.” Is it the weather/climate? The plants?
The habitat? Probably not. More than likely,
when people think of Africa, they are imagining
the animals that call this continent home.
Animals that live on the continent are VERY
diverse. Most are adapted to handle a warmer
climate, but from there, their adaptations and
appearances are really varied based on the type
of habitat and the year-round weather in the
area in which they are found. There are three
main biomes in Africa, the desert, the
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Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
rainforest, and the savanna (savannah).
Tonight, we are going to learn a little about
each one and meet at least one animal that
calls each of these places home. Are they ready
to begin and meet some African animals?
Wrap-up
Get ready for the next activity.
Animal Demonstration
Getting ready
Make sure the animals and any props (biome
photos) they need are ready and available.
Make sure there is hand sanitizer handy.
Doing the activity
Continuing on the biome theme, the animals
for this demo will represent the different major
biomes that are found on the continent of
Africa. They will see animals in the classroom
from the desert (1 demo animal) and the
rainforest (1 demo animal). Once they go out to
the Africa exhibit, they will see the animals that
can be found there.
1. Hold up a picture of the desert biome.
Ask them what they see there (dry,
sand, hot, etc). Hang the picture on the
wall where it is still visible and get out
your desert animal. Talk about it and
about how its adaptations help it
survive in the desert of Africa. If able,
allow them to touch this animal.
x Possible desert demo animals:
o Uromastyx lizard
 Found in desert habitats of
northern Africa
 Prefers to live in semi-rocky
sandy areas in which it can
burrow.
 Burrow are usually dug into
soft, stable sand, beneath
bushes, or high in rocky cliffs
where they can crawl
between natural cracks in
the rock face.
Africa! Adventure, July 2013
Eats leaves, seeds, grains,
nuts, fruit, flowers, and
occasionally, insects.
Coloration brightens with
maturity, heat, and stress.


o Kenyan sand boa
 This snake species is found
in semi-arid desert regions
of East Africa
 It spends most of its life
buried in the sand, hidden
under stones, or in the
burrows of other animals.
By doing this, it avoids the
midday heat.
 Eyes and nostrils are
placed on the head so that
they remain free of debris
when the snake’s body is
hidden below the sand.
 If there is any danger, it
quickly buries itself in the
sand.

It is a constrictor, eating
rodents (such as naked
mole rats), lizards, and
ground-nesting birds.
2. Next, hold up a picture of the rainforest
biome. Ask them what they see (trees,
wet, green, etc.). Hang this picture on
the wall and get out your rainforest
animal. Talk about it and how its
adaptations help it survive in the
rainforest. If able, allow them to touch
this animal.
x Possible rainforest demo animals:
o Lady Ross’ turaco
 Native to woodlands and
rainforests of Angola,
Burundi, Central Cameroon,
Gabon, Guinea, Nigeria, North
Botswana, Rwanda, Sudan,
Zaire, Uganda, Western
Tanzania, West Kenya, West
to Mouth of Congo River,
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Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
South to Northern Zambia,
and the Central African
Republic.
 They prefer to live in dense
canopy trees either in pairs or
small groups.
 They eat fruit, flowers, plant
shoots, termites, and snails
o Madagascar hissing cockroach
 These roaches are found in
the dry litter of the forest
floor of tropical low land
rainforests on the island of
Madagascar.
 They are decomposers and
feed on ripened fruits and
other plant matter that fall
to the rain forest floor.
 Their food provides much of
the moisture required for
the cockroach to survive but
they occasionally drink dew
from surrounding plants as
well.
 The hissing sound that they
produce is made when they
force air out of the spiracles
(breathing pores) on the
sides of its abdomen and
thorax.
o Emperor scorpion
 Found in the hot and humid
forests of western Africa and
the Congo areas.
 They reside in burrows and
prefer to live under leaf
litter, forest debris, rocks,
stream banks, and also in
termite mounds.
 Feeds on insects, arachnids,
mice, and small lizards.
Wrap-up
Pass around hand sanitizer and encourage
anyone who needs to use the restroom to do so
now.
Africa! Adventure, July 2013
Craft
Getting ready
Get out the masks, tape, and paper curls and
set them out on the front table(s)
Doing the activity
Tell the group that you are now going to
transform the kids in each family into an
African savanna animal. Tell them that this
animal is big, eats mean, and is the king of its
pride. What is it? A lion! Show them the mask
and invite them to come up and make their
own. Declare them the fiercest lions you have
ever seen and ask them if they are ready to
lead their pride (family) as you go on a hike to
explore the new Africa exhibit?! You should
wear a mask too since you are the leader of
them all!
Wrap-up
Again, reiterate bathroom use and remind
them to bring their mask with them. You will be
dismissing from the lobby if there is a large NA
that needs your classroom, so remember to
throw everything into the red bin and secure all
animals before heading out.
Zoo Hike
Getting ready
There will be a second instructor meeting you
at the African Animal Interpretive Area
(“mahali”) to help bring out the flamingos for
the up close and personal demo and then to
lead your group in a flamingo parade back to
the Ed Center. They will join the group around
7:30-7:40pm, so make sure to listen for their
radio call. Before you head out, make sure that
you have all of your participants, your radio,
bag, and the laminated hike helper cards (see
last page).
Doing the activity
Hike to the following locations, sharing info
about these African savanna animals and their
adaptations. There are Hike Helper cards in the
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Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
bin. Each animal has a “What Do You Think?
question about them. Ask these at the exhibits.
Hike to:
o Maasai giraffe (you may have to peek at
them through the windows)
x The spots of a Maasai giraffe are
jagged and “leaf-shaped.” (These
look very different from the more
straight-lined, geometric patterns on
the reticulated giraffe’s coat)
x They can reach heights of 13 to 17 ft
tall as adults. The height variation is
often the result of parent’s height
much like human adults can be
different heights.
x Can weigh 1,210 to 4,250 lbs.
x Diet is leaves, shoots, and fruits
which they pluck off of trees with
their 18-inch long tongues. Their
height allows them to reach food
that is inaccessible to other savanna
animals. They can eat up to 75 lbs of
food per day!
x Their favorite wild leaves come from
the acacia tree. This tree has 1-2
inch long thorns along its branches
to protect it from herbivores. Thick
saliva protects the giraffe from
these thorns as the quickly strip the
branches of leaves.
x Their long neck plus excellent vision
makes them an ideal “look-out” on
the flat, nearly tree-less savannah
grassland. In fact, their long-distance
color vision is what helps them spot
danger from far away, allowing
them plenty of time to get away.
Many other savanna animals watch
the giraffe for clues that a predator
is near.
x Our animals are:
 Jambo (chest pattern looks
like a turtle shell or “sixpack” abs. She also has
messy hair on her ossicone
tips)
Africa! Adventure, July 2013
 CeCe (has a blocky “C” on
her left chest and a keyhole
dot in the middle of her
chest)
 Tessa (looks like she has a
sliced pie shape on her chest
& is usually near Lulu)
 Lulu (Smallest, still a baby,
usually with Tessa)
 Kimba (Largest. Might not
be visible, separated from
Jambo and CeCe)
o East African Crowned Crane
x Look at that crown! You can imagine
how well it would blend in with the
tall, dry savannah grass,
camouflaging this long-legged bird
as it walks around in search of food.
x Some food can be easier to find
when an herbivore is around.
Herbivores move through the grass,
disturbing insects that move out of
their path. These cranes can then
run up and catch a tasty insect treat.
x They can reach heights of 3.3 to 3.5
ft. Despite that, due to hollow bones
and other bird adaptations, they
only weigh 6.5 to 8.7lbs
x Lifespan: Up to 25 yrs in captivity
x Habitat: Wetland and savannah
x Diet: Grasses, seeds, insects, and
other small animals
o African cheetah (your roster should say
which one is out that night)
x On a flat savannah, the cheetah uses
its spots and color to blend into the
grass and shadows while stalking its
prey. When the cheetah gets close
enough, it takes off, chasing its prey
at speeds of up to 70mph. It can
only maintain this speed for short
bursts and then must rest and catch
its breath.
x A cheetah can sprint across a
distance of 92 feet in a single
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Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
second, catching up to its prey and
tripping it up before grabbing it.
x The savanna is a vast, flat racetrack
and these cats are adapted for a
speedy chase. They achieve such
speed thanks to:
 Head—Small aerodynamic head
 Shoulders—Long, thin
streamlined body
 Spine—Flexible spine for
maximum stretching
 Legs—Long, strong legs for long
strides
 Claws—Claws for traction, like
cleats on running shoes
 Brake pads—Hard, pointed pads
for braking
 Tail—Long tail for balance and
steering
x What are they chasing? Cheetah will
hunt small antelope, warthog, hare
and game birds.
x Baby cheetahs are born with a tan
“ruff” of hair that runs down their
back like a blonde mohawk.
Researchers are divided about the
purpose that this serves. Some
believe that the longer, lighter hair
blends into the grass to better
camouflage cubs while mom is away
hunting. Others think that the ruff is
more of a disguise that makes the
cubs resemble a honey badger. If
other animals think the cubs are
really the notoriously bad tempered,
aggressive honey badger, they are
likely to leave it alone. Not even a
lion will mess with a honey badger.
o African Lion
x A lion’s roar can be heard from miles
away. This helps when
communicating between members
of a pride that may be dispersed
throughout their territory.
x They spend around 20 hours a day
resting in the shade (if they can find
Africa! Adventure, July 2013
x
x
x
x
it). It is often too hot to move
around much during the day and
resting saves energy and water.
Lions hunt by night, with the
lionesses, or females, being the
primary hunters for the pride.
Silently stalking through the tall
grass, the lions will approach their
prey from downwind so that they
can get as close as possible before
jumping out to grab their prey.
Lions rely on strength in body and
numbers rather than speed to take
down prey such as zebra,
wildebeest, and other large, hoofed
animals. This prey can outweigh a
lioness as it has to feed the pride,
not just an individual.
Lions will also take smaller prey such
as game birds and hares if the
opportunity presents itself.
The Zoo is involved in a conservation
program in Kenya’s South Rift Valley.
Starting soon, there will be bracelets
like the one you are wearing on sale
in the gift shop. ALL of the money
from the sale of the bracelets goes
straight back to the African Resource
Center’s conservation efforts with
lions and the Maasai people in
Kenya.
Flamingo Meet and Greet and Parade
(Note, this may not be possible every Night
Hike. If it is not, it will be noted on your sheet. If
there is NO flamingo parade, just look at the
flamingo exhibit and interpret as you would the
others)
Getting ready
Make sure that you touch base with the helper
instructor. Lead the group over to the mahali
for one last animal adventure.
Doing the activity
The group has learned about African rainforest,
desert, and savanna animals, but there is
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Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
another type of habitat that exists in the
savannahs besides the grassland, the lakes,
rivers, and coastal waterways! We are going to
meet some animals that live there now and
THEY are going to get to help you put them
away for the night! Who are they? Lead them
over to the mahali to find out.
SPECIAL ANIMAL DEMO
o Greater flamingo
x Head straight to the mahali and
meet with the instructor who will
have the flamingos out and waiting
for you! Make sure that the group
stays around the edge of the mahali
so that they do not overwhelm the
birds.
x Flamingo facts (if you shared these
already when you looked at giraffe,
treat this like a quiz to see what they
learned):
o Our animals: We have 3 education
flamingos, Hula, Tango, and Mambo
that the group will meet. There are an
additional 3 on exhibit.
o Size of individuals: 4 to 6 ft tall, but
VERY light, only 6 to 7 lbs
o Life expectancy: More than 20 yrs in
wild
o Normal flock size: These are very social
birds that congregate in groups
anywhere from a few pairs to 10,000
individuals large.
o Heads upside down, flamingos pump
water through the strainer-like edges of
their beaks, trapping algae, shrimp and
other little critters.
o What Do You Think?
x Why are flamingos pink?
Wild flamingos get their pink color
from the carotenoid pigments found
in the algae, krill, and other small
crustaceans that they eat. Ours get it
from the carotenoid pigment the
manufacturer adds to the “flamingo
chow” that we feed them. Not all of
our flamingos are totally pink
because they are still young. As they
Africa! Adventure, July 2013
age, the pigment builds up in their
system, making them pinker. They
legs are the last thing to change.
With the right diet, they are fully
pink by about 2 years of age.
FLAMINGO PARADE
Who wants to help walk the flamingos back to
the Education Center? They do! Let the helper
instructor take the lead and walk the flamingos
up the path. You should follow behind the last
flamingo and your group should follow you. It’s
a flamingo parade!! (They can walk next to the
flamingos as long as they do not get in between
you and them or the helper instructor and
them. i.e. stay on the edges and give them
space).
Once you get back to Education, the helper will
peel off and lead them into animal holding and
you will continue on into the lobby with your
group.
Wrap-up
Make sure that you have the entire group with
you when you reenter the Ed Center.
Closing
Getting ready
Head into the Education lobby
Doing the activity
Thank the group for coming. We hoped that
they had fun. Tell them to have a wonderful
weekend and invite them to come back and
visit us again this summer!
Wrap-up
Put away radio, bag, keys, program supplies
and animals and fill out attendance tracking
form.
Resources
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, “Africa
Interpretive Guide 2013 (Phases 1-3)”
Cincinnati Zoo Animal Handler Resource Page:
http://cincinnatizoo.org/zoo-educatorresources/animal-handlers/
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Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
iNaturalist:
http://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/Uromastyx_ac
anthinura
Kansas City Zoo:
http://www.kansascityzoo.org/Spotlight.asp?Id
S=004164-8596570&Id=42&~=
San Francisco Zoo:
http://www.sfzoo.org/ladyrossturaco
University of California Museum of
Paleontology:
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biom
es/deserts.php
National Geographic:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animal
s/mammals/african-lion/
Rosamond Gifford Zoo:
http://www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org/assets/up
loads/animals/pdf/KenyanSandBoa.pdf
San Diego Zoo:
http://kids.sandiegozoo.org/animals/birds/east
-african-crowned-crane
http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/flamin
go
Africa! Adventure, July 2013
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Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
“Hike Helper” Cards (look for these on a Night Hunters lanyard in the red bin)
Maasai Giraffe
Our animals: Kimba
Greater flamingos
Our animals: We have 3 education flamingos,
Hula, Tango, and Mambo that the group will
Tessa
meet. There are an additional 3 on exhibit.
Size of individuals: 4 to 6 ft tall, 6 to 7 lbs
Life expectancy: More than 20 yrs in wild
Normal flock size: These are very social birds
CeCe
Jambo
Lulu
that congregate in groups anywhere from a
Size of individuals: 13-17ft, 1,210 to 4,250 lbs
few pairs to 10,000 individuals large.
Life expectancy: 25 years
Heads upside down, flamingos pump water
Normal herd size: loosely associated herds (they through the strainer-like edges of their
don’t hang out in a tight group) with an average beaks, trapping algae, shrimp and other little
of ten individuals.
critters.
What Do You Think?
x They can eat up to 75 lbs of food per day!
Why are flamingos pink?
x Their favorite wild leaves come from the
Wild flamingos get their pink color from the
acacia tree. This tree has 1-2 inch long
thorns along its branches to protect it from carotenoid pigments found in the algae, krill,
herbivores. Thick saliva protects the giraffe and other small crustaceans that they eat.
Ours get it from the carotenoid pigment the
from these thorns as the quickly strip the
manufacturer adds to the “flamingo chow”
branches of leaves.
x Their long neck plus excellent vision makes that we feed them. Not all of our flamingos
them an ideal “look-out” on the flat, nearly are totally pink because they are still young.
As they age, the pigment builds up in their
tree-less savannah grassland. In fact, their
system, making them pinker. They legs are
long-distance color vision is what helps
the last thing to change. With the right diet,
them spot danger from far away, allowing
they are fully pink by about 2 years of age.
them plenty of time to get away. Many
other savanna animals watch the giraffe for
clues that a predator is near.
What Do You Think?
How many neck bones do you think a giraffe
has?
The giraffe’s six foot long neck contains just
seven bones, the same number as other
mammals, including you. Its neck bones are just
bigger and longer than ours.
Africa! Adventure, July 2013
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Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
African Lion
Our animal: John
Size of individuals: Male – 8.5 to 10.5 ft, 330 to
530 lbs; Female – 5 to 6 ft, 270 to 400 lbs
Life expectancy: Up to 18 years in the wild
Normal pride size: Can be 15+ individuals (up to
3 males, a dozen females, and offspring)
x A lion’s roar can be heard from miles away.
This helps when communicating between
members of a pride that may be dispersed
throughout their territory.
x They spend around 20 hours a day resting
in the shade (if they can find it). It is often
too hot to move around much during the
day and resting saves energy and water.
Hunting is a high-energy activity and is
usually not worth the cost in the daytime.
x Lions hunt by night, with the lionesses, or
females, being the primary hunters for the
pride. Silently stalking through the tall
grass, the lions will approach their prey
from downwind so that they can get as
close as possible before jumping out to
grab their prey.
x Lions rely on strength in body and numbers
rather than speed to take down prey such
as zebra, wildebeest, and other large,
hoofed animals. This prey can outweigh a
lioness as it has to feed the pride, not just
an individual.
What Do You Think?
Why do male lions have manes?
Males protect their pride from intruding males.
A mane makes the male look large, strong and
intimidating, perhaps enough to scare the
intruder away. If they do fight, the mane’s
long, thick hair provides some protection from
the claws and teeth of its rival.
Africa! Adventure, July 2013
African Cheetah
Our animals: Sahara, Chance, Bravo, Nia
Faye, Tommy T, and Savanna (your roster
should say which one is out tonight)
Size: 3.5 to 4.5 ft long, 85 to 140 lbs
Life expectancy: Up to 12 years in the wild
Normal group size: Females are solo, but
males form coalitions of 2-3 individuals.
x On a flat savannah, the cheetah uses its
spots and color to blend into the grass
and shadows while stalking its prey.
When the cheetah gets close enough, it
takes off, chasing its prey at speeds of
up to 70mph. It can only maintain this
speed for short bursts and then must
rest and catch its breath.
x A cheetah can sprint across a distance of
92 feet in a single second, catching up to
its prey and tripping it up before
grabbing it.
x The savanna is a vast, flat racetrack and
these cats are adapted for a speedy
chase.
x What are they chasing? Cheetah will
hunt small antelope, warthog, hare and
game birds.
x Baby cheetahs are born with a tan “ruff”
of hair that runs down their back like a
blonde mohawk. Researchers are
divided about the purpose that this
serves. Some believe that the longer,
lighter hair blends into the grass to
better camouflage cubs while mom is
away hunting. Others think that the ruff
is more of a disguise that makes the
cubs resemble a fierce honey badger.
What Do You Think?
Do you know what the dark lines beneath
the cheetah’s eye are called?
The dark tear mark below a cheetah’s eye,
called a malar stripe, attracts the sunlight
and keeps the glare of the sun out of its eyes.
For the same reason, football players wear
face paint beneath their eyes.
Page 11 of 13
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
African Crowned Crane
Our animals: Shelley (purple and black leg
bands) and unnamed male (green leg bands)
Size of individuals: They can reach heights of 3.3
to 3.5 ft. and weigh 6.5 to 8.7lbs
Life expectancy: 25 years in captivity
Normal flock size: 3-20 individuals
x Look at that crown! You can imagine how
well it would blend in with the tall, dry
savannah grass, camouflaging this longlegged bird as it walks around in search of
food.
x Some food can be easier to find when an
herbivore is around. Herbivores move
through the grass, disturbing insects that
move out of their path. These cranes can
then run up and catch a tasty insect treat.
What Do You Think?
Can birds dance?
Cranes can! The males and females will “dance”
with each other, hopping in circles around each
other, bobbing their heads and spreading their
wings to show off their 6-7 foot wide wingspan.
Africa! Adventure, July 2013
Page 12 of 13
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Africa!
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BONGO
CHIMPANZEE
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HIPPO
LION
VULTURE
Africa! Adventure, July 2013
BONOBO
COBRA
FLAMINGO
HYENA
OKAPI
WILD DOG
CHEETAH
CROWNED CRANE
GORILLA
LEOPARD
OSTRICH
ZEBRA
Page 13 of 13