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| Recognize this Acacia tree? It's the iconic tree in the Disney movie, The Lion King. |
One of the most iconic trees in East Africa is the Acacia, known commonly as acacia, thorntree, whistling thorn, or wattle. It is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae. There's about 800 species of Acacias worldwide (over 600 indigenous to Australia) but they are especially numerous on the plains of southern and eastern Africa, where they are well-known landmarks on the veld and savanna. Some are found in very dry conditions and other where there is a high water table.
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| Iconic Acacia tree. |
Acacias have extremely thorny branches which make them a serious hazard when hiking. Giraffes eat their leaves and are known to have particularly durable lips in order for them to cope with the thorns. Another awesome wildlife interaction is the way that shrikes (bird species) uses the thorns to tear apart its prey.
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