Our teachers - the animals
The African Wild Dog
African
wild dogs live in tightly knit social groups. Sleeping through the heat
of the day, the dogs greet each other effusively upon waking. They hunt cooperatively, preying primarily on grazing animals such as gazelles, springboks, wildebeest and zebras. Most predators stalk or ambush their prey, but these animals make no attempt to hide.
They simply approach a herd until it stampedes, then single out an individual -- usually one that's slowed by old age or disease -- and chase it until it's exhausted. The dogs are swift, tireless runners. They've been known to chase prey for an hour, for as far as three and a half miles
Lion 
Lion
prides are flat structures made up individuals who are equal in status
and powerful in their own right. Each member derives benefit from belonging
to a team of equally powerful members who can combine their forces to
good affect when motivated to achieve the same goals. Although the whole pride will congregate together this team will also form subgroups or pride members will operate independently depending on the challenges confronting them.
Impala 
The
impala’s social organization allows it to adapt to prevailing
environmental conditions. When food is plentiful, males become territorial,
shepherding females about their land. In dry periods, territories are
abandoned as herds must travel farther to find food. Large, mixed tranquil
herds of females and males form. A surprised impala herd will leap in a seemly unorganized "explosion". However, close observation shows that this reaction actually helps keep the herd together, eventually establishing a general flight path. Initially, an individual impala leaps up, casting about from left to right, which tends to bring individuals into contact with each other.
High jumps into the air also allow impalas to release signals from the fetlock scent gland in mid-air. This scent is easier for a rapidly running impala to pick up than one left on the ground.
African Elephant
This team lives a harmonious, cohesive, migratory life. A closely bonded
team that rest, move and feed together and share care for their young.
The core team consists of related females with their young - average ten. Elephants survive as a direct result of the care and support provided to the sick, young, old and injured, that left alone would have died.
The role of each team member is clear, from leader to rear guard, with the young in between. If the team need to move in the opposite direction, the leader and rear guard swap roles. If the group has more mums, they will keep order amongst the youngest members.
Giraffe 
Giraffe
form scattered herds, the compositions of which are constantly changing.
Although gregarious, the individual is the social unit in giraffe society.
Young bulls determine dominance with "necking displays". Unknown nomadic males may stimulate serious fighting with sledgehammer blows being exchanged, using the side of the head. Dominant males father most of the young.
Calves are born in special calving grounds from a standing female, thus dropping some 6 feet to the ground. They can stand on wobbly legs about five minutes after birth and begin to feed about 20 minutes later. Groups of calves may be found together waiting for their mothers to come by to nurse.
White Rhino 
The
white rhino is more placid and sociable than other species, often forming
into small groups. So large and powerful are these animals they must
give way only to the elephant; nevertheless, their young sometimes fall
victim to lions. The major threat to their existence, however, has been from man who, over the years, has slaughtered them by the thousands, sometimes to make way for civilization, and in other cases, in the mistaken belief that their horns possessed the power of an aphrodisiac.
In Asia the rhinoceros is close to extinction. a group of rhino will stand back to back to cover the widest angle of attack.
Warthog 
Warthogs
live in family groups of a female and her young. Sometimes two families,
often of related females, will join together. Males normally live by
themselves, only joining the groups to mate. Warthogs sleep and rest in holes. Although they can excavate, warthogs normally use those dug by other animals, like aardvarks. The shelter a hole provides is important for warthog thermoregulation - having neither fur nor fat, the warthog lacks both protection from the sun and insulation from cold. Sometimes warthogs will line their holes with grass, probably to make them warmer.
Cheetah 
The
cheetah's thin muscular body make this cat the swiftest hunter in Africa.
Covering 7-8 meters in a stride, with only one foot touching the ground
at a time, the cheetah can reach a speed of 110 km/h in seconds. At
two points in the stride, no feet touch the ground. Cheetahs hunt in the late morning and early evening. They capture their prey by stalking - until they prey is within 10-30 meters - before chasing. The prey is suffocated when a cheetahs bites the underside of the throat. Chases last about 20 seconds, and rarely longer then 1 minute.
