Serengeti Ecosystem
The Serengeti ecosystem is a world-renowned natural landscape. The Great Migration of the wildebeests, zebras and Thomson’s gazelles is the largest ungulate migration on earth. With resilient populations of predators and iconic wildlife such as elephants, giraffes and rhinos, the Serengeti National Park is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The great plains in the north of Tanzania, the Ngorongoro highlands to the east, the Kenyan Maasai Mara to the north and a stretch of woodland reaching as far as Lake Victoria in the west comprise a diverse and unique ecosystem spanning a total area of about 25,000 square kilometres.
The Great Migration, the yearly cycle of movements of vast herds of wildebeests, zebras and Thomson gazelles follows rains and regrowth of pasture. The Great Migration is the largest hoofed animals’ migration on earth and one of the last intact migratory systems of large mammals. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
MAGNIFICENT WILDLIFE
The Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and the Maasai Mara Game Reserve across the border in Kenya, protect the greatest and most varied collection of terrestrial wildlife on earth.
“Every morning you look out, the colors are different, there are different animals out. It is a privilege to be working here to protect that magical place.”
“Protected areas are becoming rarer. The ones we have, will be gold in just a few years to come. We should continue to do everything we can to make sure these areas remain for eternity.”
THREATS
Protected areas face many challenges. Serengeti in particular: poaching, human encroachment, climate change and many more.
Road cutting through Serengeti
A new road through the Serengeti National Park, connecting the eastern and western parts of northern Tanzania, could provide much needed development opportunities to the people in the [...]
Drying out Serengeti
The Mara River is the only year-round source of water in the Serengeti ecosystem. It arises in Kenya where the Mau forests form the catchment of several rivers. [...]
Poaching
Driving through Serengeti, tourists rarely encounter signs of the dark side of the seemingly paradisiac landscape. But like in any place throughout Africa that is teeming with wildlife, [...]