Difference between revisions of "Serengeti Plain" - New World Encyclopedia
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[[Image:Serengeti intro.jpg|thumb|right|400px|The Serengeti Plain.]] | [[Image:Serengeti intro.jpg|thumb|right|400px|The Serengeti Plain.]] | ||
| − | The | + | The Serengeti Plain is world reknowened as an ideal location for wildlife and nature photography. Much of the beauty of the region derives its sweeping vistas and dramatic natural features that extend for over 60,000 square kilometers. A significant portion of the Serengeti Plain is prtected and preserved from the ravages of modern society in the Serengeti National Park. This park, which extends for roughly 12,950 square kilometers, contains a diverse selection of habitats and wildlife. For the sake of comparison, the Serengeti National Park is approximately the size of North Ireland. However, it offers some of the most spectacular and undisturbed natural habitats found anywhere on the globe. The Serengeti National Park is bordered by Lake Victoria in the west, Lake Eyasi in the south, and the Great Rift Valley to the east. |
| − | + | == Geography == | |
| − | == | ||
[[Image:Maasai woman, Serengeti.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Maasai woman of the Serengeti Plain, 2006.]] | [[Image:Maasai woman, Serengeti.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Maasai woman of the Serengeti Plain, 2006.]] | ||
| − | The Serengeti | + | The landscape of the Serengeti Plain is extrememly varied, ranging from savanah, to hilly woodlands, to open grasslands. The geographic diversity of the region is due to the extreme weather conditions that plague the area, particularly the potent combination of heat and wind. Many environmental scientists claim that the all the different habitats in the region originated from a series of volcanoes, whose activity shaped the basic geographic features of the plain and added mountains and craters to the landscape. In the southern portions of the plain, broad expanses of open grassland play host to herds of zebras and wildebeast, images which have become closely associated with the Serengeti. To the north of the grasslands lie the savanahh, home to gazelles and ostriches. This zone of the plain is also famous for granite outcroppings called kopjes, that interrupt the plains and play host to seperate ecosystems than found in the grasses below. To the north of the savanah lies a wooded, hilly region that combines many of grassland features of the savanahh with difficult terrain. This area of the plain is host to herds of elephants, evidence of which can be seen in the damaged trees scattered throughout the area. |
| − | + | One of the most eye catching events in the Serengeti Plain is the biannual migration of zebras and wildebeast from the grasslands of the south to the northern reaches of the plain. This migration, which is the longest overland migration in the world, first takes place in May, when the grasslands of the south begin to dry up.<ref name="partridge">{{cite news | first=Frank | last=Partridge | coauthors= | title=The fast show | date=[[2006-05-20]] | publisher= | url =http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20060520/ai_n16416123 | work =The Independent (London) | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-14 | language = }}</ref> Unable to survive on the dry plain the wildebeest lead the charge towards the north. The zebras then join into the mass migration, careful to maintain their family groupings in the the movement. The long trek to the north is quite challenging for many of the animals, particularly as the males begin compete for dominance and mating partners. Once the animals have reached the fertile lands of the northern plains, they will stay there and graze until November. Once November comes to the Srengeti Plain, the wildebeest and the zebras begin their migration back to the grasslands of the south. When leaving the northern plains, lions and cheetahs often follow the herd, posing a significant threat to animals who fall too far behind. Anothing challenge for animals during the migration is stampedes, which have been known to kill hundreds of startled animals at once. Over 250,000 wildebeest alone will die along the journey .<ref name="partridge"/> | |
The migration is chronicled in the 1994 documentary film, ''[[Africa: The Serengeti]]''. | The migration is chronicled in the 1994 documentary film, ''[[Africa: The Serengeti]]''. | ||
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== Serengeti National Park == | == Serengeti National Park == | ||
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* Maasailand Ecology: Pastoralist Development and Wildlife Conservation in Ngorongoro, Tanzania - K.W. Homewood and W.A. Rodgers 24th October 1991, CUP | * Maasailand Ecology: Pastoralist Development and Wildlife Conservation in Ngorongoro, Tanzania - K.W. Homewood and W.A. Rodgers 24th October 1991, CUP | ||
* [http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0602/feature1/index.html/ National Geographic Magazine] | * [http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0602/feature1/index.html/ National Geographic Magazine] | ||
| + | * Iwago, Mitsuaki. ''Serengeti: Natural Order on the African Plain'' Chronicle Books, New Edition: 1987. San Francisco, California. ISBN 0877014418 | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Revision as of 15:57, 16 October 2007
The Serengeti Plain is world reknowened as an ideal location for wildlife and nature photography. Much of the beauty of the region derives its sweeping vistas and dramatic natural features that extend for over 60,000 square kilometers. A significant portion of the Serengeti Plain is prtected and preserved from the ravages of modern society in the Serengeti National Park. This park, which extends for roughly 12,950 square kilometers, contains a diverse selection of habitats and wildlife. For the sake of comparison, the Serengeti National Park is approximately the size of North Ireland. However, it offers some of the most spectacular and undisturbed natural habitats found anywhere on the globe. The Serengeti National Park is bordered by Lake Victoria in the west, Lake Eyasi in the south, and the Great Rift Valley to the east.
Geography
The landscape of the Serengeti Plain is extrememly varied, ranging from savanah, to hilly woodlands, to open grasslands. The geographic diversity of the region is due to the extreme weather conditions that plague the area, particularly the potent combination of heat and wind. Many environmental scientists claim that the all the different habitats in the region originated from a series of volcanoes, whose activity shaped the basic geographic features of the plain and added mountains and craters to the landscape. In the southern portions of the plain, broad expanses of open grassland play host to herds of zebras and wildebeast, images which have become closely associated with the Serengeti. To the north of the grasslands lie the savanahh, home to gazelles and ostriches. This zone of the plain is also famous for granite outcroppings called kopjes, that interrupt the plains and play host to seperate ecosystems than found in the grasses below. To the north of the savanah lies a wooded, hilly region that combines many of grassland features of the savanahh with difficult terrain. This area of the plain is host to herds of elephants, evidence of which can be seen in the damaged trees scattered throughout the area.
One of the most eye catching events in the Serengeti Plain is the biannual migration of zebras and wildebeast from the grasslands of the south to the northern reaches of the plain. This migration, which is the longest overland migration in the world, first takes place in May, when the grasslands of the south begin to dry up.[1] Unable to survive on the dry plain the wildebeest lead the charge towards the north. The zebras then join into the mass migration, careful to maintain their family groupings in the the movement. The long trek to the north is quite challenging for many of the animals, particularly as the males begin compete for dominance and mating partners. Once the animals have reached the fertile lands of the northern plains, they will stay there and graze until November. Once November comes to the Srengeti Plain, the wildebeest and the zebras begin their migration back to the grasslands of the south. When leaving the northern plains, lions and cheetahs often follow the herd, posing a significant threat to animals who fall too far behind. Anothing challenge for animals during the migration is stampedes, which have been known to kill hundreds of startled animals at once. Over 250,000 wildebeest alone will die along the journey .[1]
The migration is chronicled in the 1994 documentary film, Africa: The Serengeti.
Serengeti National Park
| Serengeti National Park* | |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| |
| State Party |  United Republic of Tanzania
|
| Type | Natural |
| Criteria | vii, x |
| Reference | 156 |
| Region** | Africa |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1981 (5th Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO. | |
The Serengeti National Park is a large national park in Serengeti area, Tanzania. It is most famous for its annual migration of over one million white bearded (or brindled) wildebeest and 200,000 zebra.
History
The Maasai people had been grazing their livestock in the open plains which they knew as “endless plain” for over 200 years when the first white man, Stewart Edward White recorded coming across it in 1913. The name Serengeti is an approximation of the word used by the Maasai to describe the area.
The area was declared as a ‘protected area’ in 1921 by the then German colonial administration. The national park was established in 1951 by the English administration and it then became famous after the initial work of Bernhard Grzimek and his son Michael in the 1950’s. Together they produced the book and film Serengeti Shall Not Die, widely recognized as one of the most important early pieces of nature conservation documentary.
As part of the gazetting of the park and in order to preserve wildlife from human interruption the area’s residents were moved to the Ngorongoro highlands. There is still considerable controversy surrounding this move, with claims made of coercion and deceit on the part of the colonial authorities.
The Serengeti is Tanzania's first national park and remains the flagship of the country’s tourism industry, providing a major draw to the “Northern Safari Circuit”, encompassing Lake Manyara, Tarangire and Arusha national parks, as well as Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Geography and Wildlife
The park covers 14,763km² of grassland plains and savanna as well as riverine forest and woodlands. The park lies in the north of the country, bordered to the north by the national Tanzania and Kenyan border, where it is contiguous with the Masai Mara National Reserve. To the south-east of the park is Ngorongoro Conservation Area, to the south-west lies Maswa Game Reserve, and to the western borders are Ikorongo and Grumeti Game Reserves, finally to the north-east lies Loliondo Game Control Area.
Human habitation is forbidden in the National Park with the exception of staff for TANAPA, researchers and staff of Frankfurt Zoological Society, and staff of the various lodges and hotels. The main settlement is Seronera which houses the majority of research staff and the park’s main headquarters, including its primary airstrip.
As well as the migration of ungulates, the park is well known for its healthy stock of other resident wildlife, particularly the "Big Five", named for the five most prized trophies taken by hunters, lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo. These species remain the key attractions to tourists, but the park also supports many further species including cheetah, gazelle and giraffe as well as a large and varied bird population.
Administration and Protection
As a result of the biodiversity and ecological significance of the area, the park has been listed by UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites The administrative body for all parks in Tanzania is Tanzania National Parks or TANAPA.
Myles Turner was one of the Park's first game wardens and is credited with establishing anti-poaching defenses. His autobiography, "My Serengeti Years," provides a detailed history of Serengeti National Park's early years.
Photo gallery
Sunset over the Serengeti, 1999.
- Ser 2.jpg
Caracal hunting in the Serengeti, 2007.
Lioness at rest, Serengeti, 2005.
- Ser 4.jpg
Wildebeest in the Serengeti, 2006.
- Ser 5.jpg
Serengeti elephant herd, 2005.
- Ser 6.jpg
Serengeti waterfowl, 2006.
- Ser 7.jpg
Giraffes in the Serengeti, 2006.
- Ser 8.jpg
Baboons hiking through the Serengeti, 2006.
- Ser 9.jpg
Zebras in the Serengeti, 2006.
- Ser 10.jpg
Cheetah lounging in the Serengeti, 2007.
- Ser 11.jpg
The Serengeti's Spotted Hyena, 2005.
- Ser 12.jpg
Colorful lizard in the Serengeti, 2005.
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Partridge, Frank, "The fast show", The Independent (London), 2006-05-20. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
Sources and further reading
- My Serengeti Years – Myles Turner
- Maasailand Ecology: Pastoralist Development and Wildlife Conservation in Ngorongoro, Tanzania - K.W. Homewood and W.A. Rodgers 24th October 1991, CUP
- National Geographic Magazine
- Iwago, Mitsuaki. Serengeti: Natural Order on the African Plain Chronicle Books, New Edition: 1987. San Francisco, California. ISBN 0877014418
External links
- Serengeti Official Site
- TANAPA - official site of Tanzania's national parks
- World Heritage Sites Protected Areas - Serengeti
- Map of Serengeti National Park
Credits
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