A VISIT TO MAASAI MARA

A VISIT TO THE MAASAI MARA

Masai Mara National Reserve is one of Africa’s most famous reserves, and it’s undoubtedly one of the continent’s best places to see most animals. The months of June and October are the best time for general wildlife viewing and August to October for wild beast migration. Its high seasons are between the months of June and October and December through March. The wildlife viewing is superb throughout the year.

Open savannah makes it easy to spot wildlife. It hosts over ninety-five species of mammals and over five hundred and seventy recorded species of birds. Together with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, the Masai Mara forms Africa’s most diverse, incredible and most spectacular ecosystem and possibly the world’s top safari big game viewing ecosystem.

This is actually the world’s leading home of wildlife. There is no better place to see what one can see in Maasai Mara and the Serengeti National Park.

The grassy plains and regular rainfall support a huge population of herbivores which, on the other hand, attracts many predators. The three big cats are easy to see. The yearly migration of wild beasts coming through the park is one of the world’s most amazing wildlife spectacles.

Savannah grassland dominates the landscape in the Maasai Mara, but pockets of acacia woodland, riparian forest around the Mara River, and rocky hills interspersed the plains. The Maasai word ‘Mara’, meaning spotted, refers to these dots in the landscape.

In the north, the Oloololo Escarpment, also called the Siria Escarpment, marks the northern boundary of the Mara. The stunning views from the top take in the whole ecosystem.

The Masai Mara is one of the best game reserves in Africa with visible big cats, especially lions. The leopards are quite used to vehicles and one can see their natural behavior, while cheetahs inhabit the open savannah, hunting or seeking their next meal. Concerning the Big Five, elephants and buffalos are full, but the black rhinoceros are trickier, and they only roam in the Mara Triangle in the north.

Statistics blame the loss of animals on increased human settlement in and around the reserve. High human population density leads to an increased number of livestock grazing in the park and an increase in poaching.

The statistics article provides the most detailed evidence to date on the decline in the ungulate, the hoofed animals, populations in the Mara and how this phenomenon is linked to the rapid expansion of human populations near the boundaries of the reserve.

The rise of local populations in areas neighboring the reserve has led to the formation of conservation organizations such as the Mara Elephant Project, which aims to ensure the peaceful and successful co-existence of human beings alongside wildlife. Human-wildlife conflict is seen as a leading threat to the reserve as the population continues to grow.

The Maasai people make up a community that spans across northern, central and southern Kenya and northern parts of Tanzania. As pastoralists, the community holds a belief that they own all the cattle in the world.

The Maasai rely on their lands to sustain their livestock and families. Prior to the establishment of the reserve as a protected area for conservation of wildlife, the Maasai were forced out of their native lands.

Tradition continues to play a major role in the lives of the modern-day Maasai people, who are known for their tall stature, patterned shukas and beadwork. It is estimated that there are approximately half a million individuals who speak the Maa language and this number includes not only the Maasai, but also Samburu and Camus people in Kenya.

As we get back to the main point, Maasai Mara is one of the largest wildlife conservation areas and the largest wilderness in Africa. It has a high population of leopards, lions, cheetahs and African bush-babies. It also hosts the Great Migration of wild beasts, which secured it as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, and as one of the ten Wonders of the World.

Although the Great Migration and the Big Five may be a big part of why safari travelers always visit the Maasai Mara, there is far more wildlife to explore in this region. This beautiful part of Africa is home to a very exciting collection of wild beasts. With close to ninety species of mammals and many bird species, the Mara ecosystem keeps guests eyeing the horizon to spot their next unforgettable sight.

The Greater Mara ecosystem encompasses areas known as the Maasai Mara National Reserve, the Mara Triangle, and several other Maasai Conservancies, including Koiyaki, Lemek, Ol Chorro Oirowua, Mara North, Olkinyei, Siana, Maji Moto, Naikara, Ol Derkesi, Kerinkani, Oloirien, and Kimintet.

The terrain of the reserve is primarily open grassland with seasonal riverlets. In the South-East region, there are also clumps of the distinctive acacia tree. The western border is the Esoit or Siria Escarpment of the East African Rift, which is a system of rifts some five thousand and six hundred kilometers long, from Ethiopia's Red Sea through Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi down into Mozambique.

Wildlife tends to be most concentrated here, as the swampy ground shows that water is easily available, while tourist disruption is minimal. The eastern most border is two hundred and twenty-four kilometers from Nairobi, thus the eastern regions are the most visited by tourists.

Maasai Mara National Reserve has a semi-arid climate with biannual rains and two distinct rainy seasons. Local farmers have referred to these as the 'long rains', which last approximately six to eight weeks in April and May, and the 'short rains' in November and December, which last approximately four weeks. He ended his speech.

We clapped our hands in appreciation for his excellent explanation about the Maasai Mara National Reserve, which left is shrieked with excitement.

It was a few minutes past noon. The quiet afternoon was punctuated by noises from vehicles that zoomed in and others out through the gate and the cooing of a lone dove that was pitched on a baobab tree.

The tour guide led us outside the hall to have a trip around the park. From my seat, I stood and stretched while yawning solemnly as my body was tired. Standing at the door, I opened my eyes into slits due to the burning sunlight.

The sky was blue and very clear except for the small puffy clouds which were rising on the eastern horizon. Far over the peak of Longonot, some scattered white clouds hung like sinister canopies. To avoid the scorching midday sun, I hurriedly rushed in bid to secure one of the front seats on the truck.

Severe heat from the midday sun scorched oppressively, roasting my black skin. Soon the truck was full of pupils, and we took off to visit the animal site in the game reserve.

The tour guide took us around. First at Mara River, where we explored the great migration of the wild beasts. Behind them were other animals following. As we progressed around, the game reserve was alive with noises of birds and ear-splitting shrieks of various wild animals.

“One of the dramatic legs of this quest is the crossing of the infamous Mara River”, he started enlightening us. During the river crossing, the herd of animals encounters the perils of crocodiles lying in wait for an easy meal. But come October, the throngs of animals slowly head back to the Serengeti.