Click on the picture to begin your adventure.

1. Exploring African WildlifeOur class is traveling on a field trip to the amazing continent of Africa. As you find your way over lion inhabited plains, across crocodile infested waters, over mountain peaks ruled by silverback gorillas, and through dense jungles occupied by man-eating pythons, you and your partner will use what you have learned about animal characteristics, habitat, and diet to help you and your partner explore and survive! If you survive, you will be an honorary Junior Explorer and share what you have learned with the class. Click on the picture to begin your adventure.

2. Sahara DesertYou and your partner are crossing the Sahara Desert. The Sahara is the largest desert in the world. It is over 3,000 miles. Temperatures reach over 120 degrees and there is no shade. There is no water or food. Click on photo to continue.

3. To help you cross this dangerous desert you must choose an animal that can survive in the desert. Which animal will you choose? Click on the photo for your choice. camel Chimpanzee warthog

4. ChimpanzeeChimps are mammals. They are mainly found in rain forests and wet savannas. While they spend equal time on land and in trees, they do most of their feeding and sleeping in trees.They eat fruits, leaves, blossoms, and berries. Their diet consists of up to 80 different plant foods. Good try! Sorry, not the right animal. Click on the photo to make another choice.

5. CamelsCamels are mammals that live in dry areas. The camel's hump contains fat (and NOT water). The camel can go without food and water for 3 to 4 days. Camels are very strong mammals with wide, padded feet. They have thick leathery pads on their knees and chest. Camels have nostrils that can open and close, protecting them from the desert environment. Bushy eyebrows and two rows of long eyelashes protect their eyes from sand. Their mouth is extremely tough, allowing camels to eat thorny desert plants. Good choice. Click on the photo to continue your adventure.

6. WarthogThe warthog is a peaceful but fierce-looking wild hog. It lives in savannas and sparse forests in Africa. Warthogs are omnivores (eating plants and meat). They eat grasses, roots, bark, berries, and carrion (dead animals that they find). When they are in danger, they run and hide under trees. Good try! Sorry, not the right animal. Click on the photo to make another choice.

7. SavannaYou and your partner are now crossing the Serengeti Savanna. Africa's great savannas or grasslands are a place dominated by sky and rolling grassland. The grasses often grow 3 to 6 feet tall.For 5 months each year, very little rain falls. Ponds and streams dry up and grasses are easy to catch on fire. For the rest of the year. 30-50 inches of rain can fall. Animals need to survive both the drought (dry) season or the rainy season. Click on the photo to continue.

8. There are over a hundred of different species of animals that live in the grasslands of the savanna. Many grazing (eating) the rich grasses, scrubs, and leafy trees. Which animal could you find grazing in the savannas of Africa? Click on the photo of your choice. African Black Knife Fish Baboon spider Black Colobus Monkey

9. BLACK COLOBUS MONKEY One of Africa's ten most endangered monkeys, the black colobus can be found throughout the rainforests between southwest Cameroon and the Congo River. They live in the forest's high canopies (tallest trees) and are renowned for their jumping skills. They eat seeds, leaves, fruits, and flowers. Good try! Sorry, not the right animal. Click on the photo to make another choice.

10. Baboon SpiderBaboon spiders or tarantulas, as they are known outside Africa, are the giants of the spider world. The baboon spiders are ground living animals and construct silk-lined burrows, or retreats under stones and rocks. They are found in a variety of habitats such as dry, grassland or savanna woodland. They are nocturnal. The baboon spider hides and drags their prey into the burrow. They eat other insects, small mammals, and reptiles. Good choice. Click on the photo to continue your adventure.

11. African Black Knife FishThis fish is a nocturnal prowler found in the rivers of Africa.Being predators, they will eat any type of live foods small enough to fit in their mouths, such as, live small fish, snails, earthworms, crustaceans, earthworms, and mosquito larvae. Good try! Sorry, not the right animal. Click on the photo to make another choice.

12. Africa’s RainforestYou and your partner are hidden in the African Rainforest. You are surrounded by the tallest trees that you have ever seen. Plants with thick leaves grow taller than you, because of the warm, moist air. The air is also alive with the sounds of over 1,000 species of animals that live in the rainforest. Click on the photo to continue your journey.

13. What do you and your partner spy lurking behind that tree?Click on the photo of your choice. African Elephant Okapi African Crocodile

14. African ElephantThe African Elephant is the largest mammal living in the savanna or grassland areas of Africa. Elephants have few natural enemies except man, and they are in danger of extinction due to loss of habitat and poaching (they are killed for their ivory tusks). African elephants average about 10 feet tall at the and, weighing roughly 6 tons. Elephants eat roots, grasses, leaves, fruit, and bark. They use their tusks and trunk to get food. These herbivores spend most of their time eating. Bulls can eat up to 300-600 pounds of food each day. Good try! Sorry, not the right animal. Click on the photo to make another choice.

15. African CrocodilesAfrican Crocodiles are reptiles. Crocodiles are found in slow-moving freshwater rivers and lakes. Crocodiles are most at home in the water, but are able to travel on land. Crocodiles are carnivores, eating a wide variety of living and dead mammals and fish. The larger species of crocodiles can be very dangerous to humans.Crocodiles are ambush hunters, waiting for fish or land animals to come close, then rushing out to attack. As cold-blooded predators, they can survive long periods without food, and rarely need to actively go hunting. Good try! Sorry, not the right animal. Click on the photo to make another choice.

16. OkapiOkapi live in dense, moist rainforest jungles near water throughout Africa. They are known as the rainforest giraffe. The okapi isn't nearly as tall as the giraffe. It only stands about 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. It's also a very hard to study because its stripes and dark color help to hide it in the forest and its quick speed allows it to make a fast getaway whenever it senses danger. The okapi is active during the day, using fixed, well-trodden paths through the jungle. They are herbivores, eating the lush vegetation of the rainforest. The long necks help them reach new leaves growing on taller trees. Good choice. Click on the photo to continue your adventure.

17. Highland MountainsYou and your partner are climbing steep, rocky peaks. You are looking down at breath-taking waterfalls, and dangerous ravens. You are in the Highland Mountains of Ethiopia.Some of the world’s largest mountains are found in Africa. These spectacular mountains are formed by a chain of eight volcanoes.The mountains are home to one the largest populations of different animals.Click on the photo to continue your adventure.

18. As you and your partner climb the Ethiopian Mountains, what animal do you think you might see?Click on the photo of your choice. Lions Wildebeest Mountain Gorilla

19. WildebeastThe wildebeest struggles for survival in the harsh environment of the great African plains. These animals, pursued by hungry predators, migrate clockwise from the Serengeti to the Mara Deserts, round and back again in a never-ending cycle in search of fresh pastures. Good try! Sorry, not the right animal. Click on the photo to make another choice.

20. African Lion Lions are found in savannas and grasslands, because of the animals they hunt for food. Lions are the laziest of the big cats. They spend 16 to 20 hours a day sleeping. When resting, lions seem to enjoy friendship with a lot of touching, head rubbing, licking and purring. But when it comes to food, each lion looks out for itself. Adult males usually eating first, followed by the females and then the cubs. Lions live in prides. Prides are close family units of about 15 lions. Lions use teamwork or cooperative hunting within the pride. Cooperative hunting enables lions to take prey as large as wildebeests, zebras, buffaloes, young elephants, rhinos, hippos and giraffes, any of which can provide several meals for the pride. Good try! Sorry, not the right animal. Click on the photo to make another choice.

21. Mountain Gorilla The Mountain Gorilla is the hairiest of gorillas; its long, thick black hair protects it from the cold of living high up in the mountains. Facial features like wrinkles around the nose – called nose prints - are different for each individual and are often used by human researchers for identification just like fingerprints for humans.Although strong and powerful, gorillas are gentle and shy. Gorillas have strong attachments to members of their own group. Groups are led by one silverback male, named for the silvery gray hairs that grow when the male gets older. The silverback protects and defends the group. He leads, deciding when and where to eat, rest and sleep. It is perhaps surprising that mammals as large and strong as mountain gorillas are herbivores (vegetarians), which eat 142 different of plants and leaves that grow in the mountains, including bamboo, wild celery, thistles, stinging nettles, bedstraw and certain fruit. They rarely need to drink since they eat so many juicy things Good choice. Click on the photo to continue your adventure.

22. Congratulations! Welcome Back. You and your partner are now junior explorers. You and your partner have successfully explored and survived the African continent. Give each other a loud, high-five  You have learned about the many different habitats that make up the special landscape of Africa. You have learned that Africa is home to many, many unusual and special animals. Some are friendly, some are strange looking, and some are dangerous. Click on the photo to continue.

23. Try some fun activity pages to help you check your knowledge. Follow the directions to complete each page. Good Luck  Click on the giraffe photo to open the pages and begin working. When you have finished, print the page. OR You can print the pages first and fill in your answers while watching the Exploring African Wildlife powerpoint again. To see the powerpoint again, click on the zebra photo.

24. Thank you for joining our exploration. I hope that you and your partner have enjoyed your adventure. If you are ready to leave your adventure: 1. Push the Esc (escape) key at the top left corner of your keyboard. 2. Click on the red X at the top right corner of your screen. If you would like to view Exploring African Wildlife again please click on the photo.