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Sunset over the wooded grassland.
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The dry season here can be extremely harsh. The habitat is commonly referred to as Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thicket. Species of Acacia and Commiphora dominate the landscape and although they vary, words that come to mind describing the habitat are words like, "robust, harsh, tough, and gnarly". The dry season forces trees to adapt and they do not just adapt to the weather. Elephants and other wildlife frequently consume the bark and even the trunks of trees in a search for moisture. Most of the species are very slow growing, full of thorns or spines, and are generally unfriendly!
I have personally grown to love the environment though in the dry season one must start and finish excursions early in the day. In stark contrast to the rainy season, where there are critters everywhere, vast areas in the dry season can appear completely lifeless. Still, if you keep your eyes peeled you can see some pretty cool stuff. It's exciting to find new plants, insects and other flora and fauna that have adapted to flowering, breeding, or other activities during the harshest time of the year.
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Wooded grassland, these trees are neither Acacia nor Commiphoras but you can see the have similar features.
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A burned grassland in a commiphora woodland.
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| This is one of my favorite flowering trees, Sesamothamnus busseanus. It flowers in the dry season and these white flowers stand out. |
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Commiphora woodland. They are very slow growing trees.
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Acacia trees on a dried riverbank.
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