Smithsonian–Roosevelt African Expedition facts for kids
Participants in the expedition. Smithsonian Institution Archives
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| Date | 1909–10 |
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| Participants | Theodore Roosevelt; R. J. Cunninghame; Frederick Selous; Kermit Roosevelt; Edgar Alexander Mearns; Edmund Heller; John Alden Loring. |
The Smithsonian–Roosevelt African Expedition was a big trip to Africa led by Theodore Roosevelt, who was the American president at the time. The Smithsonian Institution, a famous museum and research center, helped organize and pay for it. Their main goal was to collect animal samples for a new museum, which is now called the National Museum of Natural History. The team collected about 11,400 animal specimens! It took scientists at the Smithsonian eight years to sort and list everything. After the trip, Roosevelt wrote a book about his adventures called African Game Trails.
Contents
Who Went and What They Brought
The expedition team was led by a skilled hunter named R. J. Cunninghame. Other important people on the trip included:
- Leslie Tarlton, an expert sharpshooter from Australia.
- Three American naturalists (scientists who study nature):
- Edgar Alexander Mearns, a retired U.S. Army surgeon.
- Edmund Heller, a taxidermist from Stanford University.
- John Alden Loring, a mammal expert.
- Roosevelt's 19-year-old son, Kermit Roosevelt, who was taking a break from Harvard University.
The team also had many local helpers. These included porters (people who carry supplies), gunbearers, and guards.
Equipment for the Journey
They brought a lot of gear for the trip. This included materials to preserve animal hides, like powdered borax and cotton. They also carried four tons of salt! Plus, they had many tools, weapons, lanterns, and even sewing needles.
Theodore Roosevelt brought his own special collection of books. It was called the "Pigskin Library." These classic books were bound in pig leather and carried in a strong trunk.
The Expedition's Path
The team started their journey from New York City on a ship called the Hamburg. This was on March 23, 1909, just a few weeks after Roosevelt finished being president. The ship sailed to Naples, Italy. There, they switched to another ship, the Admiral, which allowed them to bring a lot of ammunition. On the Hamburg, Roosevelt met his old friend Frederick Selous, who was also going on a safari in Africa.
Journey Through Africa
The expedition landed in Mombasa, which was then called British East Africa (now Kenya). From there, they traveled to the Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). After that, they followed the Nile River all the way to Khartoum in modern Sudan.
The trip was paid for by Andrew Carnegie (a very rich businessman) and by the money Roosevelt expected to earn from his writings. The main goal was to collect specimens for the Smithsonian Institution and the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
What the Expedition Achieved
Roosevelt and his team collected a huge number of animals. They either killed or trapped about 11,397 animals. Roosevelt's own count included:
- About 4,000 birds.
- 2,000 reptiles and amphibians.
- 500 fish.
- 4,897 mammals (other sources say 5,103).
They also collected many marine animals, insects, and thousands of plants. In total, they gathered 23,151 natural history specimens! They also collected many cultural objects from the local people. It took eight years for scientists to sort through and list all these items.
Big Game Animals Collected
The larger animals hunted by Theodore and Kermit Roosevelt are listed in Roosevelt's book. They collected 512 large animals, including 43 birds. The big game animals they collected included:
- 17 lions
- 3 leopards
- 7 cheetahs
- 9 hyenas
- 11 elephants
- 10 buffalo
- 11 black rhinos (which are now very rare)
- 9 white rhinos
Most of the other 469 large mammals were different types of antelopes. The team also ate 262 animals to feed the many porters who helped them.
Specimens for Museums
Tons of preserved animals and their skins were sent to Washington, D.C.. It took years to prepare and display them in the museums. The Smithsonian shared many duplicate animals with other museums around the world.
Roosevelt explained why they collected so many animals. He said, "I can be condemned only if the existence of the National Museum of Natural History, the American Museum of Natural History, and all similar zoological institutions are to be condemned." He meant that collecting specimens was necessary for museums to exist and teach people about nature.
Impact on Wildlife
The animals were collected over ten months, across a huge area from Kenya to Sudan. Scientists believe that collecting these animals did not harm the large herds that lived in East Africa at that time.
Some people point out that the number of big game animals Roosevelt collected was small compared to other hunters of that time. For example, some hunters killed over 1,000 elephants each. Roosevelt and his son together collected only eleven. These other hunters were often clearing land for farms or hunting for ivory, not collecting for museums.
Beyond the Hunt
While the trip was for science, it was also an important social and political event. Roosevelt met famous hunters, landowners, and many local leaders. He became a Life Member of the National Rifle Association in 1907.
Roosevelt wrote all about his experiences in his book, African Game Trails. He described the excitement of the hunt, the people he met, and the plants and animals he collected for science.
Roosevelt's Love for Nature
Even though Theodore Roosevelt loved hunting, he was also a strong supporter of protecting nature. In his book, he spoke out against "game butchery," which means killing animals just for fun or without a good reason. He believed that protecting wild areas was very important.
Roosevelt strongly supported the British government's efforts to create game reserves (protected areas for animals) in Africa. He wrote that creating these reserves was a "boon upon mankind" (a great gift to humanity). Roosevelt's ideas helped lead to the creation of the amazing game parks we see in East Africa today.
