Africa

Discovering nature in Africa

The cradle of humanity and ancestral knowledge, Africa invites us to explore a living and spiritual relationship between human beings, nature and the Earth.

African regions

🌦️ Climates:

  • 🏜️ Desert (predominant)
    📍 Algeria, Libya, and Egypt.
  • 🌊 Mediterranean (coastal areas)
    📍Tunisia, and northern Algeria.
  • 🏔️ Mountain (ranges such as the Atlas)
    📍The Atlas Mountains

Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt,
Western Sahara

🌍 Major ecosystems: 

  • 🏜️ Desert (Sahara)
  • 🌿 Mediterranean regions (coasts)

🐾 Iconic species:

  • Fennec fox
  • Dromedary
  • Addax
  • Dorcas gazelle

 

🌦️Climates :

  • 🌴 Subtropical climate (predominant)
    📍 Mozambique, eastern South Africa)
  • 🌾 Savanna climate (predominant)
    📍Zimbabwe, Botswana, northern South Africa
  • 🏜️ Desert and semi-arid climate 
    📍Namib Desert, Kalahari Desert)
  • 🌊 Mediterranean climate 
    📍South Africa (Cape region)
  • 🏔️ Mountain climate 
    📍 Mountainous areas (Drakensberg)

🌍 Major ecosystems: 

  • 🏜️ Deserts (Namib, Kalahari)
  • 🌾 Savannahs

South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique

🐾  Iconic species:

  • Black rhinoceros
  • Meerkat
  • Springbok

🌦️Climates:

  • 🌿 Equatorial climate 
    📍Congo Basin 
  • 💦 Humid tropical
    📍around the equatorial zone
  • 🌾 Savanna climate 
    📍areas farther from the equator

Cameroun, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo

🌍Major ecosystems:

  • 🌳 Rainforest (Congo Basin)
  • 🌴 Tropical wetlands

🐾 Iconic species:

  • Lowland gorilla,
  • Bonobo,
  • Okapi,
  • Grey parrot

Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzanie, Ouganda, Rwanda

🐾 Iconic species:

  • Lion
  • Plains zebra
  • Wildebeest

🌦️Climates:

  • 🌾 Savanna climate
    📍Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
  • 💦 Humid tropical climate 
    📍areas near the equator (Uganda, western Kenya)
  • 🏜️ Semi-arid and arid climate
    📍Horn of Africa (Somalia, eastern Ethiopia)
  • 🏔️ Mountain climate 
    📍Mount Kilimanjaro
  • 🌴 Tropical costal climate
    📍Indian Ocean coast (Kenya, Tanzania)

🌍 Major ecosystems: 

  • 🌾 Savanna
  • ⛰️ Mountain ecosystems (e.g., Mount Kilimanjaro)

🌦️ Climates:

  • 🌿 Equatorial and humid tropical climate (south)
    📍Gulf of Guinea coast (Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria)
  • 🌾 Savanna climate: Southern
    📍Mali, Burkina Faso, northern Ghana
  • 🏜️ Sahelian climate 
    📍Sahel belt
  • 🏜️ Desert climate
    📍Northern Mali, Niger
  • 🌊 Costal climate
    📍Atlantic coast

Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria

🌍Major ecosystems: 

  • 🌴 Tropical rainforest
  • 🌾 Savanna

🐾 Iconic species:

  • Chimpanzee
  • Forest elephant
  • Hippopotamus

🌦️Climates:

  • 💦 Humid tropical climate
    📍Madagascar, Comoros
  • 🌞 Dry tropical climate
    📍Certain areas of Madagascar (west and south)
  • 🌴 Subtropical oceanic 
    📍Mauritius, Réunion
  • 🏜️ Arid climate
    📍Cape Verde

🌍 Major ecosystems: 

  • 🌴 Island rainforests
  • 🌊 Coastal and marine ecosystems

Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles, Cape Verde, Mauritius

🐾 Iconic species:

  • Ring-tailed lemur
  • Panther chameleon
  • Seychelles giant tortoise

Main African ecosystems

Learn more about these environments and many others in greater details

Iconic African Species​

Learn more about Africa’s iconic species

Black rhinoceros

Scientific name :
Diceros bicornis
Where?
Sub-Saharan Africa

IUCN status :
Critically Endangered 

African elephant

Scientific name :
Loxodonta africana
Where?
East, South and Central Africa
IUCN status :
Endangered

Endangered species in Africa

African lion

Scientific name :
Panthera leo
Where?
Sub-Saharan Africa

IUCN status :
Vulnerable

Mountain gorilla

Scientific name :
Gorilla beringei beringei
Where?  
DRC-Rwanda-Uganda borders
IUCN status :
Endangered

Find out endanger species in more details

Main threats in Africa

Ecosystems today face various pressures that threaten their balance. Understanding these threats helps us better preserve biodiversity.

Deforestation

Desertification

Habitat fragmentation

Pollution

Poaching

Understanding these challenges and possible solutions in greater detail

African's ecosystems

African savannah

Where

East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda)
Southern Africa (Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa)
West Africa (Senegal, Burkina Faso, Mali)

Iconic species

Lions
Elephants
Giraffes
Zebras ...

Ecological roles

Maintaining biodiversity
Regulating natural cycles
Combating desertification

Main Threats

Poaching and hunting
Deforestation
Climate change leading to desertification...

Conservation

National parks (Serengeti, Kruger) and nature reserves
Combating poaching and illegal trade

Tropical rainforest
(Congo Basin)

Where

Democratic Republic of Congo
Cameroon
Gabon
Central African Republic
Equatorial Guinea

Iconic species

Gorillas
Elephants
Bonobos
Okapis...

Ecological roles

Africa's green lungs
Second largest carbon sink in the world
Biodiversity reservoir

Main Threats

Deforestation (logging, agriculture,
Hunting and poaching of rare species (elephants, primates)
Forest fragmentation ...

Conservation

Creation of national parks and reserves (e.g. Salonga Park, Odzala-Kokoua Park)
UNESCO biosphere reserves

African wetlands and marshlands

African mountains and high plateaus

Explore more african ecosystems in greater details

Hotspots of biodiversity in Africa

Guinean forests of West Africa

Countries concerned

🇨🇮 Ivory Coast

🇬🇭 Ghana

🇬🇳 Guinée

🇱🇷 Liberia

🇸🇱 Sierra Leone

Ecosystems

  •  Tropical rainforests
  • Swamps
  • Enclaved savannahs

Notable species

  • West African chimpanzee
  • Pygmy hippopotamus
  • Zebra duiker

Threats

  • Deforestation for agriculture (cocoa, palm oil)
  • Poaching
  • Habitat fragmentation

Initiatives

  • Taï Reserve (Côte d’Ivoire)
  • Network of ecological corridors (WAP Complex)
  • Community reforestation programmes

Cape floristic Region

Forest of Madagascar

Explore more african hotspots in greater details

Protected areas in Africa

🌿 Serengeti National Park

  • 📍 East Africa
  • 🐾 Protects: Lions, wildebeests, zebras
  • ⭐ Significance: Annual Great Migration
  • ⚠️ Threats: Human pressure, climate change

🌿 Masai Mara National Reserve

  • 📍 Kenya
  • 🐾 Protects: savanna + large herbivores
  • ⭐ Significance: extension of the Serengeti
  • ⚠️ Threats: unregulated tourism

Find out other protected areas in Africa

To go further with us

IN OUR ECO PLATFORM YOU WILL:

✔ Learn about African ecosystems and understand their balance
✔ Identify iconic species and their role in biodiversity
✔ Explore these regions in a more mindful and respectful way

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All illustrative photos on this page come from ©Canva.com

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