International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue X, October 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

 A Review of Wild Animal Habitat Types in Africa

 Okeke, A.N.^1* and Ijeomah H.M^2
1Department of Forestry and Wildlife, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State Nigeria.
²Dept of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Port Harcourt, P.M.B. 5323 Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Corresponding Author*

Abstract: This review aims to give a comprehensive summary of wild animal habitats found in Africa. IUCN in their report observed how important habitat is and emphasized that the worst threat to a wild animal is the loss of habitat. Habitat of wild animals requires four basic components which are food, cover, water, and space for reproduction (nesting), protection against predators, and competitors. When these components were in good proportion and well distributed, it can meet the needs of wild animals. Any wild animal that is outside its habitat finds it difficult to adapt, survive, and reproduce. This work reviews types of habitats found in Africa as well as adaptive wild animals that inhabit them. Some of these wild animal’s habitats include savanna, mountain, and rocks, tropical rain forest, desert, aquatic (Wetland), caves and holes, arboreal, grassland, and coral reefs. Each wild animal also possesses adaptive features that enable it to survive in a specific habitat.

Keywords: Adaptive features, Conservationist, Food, Space, Water

I. INTRODUCTION

Wild animal habitat is the type of natural environment in which a particular species of organism lives (Oates, et al, 2018). Each habitat has a unique type of requirements that will sustain a particular species of organism. Every species adapts to a particular environment where it can find food, water, shelter, and space that animals need to live (Desbiez, 2007). Africa has a wide variety of Wildlife habitats which differs according to the species diversity and richness (NEA, 2002). Three geographical categories of wild animal habitat include terrestrial, aquatic and arboreal habitats. Terrestrial wild animals live on land; arboreal animals live on top of trees while aquatic animals live on the water. Terrestrial habitats include savanna, mountain, grassland, tropical rain forest, desert, rock, and caves. Arboreal animals spend most of their time on the trees, depending on the degree of adaptation and climbing ability (Cumming and Cumming, 2013). For example, climbers like monkeys can inhabit the top of the trees, fewer climbers can boreholes and live on the trunk of trees while others can inhabit branches of the understory. Aquatic animals include all animals that live on wetland like rivers, freshwater, lakes, oceans, swamps, ponds, and marine habitats, including salt marshes, the coast, the intertidal zone, estuaries, reefs, bays, the open sea, the sea bed, deep water, and submarine vents. (Manu, 2000).