inspiration
the tiniest creatures
can hold the greatest power
to sustain
the wild
In Southern Africa, there are a handful of species that are crucial to keeping our landscapes in balance. Like elephants, whose sheer size and strength allow them to fundamentally alter the landscape on a literal level – carving a physical path through the terrain, digging waterholes, and opening up pathways to clear areas for other animals to access and grass to grow. Hippos, too, can physically change the environment they live in – particularly in regions where water forms a central part of the landscape, like the Okavango Delta. Their presence and movement dictate the location and direction of the pathways and channels in the delta, which decides the flow of water.
And, in the wild, all follows water. The tiny can play a critical role too. Nurturing the soil, termites labour under the ground, unseen, to keep it healthy. And while they seem small, consider this – more vegetation biomass is used by termites than all the mammal species combined. Their work puts nutrients back into the soil and aerates it, reduces dead vegetation, which helps reduce the fire risk, makes space for new growth, and provides homes for animals like aardvarks, mongooses, and snakes. Each biome has its own keystone species, without which the delicate balance would falter. When next you’re out in the wilderness, consider that some of most critical role players might not even be obvious to the eye.
Right The unseen engineer, termites provide homes for animals like aardvarks and mongooses, and offer a higher vantage point.
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