Human Impacts

Humans have taken advantage of savannas through agriculture, cattle grazing, poaching, and fire. Because humans have used the land for their own needs, animals lose their natural habitat.  Not only do humans take land, but they destroy and pollute it through the use of fossil fuels, fertilizer, irrigation, and monoculture. These practices all lead to the changing landscape of the savanna as well as the loss of several species of animals and plants. Moreover, the cattle grazing that has come to dominate this ecosystem has led to overgrazing. The more livestock there is in an area, the more overgrazing that occurs--which directly affects the savanna. While cattle grazing affects the vegetation and water available, poaching results in the extinction of several species of animals. By depleting the numbers of important species in the environment, humans are endangering the whole ecosystem. Hence, the savanna begins to change and can no longer fulfill the needs of its inhabitants. Fire, on the other hand, is an essential component to savannas. Although fires are necessary to maintain the balance of the ecosystem, humans tend to inhibit and restrain them. Without fires, this ecosystem can change drastically and no longer have the characteristics pertinent to savannas. Even though the Serengeti had these problems in the past, it no longer has as many negative impacts. This is due to the government declaring the area as a National Park in the 1950s. Even with huge improvements in the area, poaching continues to be the main concern.

Overgrazing

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Poaching in Serengeti

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