TIMERIDEHistorical Blog
The Savanna – A Global Habitat
by Astrid-Kristin Linne von Berg on July 21, 2026
Not just in Africa
Many of us associate the word “savanna” with the African continent—with herds of elephants roaming, lions hunting, and zebras grazing beneath scattered umbrella acacias. But savannas exist all over the world! They make up between 13–18% of our planet’s total land area. The type of vegetation and climate is what all savannas have in common: scattered trees and shrubs on a continuous expanse of grassland, usually with two distinct seasons—the rainy season and the dry season. And yet, despite these similarities, there are many differences!
In this blog post, we’ll focus on savannas around the world and examine how they differ across the various continents. We’ll also explore the role of humans in these ecosystems, both positive and negative.
Brazil
In the center of Brazil, extending into Paraguay and Bolivia, lie the so-called Cerrados, the South American wet savannas. Along with the Amazon Rainforest, they are the second-largest contiguous habitat in Brazil. You won’t find large mammals such as elephants and rhinos here. The Cerrados are characterized above all by their rich flora—and many of these plants are endemic, meaning they are found exclusively in this habitat. Of course, there are also animals here, such as the anteater, the maned wolf, and the jaguar.
Madagascar
Madagascar is a very special case among savannas: its original megafauna—particularly large animal species—did not disappear until about 1,000 years ago. By comparison, the largest mammals of South America and Australia went extinct between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago. Why is this important? This fact forms the basis for a highly controversial debate about the age of Madagascar’s grassland savanna. One theory suggests that Madagascar’s grassland savannas consist of primeval vegetation that was shaped by the native megafauna and natural fires. However, recent studies call this theory into question. Researchers believe that with the extinction of the Malagasy megafauna—which included, among others, giant tortoises, hippos, and giant lemurs—the vegetation also underwent significant changes. Where forests had previously dominated Madagascar’s highlands, they were decimated by slash-and-burn agriculture following the arrival of humans, and grasses spread to serve as food for livestock.
Supporters of the first theory want to lift such a fire ban in protected areas and expand livestock grazing. The IUCN—the International Union for Conservation of Nature—warns, however, that fire-driven deforestation is threatening up to 98% of native lemur species with extinction. This would therefore have exactly the opposite effect: altering the natural state of the savanna.
Australia
About one-fifth of Australia’s land area consists of savannas, which stretch in a broad arc from the northwest to the east. They form the transition zones between the tropical dry forests on the north coast and the mountain range to the east. Here, the evergreen eucalyptus trees are one of the main visual features!
Even more so than in other savannas around the world, so-called fire management is an essential factor in the natural life cycle of plants and animals in Australia. It may sound contradictory at first, but the Aboriginal people—Australia’s indigenous population—have been practicing what is known as “cultural burning” for 60,000 years. Smaller areas of grassland are burned in a mosaic pattern. The ash introduces new nutrients into the soil. Fresh shoots grow and serve as food for smaller animals. Other areas are left untouched, and the tall grass remains as a hiding place for the animals.
In addition, controlled fire management also has climate benefits, as these so-called “cool fires” produce less CO2 than large-scale forest fires that burn for weeks on end—one of the many reasons why there is a growing trend today to return to this type of human intervention in nature.
TIMERIDESavanna VR
In our XR experience, we’ll take you on a journey through the East African savanna, home to the Serengeti National Park. This region is characterized above all by its severe droughts, during which the savanna’s inhabitants have one thing on their minds: the search for water. To do so, they travel thousands of kilometers across the Serengeti in search of new sources of water and food—thus creating one of the world’s greatest natural spectacles: the Great Migration. If you’d like to gain a deeper insight into the African savanna, you can visit our new TIMERIDE Savanna VR experience in the Old Elephant House at the Cologne Zoo starting July 24, 2026, and discover the savanna and its inhabitants in a whole new way.
Studied art history at the University of Cologne, where she focused on the art market, building and monument conservation and early modern art history. However, her heart beats above all for costume and theater history, which is why she is motivated by the fact that the TIMERIDE locations are not only a place of living history in virtual reality, but also in real life.
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