Hobbies And Interests
Tortoises
Typically more terrestrial than their turtle cousins, tortoises are at home in the semi-arid conditions of African grasslands and savannas. Among the native species are the aptly named African pancake tortoise of East African open country, which sports a highly flattened carapace, or upper shell. When threatened, it flees with considerable speed for a tortoise and wedges itself in a narrow rock crevice. The Bell's hinged tortoise also has a specially modified shell: The rear portion of its carapace has a hinge that can seal off its hindquarters from predatory attack.
Lizards
A variety of lizards takes advantage of the mosaic of habitats offered by African grasslands, with some truly opportunistic species, like the red-headed agama, readily entering human habitations. The largest are various monitor lizards, some of the most formidable reptiles in the world. The Nile monitor is widespread in Africa; in grasslands and savannas, it often haunts rivers and gallery forests. Reaching lengths of better than seven feet and equipped with powerful jaws and claws, it feeds on anything it can catch, according to the National Audubon Society Field Guide to African Wildlife. Shorter but bulkier is the rock monitor, a dusty colored lizard sporting a bulbous snout. These inhabitants of rocky scrub and grasslands will eat everything from insects to owls and are capable hunters of large venomous snakes like cobras and puff adders.
Nile Crocodile
Heftiest of Africa's reptiles is the Nile crocodile, which historically inhabited a large range of aquatic habitats on the continent, including rivers and wetlands of savanna biomes. Particularly huge crocodiles can exceed 20 feet and weigh a ton, though most are smaller. They are impressive predators, equally fond of ambushing drinking ungulates like wildebeest and impala as they are snacking on fish and turtles. Nile crocodiles are devoted parents, actively guarding their nests and gently transporting hatchlings to water in their tremendous jaws.
Venomous Snakes
Some of the most notorious inhabitants of African grasslands are venomous snakes, though they are typically dangerous only when feeling stressed. The black mamba is the longest venomous serpent in Africa, sometimes reaching 14 feet. Big-eyed and relatively slender, these snakes are named for their dark-colored mouths; reaching speeds of more than 12 mph and equipped with highly toxic venom, they can be very dangerous when threatened. The Egyptian cobra and a number of spitting cobras, which forcibly eject venom at an attacker's eyes, are other notable savanna inhabitants, as is the big-fanged puff adder.
African Rock Python
Reaching lengths of 23 feet or more, the African rock python is the continent's largest snake, and one of the biggest in the world, according to National Audubon Society Field Guide to African Wildlife. These mottled constrictors favor grasslands and open woodlands, often in the vicinity of rivers and other waterways. Large adults may tackle antelopes, monkeys, crocodiles and other big prey.