These mounds form around dead trees as the termites consume and recycle the wood. A very large Baobab tree, which contains lots of water, has its bark eaten away by thirsty elephants. The tree eventually dies and the stump is attacked by termites. Such a large tree yields a huge termite mound but there are many smaller mounds as well. The termites eventually move on and other animals use the mound.
Warthogs like to dig into the soft soil to make a hiding place for the night.
Jackals might eventually use the warthog's abandoned hole to hide their young. Cheetahs, always looking for a good high vantage point, climb on top of the mound. All Rights Reserved. The author of this page has no affiliation with any zoo or organization and makes no claim regarding the accuracy of its content. All factual material in this page is derived from sources listed in the bibliography .