A large proportion of Tanzania's land is taken up in national parks. National Parks are large expanses of land which are protected by the government or other environment preservation agencies, leased out to safari companies to generate some revenue. Out of these, one of the most famous is the Serengeti.
Located in North Tanzania along the Tanzania-Kenya border, the Serengeti is a 14000+ sq km expanse that houses an equally diverse range of plant and animal species and physical features. From the extensive grasslands that seem to go on till the horizon to the "black cotton" trail and the hills and woodlands, the Serengeti offers a variety of sights and sounds for travelers in each of its little sections.
Wildlife in the Serengeti varies according to location and season. In the winter and spring, the rolling, treeless plains house wildebeest - who breed in that period of time. Once the rains arrive, other ungulates (hoofed animals) e.g. the zebra, impala, topi, hartebeest, buffalo, waterbuck and gazelle also appear in herds.
The Serengeti grasslands boast of a unique geographical feature called the kopje. A kopje is a floration of granite, which can be used as a sy-post by predators, and also as shelter for reptiles from the hot equatorial sun. The highly endangered Black Rhino can also be found near these kopjes, as can the hyrax and python.
The above mentioned "black cotton" corridor lies in western Serengeti, covering swampy savannah grasslands. Grumeti river, which passes through the area, is inhabited by Nile crocodiles, with martial eagles and colobus monkeys also present nearby.
Northern Serengeti deserves an article all to itself, with its vast and open woodlands, the beautiful and sparkling Mara river, and the hills near the centre of Serengeti. Here, the migrating wildebeest and zebras are found in July, August and November, accompanied occasionally by giraffe, dik dik or elephants.
The Serengeti also possessed a healthy number of carnivores - hunters and scavengers - to keep the herbivores in check. The majestic African lion thrives in the Serengeti due to the large amounts of prey, while "lesser" predators like the wily leopard or the elegant cheetah are also present albeit in lesser numbers.
Out of the 500+ species of birds found in Serengeti National Park, some of the most prominent are the ostrich, the Kori bustard, the secretary bird, the marabou stork and the crowned crane.
The best time to visit the Serengeti is undoubtedly the winter or spring, when the herds of wildebeest pass through the park. Watching the wildebeest with their accompanying herds of Plain Zebras, though, is always a treat. The two animals live and migrate together in near-perfect harmony, indulging in a symbiotic relationship whereby the wildebeest form a circle around the zebras to help in withstanding outside attacks together and the zebras chew up the taller, low-nutrition grass to help the wildebeest reach the shorter, high-protein grass below.
As Serengeti is located in an equatorial area, even the winter there will seem warm to people living in temperate climates. So if you are at a loss for Christmas or spring vacation plans, book yourself a safari to Tanzania's Serengeti!
Thursday, 12 November 2009
Birds Worth Watching In The Serengeti
The Serengeti is famous mostly for animals that are large in size, weight or herds - predators like the regal lion, large animals like the majestic elephant, or amazing natural phenomena like the migration of the wildebeest.
For bird-watching enthusiasts, however, a Serengeti National Park safari is an exciting opportunity to grab binoculars and cameras, and head out into the wilderness. There are a few birds to be found here that are not easy to find elsewhere in the world, especially in their natural habitats.
Some of these birds are:
1. The ostrich. The tallest, largest and among the most majestic of birds, the ostrich is found to roam free and solitary on the grasslands of the Serengeti. Standing at nearly 6 feet high and weighing nearly 150 kilograms, this flightless bird is prized in the wild for its beauty, and in domestic areas for its meat, feathers and leather. The male ostriches usually have black plumage, with white (vestigial) flight feathers and tail feathers. Females and males that are yet to attain maturity have grayish-brown plumage.
2. The marabou stork. This bird, found in swamps as well as deserts, is also called the "undertaker bird" for its cloaked-skeleton appearance and perhaps for its scavenging habits. Nearly 5 feet tall and weighing 9 kilograms, the bird also has the joint largest wingspan of any land bird - a staggering 3.2 meters. The appearance of the marabou stork is distinctive, with dark plumage on wings and back, soft white chest feathers and a bald head. The bird also has bald legs, and a huge bill with a neck ruff and pink gular sack beneath it. You may also picture the marabou in flight, with its neck tucked into its body and legs folded beneath it.
3. The secretary bird. If you picture an eagle on stilts, you will have a fairly accurate description of what this bird looks like. Standing in at about 4 feet tall, the secretary bird has an eagle's head - with quill-like crest feathers - with rounded wings and a crane's legs. Adult specimens of this bird of prey have a red featherless face, black outer feathers, and inner feathers that are grey or occasionally white. The bird's elongated legs, long tail and 2 meter wingspan make it the longest, tallest daytime bird of prey in the world.
4. The Kori bustard. Along with the Great Bustard, the Kori bustard is the heaviest flying bird in the world. Found in large numbers throughout Africa, this bird has grey feathers that enable it to camouflage almost perfectly in the grasslands, with black crest feathers and yellow legs. Standing at 60-90 cm high and over 100 cm long, the male Kori Bustard is indeed a magnificent specimen. Females are usually lighter than males - averaging 5.7 kilograms as opposed to 12.4 - as well as about 20cm shorter. The sight of the Kori Bustard with a bee-eater (another small bird) wandering on its back is a rather cute example of symbiosis, with the smaller bird thriving on the various insects that fall onto the bustard's back during its voyage across the grasslands.
So arm yourself with a quality pair of binoculars, an SLR and a few hours in the dawn. The thrill of seeing these birds as they move about in full ownership of the Serengeti is one that you will not get anywhere else.
For bird-watching enthusiasts, however, a Serengeti National Park safari is an exciting opportunity to grab binoculars and cameras, and head out into the wilderness. There are a few birds to be found here that are not easy to find elsewhere in the world, especially in their natural habitats.
Some of these birds are:
1. The ostrich. The tallest, largest and among the most majestic of birds, the ostrich is found to roam free and solitary on the grasslands of the Serengeti. Standing at nearly 6 feet high and weighing nearly 150 kilograms, this flightless bird is prized in the wild for its beauty, and in domestic areas for its meat, feathers and leather. The male ostriches usually have black plumage, with white (vestigial) flight feathers and tail feathers. Females and males that are yet to attain maturity have grayish-brown plumage.
2. The marabou stork. This bird, found in swamps as well as deserts, is also called the "undertaker bird" for its cloaked-skeleton appearance and perhaps for its scavenging habits. Nearly 5 feet tall and weighing 9 kilograms, the bird also has the joint largest wingspan of any land bird - a staggering 3.2 meters. The appearance of the marabou stork is distinctive, with dark plumage on wings and back, soft white chest feathers and a bald head. The bird also has bald legs, and a huge bill with a neck ruff and pink gular sack beneath it. You may also picture the marabou in flight, with its neck tucked into its body and legs folded beneath it.
3. The secretary bird. If you picture an eagle on stilts, you will have a fairly accurate description of what this bird looks like. Standing in at about 4 feet tall, the secretary bird has an eagle's head - with quill-like crest feathers - with rounded wings and a crane's legs. Adult specimens of this bird of prey have a red featherless face, black outer feathers, and inner feathers that are grey or occasionally white. The bird's elongated legs, long tail and 2 meter wingspan make it the longest, tallest daytime bird of prey in the world.
4. The Kori bustard. Along with the Great Bustard, the Kori bustard is the heaviest flying bird in the world. Found in large numbers throughout Africa, this bird has grey feathers that enable it to camouflage almost perfectly in the grasslands, with black crest feathers and yellow legs. Standing at 60-90 cm high and over 100 cm long, the male Kori Bustard is indeed a magnificent specimen. Females are usually lighter than males - averaging 5.7 kilograms as opposed to 12.4 - as well as about 20cm shorter. The sight of the Kori Bustard with a bee-eater (another small bird) wandering on its back is a rather cute example of symbiosis, with the smaller bird thriving on the various insects that fall onto the bustard's back during its voyage across the grasslands.
So arm yourself with a quality pair of binoculars, an SLR and a few hours in the dawn. The thrill of seeing these birds as they move about in full ownership of the Serengeti is one that you will not get anywhere else.
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