Victoria Falls Facts
Victoria Falls Facts
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| Interesting Victoria Falls Facts: |
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| Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River is located on the border between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe in the continent of Africa. |
| The Zambezi River is the largest river in Africa and one of the longest. It flows |
| 1,687 miles across Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique until it reaches the Indian Ocean. |
| 550 million liters of water drops 305 feet (93 m) every minute over the cliff at Victoria Falls and continues flowing downstream as the lower Zambezi River. |
| The width of Victoria Falls in the wet season is a bit over a 1 mile wide (1,609 meters). |
| The water depth at the base of the falls is 229 feet (70m). |
| The European explorer, Doctor David Livingstone called the falls after Queen Victoria in England when he visited there in 1855. |
| The falls have been protected by the Zambezi National Park since 1983 and Victoria Falls National Park since January 2013. |
| Tourists visit Victoria Falls in the dry season between May to October. |
| Tourists can bungee jump from a bridge crossing the river downstream of the falls. With strong ropes tied to their ankles, they fall 364 feet until they hang upside down just above the water. |
| The African elephant can live for 70 years and is the largest land animal on Earth, growing to a height of 8.2 to 13 feet tall (2.5 to 4 m) and weigh between 5,000 to 14,000 lbs (2,268 to 6,350 kg). |
| Elephants visit the falls to feed on grasses and fruits growing along the banks of the river and on islands in the middle of the river above the falls. |
| Lions, Cheetahs, and sometimes Leopards visit the jungles surrounding the falls but they are shy and not often seen |
| Rhinoceros have been re-introduced to the region surrounding the falls. They have had their horns removed so that poachers won't kill them for their horn. |
| Buffalo graze on both sides of the Zambezi River near the falls. You can also see Antelopes such as Impala, Waterbuck and Bushbuck. |
| Hippopotamus swim and rest in the Zambezi River upstream of Victoria Falls. They love to eat the swamp grasses growing in the water and along the banks. |
| Fish live in the river above and below the falls. Water birds such as the White-backed night heron feed on them and shellfish in the river mud above the falls. |
| The Peregrine falcon will fly across the surface of the water and grab fish out of the river with their strong talons. |
| Birds such as the Trumpeter hornbill will eat the fruit growing on the trees in the rainforest surrounding the falls. |
| Humans have lived around Victoria Falls for at least 2 million years. |
| The native African people who live around Victoria Falls today speak the Bantu language. They also speak Portuguese and English. |
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