Location: Arusha Map
Area: 14,763 km2
The Serengeti is a savanna stretching from northern Tanzania,
east of Lake Victoria, to southern Kenya, covering an area of
approximately 30,000 square kilometers.
The word
Serengeti is derived from the Maasai language from the term
"esirinket" and means "the endless land" or "endless plain".
Extensive, flat grassy steppes in the south face slightly hilly,
lightly wooded plains in the north. The central savannah is
almost treeless, in the southeast rises the volcanic Ngorongoro
Conservation Area (World Heritage Site since 1979). The highest
mountains are about 1850 meters above sea level, lower parts of
the savannah go down to about 920 meters. The annual
precipitation varies between 300 and 1000 mm.
The
Serengeti area encloses the Serengeti National Park, which with
its 14,763 square kilometers (corresponds to about one third of
the area of Switzerland) is one of the largest and best-known
national parks in the world and has been part of the UNESCO
World Natural Heritage since 1981 as well as the 23,051 km²
biosphere reserve. Southwest of the national park is the 2,200
km² Mazwa wildlife sanctuary at 1,000 to 1,500 meters above sea
level, north of the corridor is the Grumeti sanctuary with
around 2,000 to 3,000 km². In addition, the 3000 km² Ikorongo
Conservation Area borders the Serengeti. Between the Ngorongoro
Conservation Area and the state border lies the Loliondo
Conservation Area; the northern end of the Serengeti ecosystem
is in the Maasai Mara Reserve.
With the colonization, big game hunters began to shoot large
numbers of animals and thus severely decimate the stocks.
Eventually, this indiscriminate killing of wild animals
necessitated the establishment of nature reserves to protect the
savannah habitat and the native wildlife. In the 19th century
the area was still grazing land for the nomadic Maasai. The
Maasai, who themselves were not to blame for the destruction of
nature, were severely restricted in their freedom in their own
homeland by the nature reserves.
The Serengeti was
partially declared a game reserve (Serengeti Game Reserve) as
early as 1929 to protect the lions, previously considered pests.
In 1940 it was declared a protected area. In 1951, the British
Mandate of Tanganyika established the Serengeti National Park,
which at the time also included the Ngorongoro Crater.
In
1959, the rainy season pastures of the wildebeest in the
southeast of the Serengeti at the Ngorongoro Crater were
separated from the national park and only declared a wildlife
sanctuary (conservation area), in which Maasai herdsmen are also
allowed to graze their cattle. On this occasion, Bernhard and
Michael Grzimek made the award-winning film Serengeti Shall Not
Die in the same year.
flora
The Serengeti is one of Africa's most complex and least
disturbed ecosystems, oscillating between dusty dry summers to verdant
winters and lush springs. The focus is on the savannah with scattered
acacias. To the south are wide open short-grass plains, to the north are
long grasslands covered with thorns, along the rivers Galeriewald and in
the hilly western corridor extensive forests and black clay pans.
On the undulating open plains, short grasslands form the main
vegetation. The plains mostly become desert during severe droughts and
are prone to wildfires, which the short grass can tolerate. This is the
main habitat of migratory ungulates during the rainy season. Dominant
species are Digitaria macroblephara, Sporobolus marginatus and
Sporobolus kentrophyllus - indicators of overgrazed and saline soils.
The invasive and toxic Mexican prickly poppy (Argemone mexicana) can
spread from Ngorongoro. In humid areas, sedges such as Kyllinga nervosa
occur. There are extensive central acacia woodland savannas extending
east of Ikoma and some gallery forests along the rivers. Lowland groves
include Commiphora africana, Acacia drepanolobium, Acacia gerrardii, and
desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca). Upland groves consist of Acacia
lahai and acacia seyal (Acacia seyal).
fauna
mammals
More
than 1.6 million herbivores and thousands of predators live there.
Common animals in this region are Serengeti white-bearded wildebeest
(Connochaetes (taurinus) mearnsi) (population approx. 1.5 million),
Thomson's gazelle (Eudorcas thomsoni) and Grant's gazelle (Nanger
granti), plains zebra (Equus quagga) and African buffalo ( Syncerus
caffer).
In particular, the wildebeest, zebra, Thomson's gazelle,
eland (Taurotragus oryx) and lyre antelope (Damaliscus lunatus) are
known for their extensive migrations, which they undertake depending on
the dry and rainy seasons. Since the Pleistocene, they have migrated
through the entire Serengeti from north to south to the adjacent Masai
Mara and back in the course of a year. The herds migrate between
seasonal water sources and the grasslands beginning in May and June from
the central plains to the western corridor and then northward, more
scattered between July and November.
Depending on the prey
scheme, predators accompany the herds. These include in particular lions
(Panthera leo) (entire Serengeti up to 3000 animals), spotted hyenas
(Crocuta crocuta), striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena), African golden wolves
(Canis anthus), striped jackals (C. adustus) and black-backed jackals
(C. mesomelas). The last packs of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus)
disappeared in 1991. A rabies epidemic killed three packs, but there is
no clear explanation for the complete disappearance.
There are
large herds of antelope with a variety of species. In the grasslands are
eland, lesser kudu (Tragelaphus imberbis), roan antelope (Hippotragus
equinus), roan deer (Ourebia ourebi), Grant's gazelle, red hartebeest
(Alcelaphus buselaphus), steenbok (Raphicerus campestris), lyre antelope
and tufted-eared oryx (Oryx callotis) too the African buffalo occurring.
Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus),
sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii), duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia), impala
(Aepyceros melampus) and kirk's dik-dik (Madoqua kirkii) can be found in
the groves. Reedbuck (Redunca redunca) and waterbuck (Kobus
ellipsiprymnus) are found in the swamps. In the midst of ash plateaus
with scattered granite rocks are klipspringers (Oreotragus oreotragus)
as well as giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) and olive baboons (Papio
anubis); and mountain reedbuck (Redunca fulvorufula) found in the
mountains.
Other distinctive larger mammals are the leopard
(Panthera pardus), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) (VU), caracal (Caracal
caracal), African elephant (Loxodonta africana) (VU), estimated number
1357 in 1994 - in the Serengeti In the national park alone, its
population had grown from 470 individuals in 1961, to 2470 in 1970 and
3008 in 1977, to 395 individuals in 1987 and 299 in 1989 - the black
rhino (Diceros bicornis) (Critically Endangered and only very few) and
the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) (VU).
Smaller mammals are numerous species of bats, giant galago (Otolemur
crassicaudatus), southern green monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus),
southern pasque monkey (Erythrocebus baumstarki) and mantled monkey
(Colobus guereza), aardvark (Orycteropus afer), steppe pangolin (Smutsia
temminckii), kaphase (Lepus capensis). ), porcupine (Hystrix sp.), three
species of hyrax and many species of rodents, bat-eared fox (Otocyon
megalotis), capper (Aonyx capensis) and spotted-necked viper (Lutra
maculicollis), honey badger (Mellivora capensis), zorilla (Ictonyx
striatus), seven species of Mongoose, aardwolf (Proteles cristata),
Lesser spotted genet (Genetta genetta), greater spotted genet (Genetta
tigrina), African civet (Civettictis civetta), serval (Leptailurus
serval), African golden cat (Profelis aurata), European wild cat (Felis
silvestris lybica) and bush pig (Potamochoerus larvatus).
birds
Numerous bird species live in the national park. The over 500 species of
birds include 34 species of raptors and 6 species of vultures as well as
aggregations of over 20,000 waterfowl. The following species occur
(VU=vulnerable=endangered): African ostrich (Struthio camelus),
thick-billed heron (Ardeola idae), marabou (Leptoptilos crumeniferus),
lesser flamingo (Phoenicopterus minor), African fish eagle (Haliaeetus
vocifer), predatory eagle (Aquila rapax), lesser kestrel (Falco
naumanni) (VU), Steppe Harrier (Circus macrourus), Secretary
(Sagittarius serpentarius), Gray Breasted Francolin (Francolinus
rufopictus), Helmeted Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris), South African
Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum gibbericeps), Kori Bustard,
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), Avocet (Recurvirostra
avosetta), Great Snipe (Gallinago media), Black-winged Pratiname
(Glareola nordmanni), Black-winged Lapwing (Vanellus melanopterus),
Wormwood Plover (Charadrius asiaticus), White-winged Tern (Chlidonias
leucopterus), Salmon Tern (Sterna nilotica), Lovebird (Agapornis
fischeri), Dairy Owl (Bubo lacteus), southern ground hornbill (Bucorvus
leadbeateri), yellow-billed barbet (Trachyphonus purpuratus),
rust-throated tit (Parus fringillinus), gray-crested spectacled shrike
(Prionops poliolophus) (VU), white-tailed lark, Karamojafin warbler (VU)
and several with endemic distribution, e.g. B. the red-tailed weaver
(Histurgops ruficauda).
reptiles
Reptiles include the Nile
crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus), Nile monitor lizard (Varanus
niloticus), leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis), northern rock
python (Python sebae), African spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis), and
puff adder (Bitis arietans). The territorial lizard species Agama
mwanzae lives on the large rocky outcrops known as kopjes.
conflicts
At the same time, protecting the habitat of the animals
means curtailing the rights of the local population. The park's original
residents were relocated in the 1950s and were no longer allowed to set
foot on their land. To compensate, an attempt was made to improve the
living conditions of the residents on the park borders, which, however,
attracted even more people to the region and increased the pressure on
the park.
In recent times, conservationists have therefore opted
for a new strategy: the locals should take over parts of the protected
land (“wildlife management areas”) and thus also take responsibility for
them themselves. They can benefit from tourism themselves and must also
protect the parts in their own interest. The success of this strategy is
open.
Another threat to the park was a proposed highway route. It
is feared that the road could disrupt the world's largest land mammal
migration, disrupting the entire ecological balance. After UNESCO
threatened to withdraw the park's World Heritage status, the Tanzanian
government gave in and is now abandoning the road construction project
across the park. Several international organizations advocate a southern
bypass of the park and signal support for this alternative road concept.
Environmentalists are skeptical that the road has really been prevented.
tourism
The Serengeti offers good weather for safaris most of the
year. The best time is the dry season from June to October.