Tropical And Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, And Shrublands

Grassland and savanna habitats are more arid than the forest lands, and therefore do not harbor as many trees. These ecological regions are filled with grasses, shrubs, and other herbaceous plants. The lack of trees does not, however, mean there is a lack of flora and fauna. In the Central African Republic, there are three distinct savannas. One of these, the East Sudanian Savanna, covers the northern regions of the country and experiences both a dry and rainy season. Over 1,000 plants are endemic to this savanna, meaning they can only survive here. Some of these include elephant grass, combretum grass, and terminalia trees. As in much of the country, many of the animal species are endangered, including the Maasai lion, African bush elephant, African leopard, and Sudan cheetah. Traditional lifestyles include livestock herding across these grasslands which results in overgrazing. Local populations also degrade plant life by over-harvesting wood and charcoal and illegal rhinoceros poaching has nearly wiped out the species.