Discovering the Wildlife and Birdlife in Serengeti National Park
Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park stands out for its natural beauty as one of Africa’s beloved parks, it also is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sitting at 14,750 square kilometers (5,700 square miles) in Northern Tanzania; the park derived its name from the Maasai word ‘Siringet’, meaning ‘endless plains’. The Serengeti is well well-known destination for anyone with a deep interest in wildlife and birding because this area has a very striking geography and variable ecosystems not to mention the rich and active wildlife and bird population.
Serengeti Ecosystem’s
The range of habitats is from savannah and plains, through woodland and gallery forest, to riverine forest, and islands of granite, known as kopje. These differences in the facilities provide habitat to support an outlandish number of plants and animals. A common biome of the park is the tropical savanna biome and through the study, it was noted that the park has temporal changes in several activities of the creatures due to different weather conditions such as the wet and dry seasons.
Grasslands: It is covered with short grass during the dry season and tall one during the wet season and it is in Serengeti that the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth, the wildebeest migration, occurs. It supplies vital feeding grounds to herbivores, wildebeest, zebra, and diverse antelopes.
Woodlands and Thickets: These areas are shrubland with quite sparse Acacia and baobab trees which provide habitats for the more concealed species. They offer habitation to many mammals, birds as well as insects.
Riverine Forests: The rivers of the Serengeti support forage along their sides, and are key water sources during the dry times for different species. These forests host such a rich avifauna as many birds breed here.
Kopjes: These are some of the major rock outcrops that play great reference points in the Serengeti. They afford the predators a view of their prey and are also used by many animals for rest, such as lions and leopards.
The Great Migration:
One of the most famous events is the Great Migration which also happens to be One of the greatest attractions of the area is the great migration, which is an annual event. Every year more than two million wildebeest are joined by several hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles’ migrations to find fresh pastures and water.
This amazing migration remains one of the world’s greatest and most thrilling animal movements where lots of animals risk their lives to cross Rivers among other obstacles on their way. The Migration is interrelated with the Serengeti ecosystems; when it rains in November, big herds of wildebeests arrive in the southern plains for calving and result in the most exciting scenes of thousands of calves.
When you arrive at the Serengeti by May, which is the time when the grasslands start turning dry, the herds of wildebeests & zebras move to the productive central grasslands of Serengeti and further to the north, they cross the crocodile-infested Grumeti & Mara rivers.
The most iconic animals in Serengeti
Serengeti is gifted with aboriginal inhabitants, in fact, it boasts of the “Big Five” which include lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos and rhinoceroses not forgetting the astonishing huge number of other wildlife.
Lions: They are among the largest populations of lions so beloved in Africa that are found in Serengeti. Popular for their gigantic roar and sociable behavior they are found in groups of several females and kids and only a few males. People can easily observe them lying on the grass or ascending kopjes.
Leopards: Although they are big cats, leopards are mostly solitary animals best depicted climbing trees and usually seen hanging on trees. Their rosette coats are ideal for concealing them in the partial shade that is characteristic of savanna country.
African Elephants: The wildlife includes large herds of elephants who inhabit the field of the park ranging from grasslands and wooden areas in search of food and water. These peaceful creatures are also sociable animals and many people can observe them communicating with each other and also preoccupying themselves with the first appearance of offspring.
Cape Buffalo: These large could animals, aggressive looking and erratic in behavior trail in large herds for most of the time. They often consist of organized social relationships between members of the group and in most cases they are coherent.
Rhinoceros: Nevertheless, as much as these animals are difficult to see in the South because their numbers have reduced significantly, there are some black rhinos in the Serengeti. There are currently measures in the conservation of the black and white rhinos.
Besides the Big Five, the Serengeti supports giraffe, cheetah, hyena, jackal, and hippo populations, and several types of antelopes including Thompson’s gazelle, Grants’ gazelle, and Plovers’ topi. There are also other small mammals reptiles and a variety of insects in the ecosystems of the park.
A Birdwatcher’s Paradise
Serengeti is not only a home of big and giant obscure animals but is also the best place for the bird-watching enthusiast. Currently, the park has been established as one of the foremost birding destinations within the continent with over 500 bird types documented by enthusiasts. Avian diversity is a result of the various habitats within the park.
Here are some of the notable Bird Species
African Fish Eagle: The adult African fish eagle has a white head and tail against a dark brown body making it easy to be identified near water sources such as rivers and lakes. With a loud, distressing call echoing what seems to belong to the wild, it may well be the conclusion of the online creed’s narrative.
Kori Bustard: Kori bustard is one of the heaviest flying birds and it is often seen walking in the fields. It also has a peculiar courtship dance which makes it a bird of interest for birding tourists.
Secretary Bird: Described as having long legs and a crest of feathers, secretaries damaging their wings are proficient snake hunters who prefer grassland territory.
Lilac-breasted Roller: Maasau’s lilac-breasted roller is a colorful bird with dominantly blue and pink feathers and is often photographed in the Serengeti region. Sometimes it is found sitting on tree branches; therefore, it is easily spotted against the green background.
Marabou Stork: Also frequently observed near or around water sources; the marabou stork is easily identified because it is very large and has a bizarre look.
Crowned Crane: This beautiful bird which now boasts of a golden crown, is known to premise wetland and grassland habitats. The crowned crane is a beautiful and majestic image.
Great Migration of Birds: In the same way that the land mammals move to different areas, so also does the Serengeti move birds from one place to another. Apart from part from those found in the list above, other bird species arrive in the Serengeti between November and April mainly to breed including those from Europe and Asia.
Tips for Wildlife Viewing
Timing Matters: Wildlife is most often active early in the morning and close to the evening hours, although it is ‘recommended that wildlife watching be done in the morning hours and late afternoons because this is when animals are generally most active.
Stay Patient and Quiet: Watching wild animals and taking photograph is sometimes time-consuming. It’s advised to be as silent as you possibly can and avoid loud noise to have better and higher chances of seeing the amazing animals because with noise they tend to hide.
Accompanied Tours: Incorporating such tours with professional guides will however make a lot of difference in the results offered. They know the park well and they will guide you on where to find some of the most hard-to-spot animals.
Respect Wildlife: Animal safety has to be respected by visitors, the best level that one can give is to keep a specific distance from these creatures. It must be understood that they may appear to be comfortable with vehicle presence but space must be given.
Discovering the Wildlife and Birdlife in Serengeti National Park: Conclusion
This is Serengeti National Park which is a dedicated wilderness area on the great plains of East Africa that presents the classic image of Africa’s wildlife and avifauna. From the grassy plains with countless herds of wildebeests and zebras to the systems of habitat that sustain so many different animals the Serengeti has a sort of fairy dust kind of attraction to everyone who comes to it.
Certainly, for lovers of all things wild and fascinated observers of birds, Serengeti is a perfect ground to observe amazing phenomena of nature and study their relationships with the surrounding world. This wonderful area should be saved for those people who will be amazed by the variety of the Serengeti wildlife and birdlife in the future as the feeling that this place must remain strengthening and inspiring.
Whether you are following lions in the savanna, witnessing a great migration listening to melodious birds, or watching strange creatures creeping in the dark, it is a very strong message to hope that the world could become beautiful again.
