What is Serengeti Symbiosis?
If you know about the experiences of domestic animals reared in captivity for different purposes, you may imagine that the lives of animals in the wild are delightful and excellent. If you perceive nature as a place of complete peace and happiness, then animals living in it without any form of human interference are living their best possible lives.
However, life in the wild can be harsh, especially for lonesome animals. Such animals desperately search for food, shelter and endure pain and the ever-present burden of death.
Due to the adverse effects that lonesome animals face in the wild, some species form unexpected close bonds and alliances for their mutual benefit.
The close associations formed by different species comes in different forms, for example, commensalism and parasitism and it turns out the Serengeti is full of such relationships.
What is Serengeti Symbiosis
Serengeti is a place of unspoilt natural brilliance and exhilarating wildlife, including millions of ungulates, thousands of lions and leopards and hundreds of cheetahs and bird species.
Serengeti symbiosis is the symbiotic relationship that exists in the nature-based destination.
Here are the main types of symbiotic relationships in the Serengeti.
Mutualism. The partner species benefit from each other.
Commensalism. One partner benefits from the actions of the other without harming or affecting the other partner.
Examples of Symbiotic Relationship in the Serengeti
Below are the different examples of symbiotic relationships that show the positive experiences available to wild animals in their life at the Serengeti.
African Elephants and Olive Baboons
Elephants are grazing animals and their eating of shrubs and small bushes helps in maintaining the Serengeti grassland habitat.
Other than maintaining the habitat, there is a behavioral symbiosis between elephants and olive baboons.
During dry seasons, elephants are forced to dig underground aquifers to find water. As they dig, olive baboons keep guard for the elephants who are wary of lion prides. The olive baboons travel in groups to amplify their whining sirens when they spot any predators.
The baboons do so in exchange for a chance to drink from the aquifers. They follow the elephants around and drink the remaining water after the elephants have quenched their thirst.
Zebras and Wildebeests
A Great Migration takes place every year between the Serengeti and Masai Mara ecosystems.
Millions of zebras, gazelles and wildebeests move in a clockwise direction between the two national parks.
The animals move in pursuit of the rains and to quench their thirst. However, the zebras and wildebeest have much more to benefit from each other than just quenching their thirst.
Safety is a major concern, especially for wildebeest and zebras. As a result, they have to devise mechanisms to survive in the Serengeti.
As they move together during the migration, the zebra uses its superior eyesight to scan for possible threats, while the wildebeest uses its strong sense of smell to avoid predators.
Also, the big size of the accumulated herds of both zebras and wildebeest lowers the possibility of individual animals being targeted by predators.
Other than safety, there are more benefits that they get by working together. Zebras have a good memory capacity and can retrace the route from the previous migration. This helps wildebeest from going astray.
As part of the symbiosis, the wildebeest use their adept ability to find water for both species during dry seasons.
Moreover, as much as they are both herbivores, they do not compete for food. Zebras prefer taller grass while wildebeests feed on shorter grass.
The lack of competition and the mutual benefit form an almost perfect complementary pairing.
Warthogs and Mongooses
Mongooses devour annoying ticks off the bodies of suffering warthogs.
In the process of getting snacks, the small carnivores offer grooming services to the warthogs.
The warthogs of Serengeti lie down in the presence of banded mongooses. In turn, the mongooses inspect their bodies for ticks and go as far as climbing on top of the warthogs to gain access to more parasites.
The relationship is a rare example of Serengeti symbiosis. As the warthogs get a cleaning the mongooses get sacks!
Ants and Whistling Thorn Acacia
The relationship between the two species is mutual and vital to the maintenance of biological diversity of the Serengeti.
The ants protect whistling-thorn Acacia trees from herbivores, such as giraffes. In turn, the trees produce hollow thorns that house and provide nesting spaces for the ants and secrete nectar at the base of the leaves.
The nectar is rich in carbohydrates and the ants use it as a reliable and sustainable form of sustenance.
Oxpeckers and Ungulates
Oxpeckers hitch rides on zebras, rhinos, giraffes, and wildebeest and in the process eat ticks and other parasites that live on the skin of their four-legged companions. As they get their food, they help in controlling pests among the herbivores.
Also, when the mammals are in danger, the bird flies upward and screams to sound a warning which helps them to flee to safety.
The ungulates tolerate the birds in their pest control approach which might at times involve opening old wounds.
Humans and Honeyguides
The honeyguide is an African bird species found in the northern part of the East African country. It guides human-honey hunters to the bees’ nests.
The honeyguides know the location of the bee nests and they enjoy eating beeswax but are afraid of the bees’ defense.
They guide humans who subdue the bees using smoke and open the wild beehives stashed in tree cavities.
The symbiosis between the two species involves working together to locate the beehives, overcome the defenses by the bees and gain access.
The humans get sugar-rich honey while the honeyguides get the beeswax and the larvae rich in calories.
Conclusion
The natural need for animals to survive makes life in the wild very harsh for some animals. For example, the occurrence of predation demonstrates widespread animal suffering. As a result, some animals form close mutual bonds that have evolved through natural selection. Such bonds exist in the Serengeti and show the possibility of positive baseline experience that keeps the species alive and motivated. Embrace the Wildlife Harmony! Contact us to book your unforgettable adventure now and witness nature's perfect balance in the Serengeti Symbiosis.