At the heart of the Serengeti ecosystem lies an ancient phenomenon that is the largest movement of wildlife on earth. In pursuit of food and water, over a million wildebeest and half a million zebra and antelope migrate north from the Serengeti to the adjoining Maasai Mara reserve in Kenya every year. Plains zebra and wildebeest often intermingle. They are complementary grazers, preferring different parts of the same grass. Zebra, with their superior vision and hearing, serve as an early warning system for the wildebeest. Given the choice, predators prefer wildebeest meat to zebra. So zebra are happy to offer the carnivores that choice.
The park is usually described as divided into three regions-
The almost treeless grassland of the south is the most emblematic scenery of the park. This is where the wildebeest breed, as they remain in the plains from December to May. Other hoofed animals - zebra, gazelle, impala, hartebeest, topi, buffalo, waterbuck - also occur in huge numbers during the wet season. "Kopjes" are granite florations that are very common in the region, and they are great observation posts for predators, as well as a refuge for hyrax and pythons.
Western corridor:The black clay soil covers the savannah of this region. The Grumeti River and its gallery forests is home to Nile crocodiles, patas monkeys, hippopotamus, and martial eagles. The migration passes through from May to July.
Northern Serengeti:The landscape is dominated by open woodlands (predominantly Commiphora) and hills, ranging from Seronera in the south to the Mara River on the Kenyan border.
Apart from the migratory wildebeest and zebra (which occur from July to August, and in November), this is the best place to find elephant, giraffe, and dik dik.
Wildlife
The park is worldwide known for its incredible scenery and magnificent wildlife. Some of the most popular animals among tourists include:
Masai lion:The Serengeti is believed to hold the largest population of lions in Africa due in part to the abundance of prey species. More than 3,000 lions live in this ecosystem.
African leopard:These reclusive predators are commonly seen in the Seronera region but are present throughout the national park with the population at around 1,000.
Tanzanian cheetah:The fastest running land animal can reach speeds of up to 70 mph. The ability to be so quick allows them to capture prey that no other animals can catch. It is estimated there are over 1,000 individuals living in the park.
African bush elephant:
The herds have recovered successfully from population lows in the 1980s caused by poaching, numbering over 5,000 individuals,[8] and are largely located in the northern regions of the park.
Eastern black rhinoceros:Mainly found around the kopjes in the centre of the park, very few individuals remain due to rampant poaching. Individuals from the Masai Mara Reserve cross the park border and enter Serengeti from the northern section at times.
African buffalo:Still abundant and present in healthy numbers.
Serengeti wildebeest:The park is home to spectacular migration events. Large ungulates from Grant's gazelles to blue wildebeests travel across vast tracts of land as the seasons change. The population of migratory wildebeests is approximately 1.2 million