As the end of September now approaches, the dry season has really got its hold over the landscape. Vegetation is thin and water is scarce. Apart from a surprise downpour a couple of weeks ago, we haven’t had a drop of rain since April and aren’t expecting any for at least the next couple of weeks.
However, as I write this, the temperature outside is just shy of 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit). I am safely tucked away behind the walls and roof of my room, my is fan throwing a cool breeze across my face and I’m sipping on some ice cold water from the fridge.
I’ll survive.
But how do the animals out there handle the heat? Africa is known for reaching alarmingly high temperatures across the continent, temperatures which would leave us gasping with dehydration and sunstroke yet for the creatures out in the savanna, it’s just par for the course.
Tracker Jerry Hambana surveying the landscape at sunrise. As the days are beginning to get longer, we are starting to feel the rapid onset of the warmer summer temperatures. While the early mornings can still be fairly crisp, the sun’s rays begin to beat down on the landscape by mid-morning.
Firstly, you must know that when you visit us at Londolozi, particularly in the summer, we structure our game drives to be around dusk and dawn. This is partly for our own comfort as we wouldn’t enjoy being exposed to the midday sun ourselves, but it also happens to be the time of day that the animals are significantly more active.
Being out in the heat is energy sapping stuff and the animals avoid the heat of the day by lying up in the shade, retreating to an underground burrow (as with many nocturnal species) or – depending on the species and availability of water and/or mud – settle up in a wallow. This not only conserves valuable energy but also keeps the animals cooler. For some of the larger species like rhino and elephant which occasionally have to continue feeding through the day to sustain their large body weights, a healthy layer of mud over the skin can also protect their bodies while wandering about grazing in the midday heat.
Warthogs spend their nights tucked away in burrows, unable to graze after dark, and as a result they have to capitalize on the daylight hours and feed well into the heat of the day. Some suggest that the mane of hair along their backs also acts as a barrier towards the sun but in addition to that, warthogs make use of mud wallows. The water itself directly cools the warthog while the layer of mud left on the skins surface also serves to protect the animal from the sun’s rays and parasites.
Elephants have a magnificent cooling system. Their large ears are covered by a thin layer of skin and hold a dense network of blood capillaries beneath them. When the ears are wet after a wallow, each flap creates a small breeze over the skins surface which in turn cools the blood in the area, regulating the core temperature of the colossal creature. A similar tactic is used by other large-eared mammals such as hares and rabbits.
Most animals are unable to perspire like we can (in fact, only primates and horses can sweat like we do). However, a similar process occurs by the action of panting. The moist membranes of the inner nasal cavities and mouths of several animals act as cooling surfaces for them. This behaviour is particularly noticeable with the predators and even our domestic dogs do it home. By drawing in large breaths repeatedly, the animals pull a breeze over the inner membranes of the nose and mouth which, because of the saliva and mucus covering them, cools the blood beneath. Interestingly, birds are also known to ‘pant’ in a behaviour known as gular fluttering and can be often seen when a bird simply stands still, bill open with their throat gently fluttering.
The Flat Rock Male rests up in the shade on the banks of the Sand River late one warm afternoon. Although just a still image, one can see that he is panting. Notice the moisture around his gums and lower jaw – a key factor in keeping this apex predator cool in the heat of the day.
Some animals take on a slightly less conventional method to cool themselves. Birds are an example of one of the animals that cannot sweat and so, in order to cool off in a similar fashion, they instead defecate on their legs and feet. The moisture of their faeces cools over their skin and acts the same way as sweat does for us humans, bringing our body temperature down through evaporative cooling. A great example of this is seen in the stork family which – given the fact that they have exceptionally long, exposed legs – works rather well for them.
This photo of a white stork, a species not often seen at Londolozi, clearly shows where the bird has purposefully defecated on its legs. The reddish-pink colour on the upper legs is the real colour of the storks legs while the lower half of the legs are covered in white faeces to cool the bird down.
Ostriches are known to inhabit some of the hottest and most arid regions of Africa and have therefore also adapted a unique method to keep cool. While their wings are far too small to lift their heavy bodies off the ground, they do however have a bare patch of skin beneath them. When exposed, particularly to a combination of shade (provided by the raised wings) and a slight breeze (provided by the elements or even the wings themselves), the ostrich’s body is immediately cooled. This explains why ostrich will often walk about feeding in the heat of the day with their wings stretched wide open, occasionally flapping to fan themselves.
A female ostrich splays its wings forward. Although not visible from this angle, the area beneath the wings lacks a covering of feathers and is left exposed. These bare patches are essential in keeping this dessert-dwelling bird’s core temperature at a stable rate.
These are just a few of the simple ways that some of the animals of the African savanna have adapted or behave to survive the scorching temperatures of the region. As effective as some of these methods are, we can’t help but be grateful for the air-conditioning system and ice cold drinks that we enjoy by the plunge pool on the hot summer days!
The animals are fortunate to have built in cooling assistance. We could learn a lot from their schedule. When we lived in France we had no air conditioning and no ceiling fans as our farm house ceilings were too low and Phil’s head was in danger. What we had was heavy shutters that could be 3/4 to 7/8 closed and the window inside left open to allow any air in. We changed the shutter arrangement during the day depending on the sun. We did learn to hibernate during the long afternoons. As Anericans we are far too dependent on air conditioning. Most buildings are kept too cold and so when you exit you think you are cooking. We should learn a bit more from Mother Nature. Victoria
Interesting blog Chris. The ground squirrels in the Kalahari lift their tails over their heads and use it like an umbrella. My cat lie spread out on the tile floor to keep cool.
Chris, I did not know that the ostrich has bare space under the wings
Fascinating how animals are able to cool themselves in various ways. I was totally surprised to learn about the Ostriches underwing method, with no feathers and only skin. Now that Londolozi has 3 baby ostriches and temperatures are rising, I wonder how they manage. I’ve only seen images of the parents standing by but not shading. Thanks Chris for your interesting blog entry.
Indeed, the cooling waters of the plunge pool is a guest’s best friend after an early morning game drive whether it be November or February. I often wonder why the big cats don’t take advantage of the little pools around them to cool off, like the tigers or jaguars. Thanks for providing us with a bit more educational information from the bush.
Ah Sundowners … not just a frivolous excuse for watching the fabulous African sunsets but a necessary hydration stop to keep we guests from collapsing from the heat of the day!
The way animals have adapted to the environments in which they find themselves is fascinating. Each animal will have its own mechanism/s in order to keep cool. Interestingly, around three quarters of heat loss for an elephant is through its ears because of the extensive vascular system. Giraffes also have very interesting ways to keep cool and are very well adapted for heat loss. Their coat pattern is thought to have some thermoregulation function. Giraffe can also increase their body temperature temporarily in very hot temperatures and this helps them to conserve water.
Some antelope can also use an adaption called selective brain cooling where the brain temperature is kept a few degrees cooler than the rest of the body.
Very interesting. I agree with Marinda – learn from animals and the cultures that do not depend so much on artificial air and heat. Better for us and the planet.