Hi, today I will be doing a summary on Mzima's springs from the National Geographic magazine collection (1971, volume 140). Mzima is a place in Kenya with springs that attract life. Let's begin.
MZIMA, KENYA'S SPRING OF LIFE: Mzima's springs attract hundreds of animals. These springs give hippos a place to hide from the sun or crocodiles a place to ambush unwary prey. It also gives animals a place to drink water. Some animals drink with confidence but others are ever wary of predators like crocodiles and lions. o you might be wondering why Mzima has so many springs with large amounts of water.
Well rising 4000 feet distant volcanic mounds collect most of the rain. The water seeps through porous ash until it reaches bedrock. Then it flows some 25 miles to Mzima gushing at 50 million gallons a day! That's enough to sustain hundreds of animals.
Mzima's smallest animals are actually important. Frogs eat insects while birds eat the ticks on hippos
In this summary there are 4 animals I want to talk about. The first one is the hippo. Hippos stay underwater to escape heat. They weigh 2 tons and have upper teeth for stripping grass. Their lower teeth are for fighting. These animals may fight cows to protect their young. Their tusks can be fatal to people. However, lions hunt young hippos.
The second is the crocodile. They actually help maintain the quality of animal life in Mzima. They are efficient eliminators of the weak and feed on anything. They also hunt anything but the largest animals.
Otters are a water cousin of the weasel. It is nimble on land and swims with grace. They hunt fish but can attract competition. After and otter hunts, birds like eagles may be attracted. They will steal away food from the otters.
Pythons are huge and powerful, capable of choking and killing a man. They are 14 feet long and move slowly except when coiling and striking. It prefers land but enters water for ambush. For all of its strength it falls prey to Mzima's crocodiles.
Conclusion: Mzima is a place with beautiful springs, dangerous animals and a balance of life. If we come in and start coming to this place chopping trees and driving out animals then this balance will be disturbed and Mzima will fall.
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