Africa’s savanna regions form one of the continent’s most widespread and recognisable landscapes. A savanna is not simply a “grassland”. It is a living mosaic of grasses, scattered shrubs, and hardy trees that thrive where rainfall is seasonal rather than constant. Across Africa, savannas stretch in broad belts between dense tropical forests and arid deserts, shaping both wildlife patterns and human livelihoods.
The defining feature of a savanna is its climate. Most savanna areas experience a clear wet season and a long dry season. During the wet months, grasses grow rapidly, rivers swell, and the plains turn green within weeks. During the dry months, water becomes scarce, vegetation browns, and animals must travel farther to find grazing and permanent water sources. This rhythm of abundance and scarcity is the engine that drives savanna life. Rainfall levels vary widely from place to place, and this is why some savannas appear open and grassy, while others include denser woodlands.
Plants in the savanna are adapted to survive heat, grazing, and fire. Many grasses can regrow quickly after being eaten or burnt because their growth points sit close to the ground. Trees such as acacias and baobabs have their own strategies, including thorns for defence, deep roots to reach groundwater, and water storage in trunks or roots. Fire is a natural and frequent part of savanna ecology. Lightning can ignite dry grasses, and controlled burns have also been used for generations by local communities. Fires clear old growth, recycle nutrients into the soil, and help maintain the balance between grassland and forest by limiting tree encroachment.
Savannas are famous for supporting large herds of grazing animals and the predators that follow them. Zebras, antelopes, wildebeest, and buffalo often move across wide areas to track fresh grass and water. Predators such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, and African wild dogs depend on these prey populations. Birds, insects, and smaller mammals are just as important, even if they receive less attention. Termites, for example, build mounds that alter soil structure and nutrient distribution, creating small “islands” of fertility that support different plant communities.
Human life is closely tied to savanna landscapes. Many communities practise pastoralism, moving livestock in response to seasons and available grazing. Others combine farming with herding, growing crops during the rains and managing animals during the dry period. Savannas also support major tourism industries and provide resources such as fuelwood, medicinal plants, and grazing land.
Today, savanna regions face serious pressures, including habitat loss, overgrazing in some areas, poaching, and the effects of climate change on rainfall reliability. Effective conservation depends on working with local communities, protecting migration routes, managing fire wisely, and balancing development with ecological limits. When well managed, African savannas remain among the world’s most productive and spectacular ecosystems, sustaining both biodiversity and human societies through their powerful seasonal pulse.
