The Serengeti @ Michael Despines Photography

Mar

31

2024

The Serengeti

Shot of the Month Posted by Michael / 1 comments

Shot of the Month – March 2024

Above we have a classic scene captured on the plains of the Serengeti, the place of legend and lore for wildlife lovers around the world. A trip to the Serengeti is on many a bucket list for wildlife aficionados. And many lucky enough to make that “once in a lifetime” trip now seriously ponder if they can make it a “twice in a lifetime trip” as the draw to this magical place is overpowering.

Having lived in Africa for many years I had the good fortune of being able to visit “the Serengeti” on multiple occasions and it is always on my list of potential places to visit again. For the uninitiated, let’s break it down.

Where is it?

This wildlife mecca is found in Tanzania and Kenya, in East Africa.

What is it?

The Serengeti ecosystem is a geographical region spanning the Mara and Arusha Regions of Tanzania. This region is made up of a diverse habitats including riverine forests, swamps, kopjes, grasslands, and woodlands. Over 30,000 km² (11,583 mi²)of this area is protected by a collection of national parks and reserves. Almost half of that area (about 14,750 km2 or 5,695 mi²) is part of the Serengeti National Park. Other protected areas nearby include

Ngorongoro Conservation Area (8,292 km²) (3,202 mi²)
Maswa Game Reserve (1,415 km²) (546 mi²)
Grumeti Game Reserve (410 km²) (158 mi²)
Ikorongo Game Reserve (600 km²) (232 mi²)
Loliondo Game Control Area (6,200 km²) (2,394 mi²)

In southern Kenya, the northern tip of the Serengeti is protected by the Masai Mara National Reserve (1,510 km²) (583 mi²).

Source

Serengeti Plains?

A large portion of the Serengeti ecosystem is a vast, flat, open plains, covered mostly in grass. This open grassland covers the entire lower third of the Serengeti NP. Plains are described differently depending on the climate they experience:

Grassland (temperate or subtropical)
Steppe (semi-arid)
Savannah (tropical)
Tundra (polar)

Serengeti Sunset

The vast expanses of grass in the Serengeti are therefore referred to as the Serengeti Savannah as it falls in equatorial (tropical) Africa. The Serengeti Savannah receives enough rainfall to support grass and some trees, but not enough rainfall to support a true forest. Trees tend to be scattered here and there across the plains. A savannah is a vegetation zone between a tropical rainforest and a desert. The area experiences a strong contrast in weather – the rainy season is intense with lots of rain, followed by extended periods of high temperatures and no rain.

While the Serengeti is the most well-known in Africa there are also savannahs in Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, and Namibia.

What makes it special?

The Serengeti has the largest concentration and diversity of wildlife on the planet. By the numbers:

The Serengeti is home to the “Great Migration,” the largest movement of animals in the world. Each year over two million wildebeests, zebras, and antelopes traverse the grasslands (1.3-1.7 million wildebeests, 200,000 zebra, 500,000 Thomson and Grant’s gazelle) as they follow the rains in search of greener pastures and water. The Serengeti is home to an incredible diversity of herbivores that include cape buffalo (30,000), African elephant (7,500), giraffe (4,000), black rhinoceros (200), warthog (15,000), eland (7,000), waterbuck (3,000), topi (27,000) and many others.
The Serengeti is famous for its collection of large predators that include lions (3,000), leopards (1,000), cheetah (250), and spotted hyenas (7,500).
Africa’s “Big 5” can be found in the Serengeti.
Bird lovers can find over 500 species of bird life in the Serengeti ecosystem.

No other location on the planet can match the sheer scale, density, and diversity of wildlife found in the Serengeti and it has been voted the top “Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.”

If you are up for an adventure definitely consider a visit to this magical place.

A black and white version for that old-timey look: