Let’s go on Safari and see some of our animal friends in Africa! Do not forget to take some photos!
African Animals Yoga
Baboons (Monkey: Crouching down, super still we count 1,2,3 before leaping up like a little monkey into the air) are some of the world’s largest monkeys. Like other old-world monkeys, they do not have prehensile tails. But they can climb trees to sleep, eat. They spend much of their time on the ground. They eat fruits, grasses, seeds, roots, but also have a taste for meat. They eat birds, rodents.
Cheetahs (Tiger: Coming on all fours, claw out with one arm forwards and the opposite back paw/leg at the same time) are the fastest land animal in the world. They have a pale-yellow coat with black dots on the upper parts and are white on the underbelly. These fierce animals hunt during the day to avoid competition from other powerful predators such as lions, hyenas and leopards. Sadly, they are threatened by loss of habitat and prey, as well as conflict with humans.
Elephants (Elephant: Standing with your legs out wide, stick one arm out in front of your nose to be your trunk. Lift your trunk all the way up to the sky; then swing it down between your legs as you make a huge elephant trumpet sound) are the world’s largest land animal. They are known for their large ears, tusks made of ivory and their trunks. African elephants have large ears shaped like the continent of Africa while Asian elephants’ ears are smaller and shaped like India. Elephant tusks never stop growing, so enormous tusks can be a sign of an old elephant. They spend between 12 to 18 hours eating grass, plants and fruit every single day.
Giraffes (Giraffe: Standing tall, we reach our hands up tall, making a long giraffe neck and start walking with your long giraffe legs.) are found in the dry savannas of Africa, where they roam among the open plains and woodlands. They are the world’s tallest living land animals, taller than three adult humans. They only eat plants, but they do not drink much water. This is because they get most of their water from their leafy meals. In the wild, these beautiful creatures live for around 25 years.
Grey crowned cranes (Bird: Standing up, bend forward from your middle, keeping your back long and straight. Your arms become your wings floating up and down at your sides as you fly) have gray bodies, white wings with brown and gold feathers. Most strikingly, a spray of stiff golden feathers forms a crown around their heads. They can be found in mixed wetland/grassland habitats in eastern and southern Africa. They forage grass seeds, small toads, insects, and other invertebrates.
Hippos (Child Pose: Sit on your heels, slowly bring your forehead down to rest in front of your knees, rest your arms down alongside your body) are large semi-aquatic mammals with a large barrel shaped body, short legs, a short tail and an enormous head. They can weigh up 3,200kg. To stay cool in the African heat, hippos spend most of their day in rivers and lakes. They eat mostly grass. Despite their enormous size, they are great swimmers. In the wild, they live for around 40 years.
Hyenas (Cat: On all fours, round your back up, then down.) have a sandy, ginger colored coat with black markings on their body and legs. Of our planet’s three different species, the spotted hyena is the most common. They have a reputation for eating the leftovers of other predators. They often hunt in groups and can take down big animals. Equipped with a super-strong jaw and teeth, they can chomp through every part of their victim, including the bones!
Lions (Lion: Kneeling up, hands wide, stick out your tongue and roar) usually live in groups of 10 or 15 animals called prides. An adult male’s roar can be heard up 8km away. A female lion needs 5kg of meat a day. A male needs 7kg or more a day. In the wild, lions live for an average of 12 years and up to 16 years. The name for a baby lion is a cub, or lionet.
Meerkats (Kneeling: Stand on your knees, open your chest, reach up to the moon) live in the deserts and grasslands of the southern tip of Africa. They are super cute with bushy, brown striped fur, a small pointed face and large eyes surrounded by dark patches. Their favorite foods are beetles, caterpillars, spiders and scorpions. They also eat small reptiles, birds, eggs, fruit and plants.
Rhinos (Cow: On all fours, round your back up and then down) are some of the biggest animals in world, which can weigh 2,500kg. They don’t prey on other animals for food. They like to eat grass and plants. During the heat of the day, they like sleeping in the shade or wallowing in muddy pools to cool off. Mud protects their skin from the strong sun. They are known for their giant horns that grow from their snouts – hence the name “rhinoceros”, meaning “nose horn”.
Springboks (Deer: Sitting tall, legs out long, we bend one knee up. We hug that knee, then placing our hand behind us, bring our other elbow round to the outside of the knee, looking back over our shoulder) are in the same family as antelope and goats. They are slender antelopes with long legs and necks. Both sexes of springboks have horns. They are herd animals, eating grass and leaves. They can go for a long time without drinking water because they get enough moisture from leaves.
Warthogs (Horse: One knee down, one knee up. Lift and join your hands up high above your head), with four tusks and large shovel-shaped heads, look fierce, but often avoid fighting predators such as lions, cheetahs, or hyenas by running away. Unlike many of their African counterparts, they are not endangered because they are skilled at adapting new threats.
You can also combine this yoga flow with a lovely story of Monkey the King, which takes place in a forest.