Ecology of African Savannah and Aquatic Ecosystems

A field course to survey and examine interactions of vertebrate species of the African savannahs and freshwater lakes. Your experience will include:

• Tent safari
• African game parks
• Cultural anthropology
• Hands-on terrestrial videography

A Taste of the Program:

This is a two to three week expedition-type course that traverses the major ecosystems of Kenya East Africa. The first site visited is the expansive grasslands of Amboseli National Park which is known for its large elephant herds and the impressive backdrop of the snow capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro.

From Amboseli the class travels to the dry scrub acacia savannahs of the Samburu country to encounter species such as gravy zebra, reticulated giraffe and the gerenuk antelope. After Samburu the fresh water and alkaline lakes of the Great Rift valley will be explored. Students will encounter hippos, crocodiles and a high diversity of bird species along with geothermal features such as hot springs and geysers. The last days of the field trip will be spent at the Maasai Mara National Park.

This extensive grassland ecosystem is the home to a diverse assemblage of grazing mammals such as wildebeest, plains zebra, gazelles and impala. This system also supports an impressive array of carnivores represented by lions, cheetah and leopard. Travel is by truck with an occasional boat trip. Accommodations are basic hotels and tent camping.

This course introduces the student to the distribution and abundance patterns of selected vertebrate species with an emphasis on identification, behavioral interactions and habitat selection. Students will conduct a research project during the field trip. Lectures are presented once a week during the spring semester to prepare students for the field experience. Non-Florida Tech students will receive a reading list for their preparation.