Garamba National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo Photograph by © WWF-Canon/John E. NEWBY   Central Africa Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands   273,400 square miles (708,100 square kilometers) -- about half the size of Alaska Critical/Endangered

· Lush Forests and Tall Grasslands
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Lush Forests and Tall Grasslands

Between the Congolian rain forests and the Sudanian savanna lies a narrow transitional zone called the Northern Congolian Forest-Savanna Mosaic--a beautiful and unique mixture of these two very different habitats. In this ecoregion, dense and lush gallery forests along rivers and streams give way to expansive wooded grasslands where tall grass tussocks grow, literally, as high as an elephant’s eye. The wide variety of wildlife here includes animals such as duikers (small antelopes), which prefer the forests; elephants, which prefer the savanna; and waterbucks, which are best suited for a mixture of the two habitats. This ecoregion is also the only place on Earth to find the last viable population of northern white rhinoceroses. Only about 30 individuals remain in the wild, spending their days grazing on the savanna grasses in Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Special Features

Forest elephants have smaller bodies, ears, and tusks than savanna elephants. And in Garamba National Park, there is a population of elephants that appears to be intermediate between the two sub-species. Forest-savanna mosaics provide an interesting blend of habitats in a patchwork pattern. Animals living in this mosaic and that specialize within a certain patch of habitat--forest or savanna--can be confined there, and may eventually begin to evolve new adaptations, and may someday even become a new species. This same evolutionary force is responsible for the great number of endemic species on islands and mountains.

	Both the white rhinoceros and the black rhinoceros are actually gray in color. A grazer that feeds exclusively on grasses, the white rhino got its name from early Dutch settlers in South Africa who observed the rhino’s wide or "wijd" (pronounced like white) upper lip. In contrast, the black rhinoceros has a hooked, prehensile upper lip that helps it grab leaves and grass.

Wild Side

In the sweeping savannas of the Northern Congolian Forest-Savanna Mosaic ecoregion, elegant wild Syringa trees and small bush willows grow above the tall grasses. Long, lean birds called Kori bustards stalk through the savanna looking for seeds and small prey. Herds of buffalo and small groups of northern savanna giraffes make their ways through the grasslands, and graceful antelopes called Buffon’s kobs whistle loudly as they patrol their territories. Where the savanna changes into woodland, shaggy antelope called waterbucks seek shelter in the dense brush, constantly wary of lions and other predators. When threatened, bongos run through the bush, holding their spiral horns against the backs of their necks to prevent them from tangling in the vegetation. Black rhinoceroses move their immense bulks through the forest, using their hooked upper lips to snip at grasses and leaves. Deeper in the dense gallery forests, secretive antelopes called red-flanked duikers browse busily in the twilight hours of dawn and dusk when their movements are obscured. Golden-naped weavers flit about the trees, while forest ground thrushes search for food on the forest floor. Slender, reddish brown patas monkeys are among the few ground-dwelling primates, and they move through the forests feeding on grass, new shoots, and an occasional insect or piece of fruit. When frightened, they can run at speeds of up to 34 miles (55 km) per hour. Beneath the hustle and bustle of these forests and grasslands burrows an endemic species of mole rat.

Cause for Concern

Growing human populations in this ecoregion are putting more and more pressure on the natural landscape. Overgrazing of cattle as well as slash and burn agriculture have degraded much of this wilderness. The wildlife here also suffers from the political instability of the region, with rebel groups active in Central African Republic and civil wars in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo leaving refugee camps that place increasing pressures on the forest edge. Poaching and desertification also create problems.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.