ExtinctZoo - The Largest Savanna On Earth Is Not In Africa

Episode Date: May 6, 2026

Brazil’s Cerrado might be the stranger, wilder, and more overlooked savanna hiding in plain sight.

Spotify, it's Jay Shetty. Are you one of those media strategy people? Scrolling through spreadsheets, searching for an audience that pays twice as much attention to your ads than they do on social? Let me introduce you to fans. And they're here with me on Spotify. Trust me, I know fans. They don't skip. They stay for hours.

They don't move on. They manifest. They're not a demographic group. They're fans. Spotify advertising. You're among fans. Ah, the African savanna, an expansive region that is arguably Earth's most iconic type of biome, being home to many of the planet's most famous creatures, as well as the birthplace

of the Serengeti, a sub-region of this massive sprawl that alone is larger than the state of Connecticut, and home to a near-callous amount of animals, while also being one of the most diverse places on Earth when it comes to megafaunal mammals. And because of how famous it is, and the African savanna in general, the word savanna often goes hand in hand with a continent of Africa. But in reality, a savanna can be found anywhere. After all, all a savanna is, is an environment where woodland and grassland are mixed, and that the trees are spaced widely enough so their canopy doesn't close up.

And thus, worldwide, you'll find many others besides the African savannah. And amazingly, there is even one savannah out there, not on the African continent, that not only beats the Serengetian animal diversity, but is also vastly larger. And the crazy part is, you've likely never even heard of it. But today, you will. And this is the Sahadu. It is within the central region of Brazil where you would find this vast tropical savannah, which spans for a shocking amount of distance, encompassing nearly 2 million square kilometers

of land, meaning that if it was its own country, it would literally be the 13th largest on the planet, edging out the likes of Mexico. It's also an extremely fertile and bountiful land, where the climate is fairly reasonable, with the average temperature hovering between 22 and 27 degrees Celsius, or 71 and 8 degrees Fahrenheit, while the precipitation averages between 80 and 200 centimeters annually for over 90% of all the Sahadu. So while it does have a distinct dry season, the amount of rainfall here overall is still quite high, and is partially the reason why this savanna is the most biologically diverse of all savannas, at least when it comes to plant diversity, boasting over 10,000

various flora species, with 37% of them literally only being found here, truly making it a one-of-a-kind environment. But it's not like this savannah is just one giant mixing pot of plants, as a mosaic system is taken root here, no pun intended, with the land shifting in an environment and the dominant flora type changing as you move along, resulting in each local area being pretty unique in its lonesome. Although, that said, there are a few trees that still hyperdominate the region, accounting for large amounts of the total flora, with the main players being the Vakisaeaeae, Mirtasi, Melpaheasy, meertaisi, and oakenasy. And what's interesting with the plants here isn't just the total variety, as compared to elsewhere, these plants are

also very ancient, with many of the plants tracing back, at least in prototypic form, to the Cretaceous period, when Brazil and the rest of South America was still attached to Africa, making the Sahadu in some ways, a true lost world. And its almost magical nature is only empowered by another key trait about it, which is there's a lot of water. You see, the Sahadu is actually informally known as the cradle of waters, possessing unique hydrological cycle that consists of 8 to 12 major water basins within South America, as well as a large amount of high altitude waterfalls and normal rivers, resulting the Sahadu

being a haven for life. And life, there is a lot of. So much so that along with being the most diverse savanna and plant diversity, it is also the most diverse when it comes to not just mammals, but reptiles too. And sure, nearly every place as mammals and reptiles, yet the ones found in Sahadu are like the Serengetis, in the sense that they are extremely exotic. What's more is that just like the Serengeti, is Sahadu has its very own Big Five Animals, and one of them is certainly a very strong contender for the strangest megafaunal land animal on the planet. And that would be Mirmecophagia,

tridactyla, also known as the giant ant eater. When you look at the skull of one of these guys, it's seriously hard to imagine that such a thing really exists. And yet, in the Sahadu, it does, and in great numbers of that, with the savannah being home to the most giant anteaters in the entire world, with the population of over 10,000 strong, and very hard to miss. And this is because there are surprisingly large creatures that can measure up to 7 feet or 2.1 meters long, which is longer than the average NBA player is tall,

while also weighing as much as a large male Kane Corso, making them the biggest living anteater and the biggest member of Pelosa, the order to which they belong to, which contains ant-eaters and their closest relatives, the sloths, which, by the way, have also been recorded in the Sahadu as well, but much more rarely due to their dependence on trees. Now, both animals being Pelosins are also Xenarthins, a superorder of mammals native to South America that were once much more diverse and widespread, but are now quite limited in terms of variety. Yet, of the ones that we could have potentially kept, I have to admit that the giant ant eater is a pretty good one, as almost nothing is normal about it. It's obviously quite the

A striking animal, thanks to its very bushy tail, colored fur that takes on the eerie shape of a second head, and then of course it's elongated snout, which makes it the icon that it is. And looking at this thing, you might start thinking that their head is actually some sort of deformity, but really it's just an adaptation for their highly specialized lifestyle. In over millions of years, these schools have narrowed and elongated into a tube-like shape and have lost all their teeth, all to benefit their unique sole eating tool, their tongues. And surprise, surprise, these guys have extremely long tongues. longer than a ruler, spaghetti-shaped, as well as highly sticky, and not to mention backed by powerful

muscles that allow them to shoot the tongue in and out at a rates of the 160 times per minute, turning their tongue into a biological mini-gun of sorts. And the purpose? To terrorize ants and other insects. Giant ant-eaters are, as their name implies, insectivores, who primarily eat ants or termites, but are known to chow down on other bugs as well. And to support their large bodies, they will travel far and wide every day to ravage up to 200 nests and hives, which they do so with help the large formidable claws that can rake these structures apart and thus exposing the inhabitants. And after that, it's game over. And each adult can consume up to 35,000 insects a day, or over 12 million bugs a year. That's a pretty good KD ratio, if you ask me. And even though they have

been designed specifically to prey on bugs, their claws still make them formidable to other animals, being capable of inflicting deep puncture wounds and severing major arteries, where there are actually being cases where people have been killed after having their femoral artery cut. So yeah, they can handle themselves. And yet, with that said, one of the other big five can still score up with it, and does so rather regularly, despite all the risks. And this would of course be the king of the Sahadu, the Jaguar. Now, I'm sure to most of you, the Jaguar is a bit more familiar, as it is a well-known predator from many parts of South America. But the Sahadu, that is a stronghold for the big cat, being home to the second largest population after the Amazon. It is also the largest terrestrial

predator in the Sahadu, growing up to 1.85 meters or 6 foot 1 inches, and weighing up to 158 kilograms or 348 pounds, making them the third largest cat behind tigers and lions. And most of them are adorned with a classic striking pattern that we've all come to know, but certain individuals do have a black melanistic pattern that results from a genetic mutation, which when that occurs, we often call them panthers instead. Mutation or not, though, all the jaguars of the Sahadu still retain a razor-sharp-retractable claws that allow them to firmly grasp prey after having sprung an ambush, using their rich patterns to blend it with the vegetation. And once they get you, things do not end well, as they will kill you with the most unique technique of all the big cats,

and that is by biting straight through your skull right into your brain, and thus killing things instantly. And they're able to do this thanks to extremely robust and powerful jaw muscles that allow them to bite the hardest of all big cats, with some studies registering 2,000 pounds per square inch, which is double that of a line despite being quite a bit smaller. And because of this power, they are capable of taking down virtually every animal in the Sahadu, regardless of their size. And this includes another one of the Big Five that is actually even larger than the jaguar, being the heaviest trestural animal in these parts, and that is the elephant equivalent to the environment. The Taper. Like the giant ant eater, this is one of the more unusual

and exotic-looking megafauna we still have around. And it's not hard to see why, as the taper literally looks like a mix between a pig and some sort of elephant, due to its short yet highly flexible and prehensile snout. Now, they're quite shy of humans, and in certain laws keep them rather inaccessible, which is why you don't have to see them alongside people, besides also their location. And thus, many don't know how truly big these guys can get. With adults sometimes weighing as much as 320 kilograms or 710 pounds and measuring over 8 feet long, tail not included.

So yeah, they're bigger than lions, just for reference. However, despite actually looking large, tapers are in fact heavier than you'd expect given their volume. And the reason for this is that they possess quite a robust skeleton and sport exceedingly thick skin, especially in the back of their necks and around the face, which is, as you might guess, in order to protect against predators. And from a self-defense perspective, tapers also possess a surprisingly strong bite force, which is strong enough to at least inflict catastrophic injuries to humans.

And we know this based on a rather interesting event, no which a farmer attacked the taper with a knife. And this taper was not even that big, it was medium-sized. And despite receiving numerous stab wounds from the farmer, it was still able to deliver enough bites that by the end of the scuffle, both human and taper were dead. Yeah. However, though it obviously has a wicked bite, the tapers ultimately herbivore, not a predator,

who uses its mobile node to tear various vegetation and maneuver the food straight into its mouth, kind of like an elephant. And having a huge schnauz also has some other benefits too, as it gives them a great sense of smell, and also doubles as a snorkel whilst they're swimming, which they're by the way excellent at, and they are known to leap into water while threatened. This said, though, there are still quite fast runners on land if they need to be, and are well known from a great at scaling a variety of terrains, including rugged ground in record time. And while it's immense size might not always deter Jaguars,

it does prevent most animals from preying upon it, including the fourth of the Big Five, the main wolf. Now, unlike what you'd expect, given the name, this is not a wolf, and it's not a fox either, in spite of its fox-like coloration. Instead, the main wolf is the only living species of the Chryso-Sion genus, meaning the golden dog, and it is the most common wild canine within the sun. Visit BetMGM Casino and check out the newest exclusive, Price is right fortune pick. BetMDM and GameSense remind you to play responsibly.

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It prefers establishing its home and areas of scattered bushes and trees and lives a crepuscular lifestyle, being mostly active during the twilight period. And as you can probably see, it's quite the unusual canine in terms of its body plan, having a short body but very long legs, an adaptation that helps them stand above the abundant tall grass in the Sahadu without having to be very large themselves. And overall, the main wolf actually isn't that big, especially when compared to other continents, large canids, with it also on average weighing the same as a bulldog. And yet, despite that, thanks to their legs, they are the tallest of all wild canids. And given this light and a bit wonky build, they don't hunt large animals, instead preferring small to medium-sized

animals, such as rodents, rabbits, birds, and reptiles, and in some cases even aquatic prey, such as gastropods and fish. They are also extremely nimble hunters, being capable of not only chasing speedy animals down, but also literally catching birds mid-flight. Scavenging is also on the menu as well, no pun intended. And while they won't pass up a protein-rich meal, the main wolf is actually an omnivore. And in fact, not only is it an omnivore, just one fruit alone accounts for 40 to 90% of its entire diet. And it's an apple, the wolf apple, which like the maimed wolf is a rather confusing name, considering it's not an apple and is actually more tomato-like.

But regardless, this stuff is like catnip for these guys, and they will actually search for a year-round, also being the main way the seed of the fruit are dispersed. And it's seriously important that these guys eat their veggies. As on trickly meat diets, maind wolves are known to develop bladder stones, which are obviously not fun. And other unique tidbits about this false wolf is that they have an excellent sense to smell and then even more amazing ability to hear thanks to very large ears, which helps them stay alert to even the quietest sounds of prey and potential threats.

And because of this, if you were in the Sahadu, you probably would not run into a main wolf, but you might smell one, as they are known to communicate and mark the territory with urine, which in this case is characterized by a distinct weed-like smell, which is a result of pyrozene which is also found in cannabis too. So, I guess you could say this guy's pretty chill, which is just like the last of the Sahadu's Big Five, in fact. The Giant Armadillo. Similar to its fellow giant ant eater, this creature is a Xanarthin, only belongs to another

family, the Clamiphoridae, which contains modern and extinct armadillos, including the once massive glypidons. That could reach the size of small cars, and lived with the Sahadu apparently is as well. And while the giant armadillo is not nearly as large as these guys were, it has retained some of that size, at least, being the largest living armadillo, with record specimens sometimes weighing a staggering 80 kilograms or 180 pounds, making a large of the large than the average person while also measuring over five feet long. And the pretty obvious reason why it weighs so much is due to its armor, that covers a good chunk of its body and is composed

of a thick shell of osteoderms, which are then covered by keratinous scales, giving it a fairly impenetrable defense. And in their case, it's much thicker and robust than the armor seen in normal armadillos. Yet a drawback to this is unlike its kin, the giant armadillo can actually not roll up into a complete ball, only be able to do this partially. And to perhaps make up for this lapse and flexibility, the armadillo does have proportionally the largest frontal claws of any land mammal, which allows it to per our lightning speed in order to escape from predators when the armor just won't cut it. And these claws also doubles a great way to forage for its main source of food, which, like its Saharu, distant cousins, is termites and ants, with these guys often consuming the entire

population of a termite mound in one go. So makes me think I should have sent one of these guys to my house instead of an exterminator. Probably could have saved a bit of money. And to a lesser degree, they have also been spotted eating larger items such as worms, spiders, plants, and get this, even snakes. Yeah, snakes, which they dispatched with their claws before devouring with their up to 100 teeth, which is, by the way, the most of any known land mammal. Within the Sahadu, they tend to stick to the most open areas and prefer to get active during the night, making them one of the trickier of the big five to spot.

And with it, we also complete the pentology. But truthfully, these five only make a drop in the ocean that is the Sahadu, as it has thousands of species overall, many of which are just as unique as the Big Five. For starters, there is not just one, but multiple non-human primates to choose from, with at least seven species of monkeys being known of, including the Black Haller monkey, black tufted marmoset, and multiple types of Capuchins. Obviously, because the Sahadu is a savannah with little trees, the diversity here is as it as strong as the Amazon rainforest, but I dare say the individual troops are much more interesting than Sahadu, especially those of the Capuchins. And in recent years,

scientists have realized that Capuchins in particular have been adapting to the Sahadu landscape, spending more time on the ground instead of trees and using a variety of tools to improve their standing, including, by the way, stone tools, with one study even claiming that the Capuchins of the grassland have been in their own kind of stone age for about 3,000 years. And though perhaps not as smart, but still crafty and human-like in their own way, these parts are also home to a variety of parrots, including the hyacinth macaw, a deeply rich blue parrot that lays claim to the largest parrot on the entire planet by certain measurements, which is partially why it also has a seriously large and powerful beak.

That's capable of cracking coconuts, macadamia nuts, and probably a finger as well, if you're unlucky. And similar to the Capuchins, they too have shown signs of tool use, albeit much more rarely, with the main presentation of this coming from pieces of wood and leaves, which they will use to hold nuts in place while they bite at them. So, a cool bird, no doubt, and the Sahadu is actually full of cool birds, some of which looked like they came straight out of Jurassic Park, like the Greater Rio, the biggest native bird in South America. Now, it is a flailist type of bird, which kind of looks a bit like an ostrich, but comes from its very

own separate order, and is a common sight in the savannah thanks to their tall build and bulk, with each adults usually weighing between 20 and 27 kilos or 40 and 60 pounds. Many of them stand up to 5 foot 7 inches, but the tallest can even measure 6 feet and weigh a bit more, so around 183 centimeters. And this height allows them to effortlessly peer over the tall grass and spot the yummies, which in their case is quite a bit, where the greater Ria's diet consisting of foliage, insects, scorpions, fish, rodents, reptiles, and even other birds. And these guys flock together, even during the non-breeding season,

and can form groups to 100s strong. And, uh, if you see them running at you, you better start running as well, as greater Rias can be exceptionally territorial. And then you have the smaller, but even more ancient, and those are also a common sight too, being the sole survivors of the karamia forms, and are a fun fact, actually related to the extinct terabirds that once ruled these lands.

And while not to the same degree of the terabirds, they do terrorize animals like their ancestors, using their sharp and curved beak to feed upon insects, frogs, rodents, birds, snakes. And so at this point, it may seem like snakes are getting lit up in the Sahadu. And while there are many animals that prey on them, they aren't exactly pushovers here either. And they do just fine in the savannah, and are in fact one of the most common reptiles, period. Over 200 species of snake called this region home, with multiple groups like vipers and the coral snakes being quite venomous.

And when I say quite, I mean very, making every step a fun little gamble in the savannah. And then this place is also seasonally visited by larger non-venomous snakes too, including the green anaconda, the heaviest and whitest snake on the entire planet, and obviously more than capable in grappling a person into their doom. Now, they tend to live in areas of the savannah that get flooded when the wet season starts, but frankly, even just knowing that they are out there, it's a pretty strong reason for me to not want to take a hike here, at least not alone. In a similar situation is also seen with another renowned group of, let's say, infamous animals, spiders, which are even more diverse in the Sahadu, with one study strictly limited to grass, finding over 100 different species, while another that looked at the area around water sources, found 300 species. And then on top of that, lizards, rodents, other armadillos, bovines, and many, many more animals

all this place home as well. So, it can get pretty darn lively. And don't forget, this is all only talking about life in the actual savannah. we haven't even got to the waterways that harbor their own little worlds. And remember, the nickname for this place is a cradle of waters for a reason. And in some ways, the water is even more chaotic than above, housing some pretty devious animals, including a multitude of crocodilians. And as you get closer to the Amazon, they'll find an increasing number of Kamens,

with several species being known to the area. And across the board, these Kamens greatly range in size, some being the size of a shoe biter all the way up to the tear you to shreds size. And in a way, Kamens can be the largest animals you meet in the Sahadu, with the largest individuals measuring up to 19 feet or 6 meters long and weighing over half a ton, with some claims even reporting larger sizes than that. And so, they alone are a pretty good reason to refrain from swimming here. But in case you need some more convincing, know that in these waters,

you can find not only a range of pranhas, but also the piraiba and Arapaima, two exceptionally large freshwater fish that can be three meters or 10 feet in length and weigh as much as two fully grown American men. And then on top of that, human deaths have been attributed to both. wolf. So, there's that too. On top of this, aquatic snakes, freshwater stingrays, water insects, crustaceans, and parasites, or just a handful of other life forms you can find lurking below the surface. Not to mention, there's also giant otters in these parts as well. And don't let their cuteness fool you, as these human-length musselids are cooperative apex predators, and have

been known to even take out small camins and anacondas, utilizing surprisingly sharp teeth and their excellent vision. So yeah, the Sahadu is clearly a bustling region, yet the sound reality of it, as I mentioned before, Planet Wild, is that while wondrous, it has fallen on hard times. And this dilemma, of course, is our fault. And sadly, and unsurprisingly, as I mentioned, these events are taken quite a deep toll on the wildlife as well. With many of the animals I talked about, being at least near-threatened or vulnerable, menace believe that millions of mammals, reptiles, birds, and fish are killed here every year. So you want to support this beautiful ecosystem, remember to check out Planet Wild.

Thanks for watching, and until next time.