ZOO Unit 6

Describe two characteristics that black mambas display that other snakes do not.

Black mambas are the fastest snakes in the world. They can even travel up to 13mph! The other thing is that they are the longest snake in the world. They also hunt during the day which other reptiles don't do. They are also in groups up to 3-4.

Describe what is meant by the black mamba's "dance of death".

Black mambas only do their dance of death when they have no way to escape a predator. When they dance, they raise their heads, spread their necks, open their mouths and hiss to scare the predator away from them.

What are two adaptations hippos have that make them perfectly suited for the water?

Hippos' eyes and nostrils are near the top of their head which allows them to see and breathe when they are underwater. They also secrete a fluid that acts as sunscreen so they aren't burned by the hot savanna sun.

Explain how the wildlife on the prairie has changed over time; what caused this change?

Species of animals on the prairie have diminished and were reintroduced in the wild. What caused this change was ranching and farming.

Explain what caused the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. What was its impact on the animals of the Great Plains, on their habitat, and on the biome itself?

The Dust Bowl was caused by drought and wind catching the topsoil of the land which created enormous dust storms. Because of this, bison were more endangered but were able to recover their population. Animals were also choked by all of the dust in the air. In the end, the biome was able to recover and more animals began to live there again. Farming and ranching practices destroyed the natural grasses leaving the topsoil exposed to drought and wind.

Describe the adaptations elephants have that help them survive on the African Savanna.

Their ears help keep them cool and eliminate body heat. They also use their ears to communicate with their herd and can hear different sounds up to 6 miles away.

What special adaptations do trees of the savanna have that help them survive a fire?

They are found individually, have fireproof bark because of resin, and retain moisture in their trunks,

Explain how fire helps the grassland biomes like the savanna and the prairie.

They help get rid of soil diseases, reshape the savanna, and kill weeds.

Explain how the prairie changed over time, from when the Native Americans lived there to the 1800s. How did this impact the wildlife on the Great Plains?

Things changed over time because of settlers. The Native Americans respected the land and worked on their land and cared for their animals. When settlers moved, they began to trade fur and hunt the animals and let their bodies on the prairie for predators which also contributed to the loss of animals. Humans had a great impact by changing the habitat by farming, etc.

In the USA the Great Plains is often referred to as

a prairie

The venom of the black mamba is a combination of powerful neuro and hemotoxins.

false

There are no trees in the African Savanna.

false

A hippo eats only plants making it a

herbivore

Most animals of the African Savanna live in

herds

This animal is responsible for more human deaths than any other animal in the savanna.

hippo

The third largest land mammal according to Zoologists:

hippos

The name "hippopotamus" actually means

river horse

The Great Plains is considered a

temperate savanna

Black mambas are the fastest snake in the world moving at speeds of up to 13 mph.

true

Elephants are the largest land mammal on Earth.

true

Half of the land mass of the continent of Africa is covered in a savanna or grasslands biome.

true

Elephants communicate verbally by making low frequency calls that sound like a rumbling noise when picked up by human ears.

true

Hippos make their own sunscreen.

true

Savannas and prairies are similar in that both are grassland ecosystems with arid climates.

true

The climate and weather patterns within the Great Plains differs depending on the location.

true

Of the three animals you studied in this lesson, which one do you think should be at the top of the list? Which one is the deadliest of them all. Explain your answer using facts from the lesson, and be sure to check your spelling and grammar.

I think that the Hippo is the deadliest because it is responsible for the most deaths in Africa than any other animal on the continent. They are also really heavy and mothers actually ban together to protect their babies from predators.

Explain what happened to the millions of Bison that once roamed the Great Plains. How did this impact their numbers? How did the near extinction of the Bison affect the Great Plains? How did habitat loss from human development impact the Bison's ability to come back from near extinction?

Hunters and fur traders hunted bison to the point of there being a few hundred left. This greatly impacted their numbers because they went from millions to a few hundred. The near-extinction left the grasslands bare and diminished. Because of the Dust Bowl, the prairie grasses were able to reclaim most of the land and the number of bison began to recover. The near extinction would allow grasses to grow back. The dust bowl made it harder for the bison to recover. They were saved by being protected in Yellowstone National Park.