The Serengeti (meaning "endless plains" in Maasai language) is a protected grassland ecosystem located in Nothern Tanzania, East Africa spanning approximately 36,000 km2 of land. The Serengeti is tagged as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of The World as well as Ten Natural Travel Wonder of the World and houses the second largest terrestrial mammal migration on the planet, The Wildebeest Migration.
This rich terrestrial habitat is home to a very large population of lions, wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, and buffalos. The Serengeti remains the premium location for tourists wanting to get a moment with a pride of lions. The population of about 3,000 lions, 1,000 leopards, 8,000 hyenas, and a few cheetahs makes it a very dangerous location for grazing mammals. Here are the most exciting things to experience at the Serengeti.
Wildebeest Migration
Same time each year, a wildebeest population alongside some zebra and gazelle species commences a great circular migration beginning in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area of southern Serengeti in Tanzania and continuous looping occurs until this herd gets to their destination in Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya. This journey of about 800km will last for months and will give rise to 500,000 new calves and the death of about 280,000.
The most exciting part of the great migration is the Grumeti and Mara rivers crossings which usually begin in early July. Here, the wildebeest and other grazers attempt the "Leap of Fate" by trying to cross the Mara river which is usually littered with crocodiles, the apex predators. Only the brave will survive the venture as the crocodiles are usually very sly and stealthy. This is a sight worth witnessing. Check out the best periods to witness the wildebeest crossing from www.expertafrica.com.
This migration terminates with the wildebeest arriving in Kenya in late July/August where they stay there until the end of the dry season. At the beginning of November, the start returning back south to the Serengeti once more and arrive in December.
The Big Five
The big 5 encompasses the major terrestrial mammals in the Serengeti region of Tanzania. This group is usually the favorite aminals to be viewed by tourists. It consists of the lion, the African leopard, the African bush elephant, the eastern black rhinoceros, and the Cape buffalo.
The lion, "King of the jungle" is the boss in the Serengeti. The lions have a population of about 3,000 which is the largest lion population in the whole of the African continent. A single lion can occupy a space of about a kilometer squared and can be seen with about 5 lionesses and some cubs. Their diet includes buffalos, deers, gazelles, and zebras. Lions usually reach a height of up to 2m and can reach weights of up to 200kg.
The leopard is known for its nocturnal hunting and feeding habit is also a member of the big five. Leopards are extremely adaptive to the availability of food supply and can switch their diet when necessary to suit their needs. They eat from little dung beetles to might elands (with weights of over 900kg) and sometimes even birds. The leopards are kings of climbing and usually enjoy their meals high up on treetops. Leopards can carry an 80kg prey by mouth up to treetops. They have a population of about 1,000 in the Serengeti.
The African Bush Elephant is the largest of all elephant species and the largest living terrestrial mammal. The elephants are distributed across several African countries but are greatly numbered in the Serengeti region of Tanzania. The most outstanding feature of these elephants is their ears which can measure up to 2 meters. The largest recorded elephant reached a weight of 12 tonnes.
The Black Rhino has the smallest population among the big five due excessive poaching but due to government governing rules the Serengeti now hold a protected population of about 31 individuals. According to research, the rhino is one of the closest relatives to the now-extinct dinosaur. The rhinos love tall grass and are found in highland forests.
The Cape Buffalo has the largest population among the big five (53, 000 in the park). The buffalo has relatively very few predators which include lions and crocodiles. Though it is very rare to hear of a solitary lion taking down a full-grown buffalo and sometimes the buffaloes even kill the lions. The Nile crocodile, on the other hand, remains the only animal to single-handed take down a full-grown buffalo.
Apart from the big five other beautiful animals to witness in the Serengeti include the cheetah, honey badger, spotted hyena, jackals, golden wolf, mongooses, otters, and wild dogs. Visit TripAdvisor to find out how to better plan your next Serengeti safari. All images are gotten at Unsplash.
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