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Coordinates: 1°31′S, 35°6′E Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Wildebeest and zebra migration in Masai Mara

The Masai Mara (also spelled Maasai Mara) is a large park reserve in south-western Kenya, which is effectively the northern continuation of the Serengeti National Park game reserve in Tanzania. Named for the Maasai people (the traditional inhabitants of the area) and the Mara River, which divides it, it is famous for its exceptional population of game and the annual migration of zebra and the wildebeest from the Serengeti every July and August, a migration so immense it is called the Great Migration. Its twenty or more lion prides are an attraction.^[1] Download high resolution version (1536x1002, 1229 KB)Gnus and Zebras migrating through Masai Mara, Kenya. ... Download high resolution version (1536x1002, 1229 KB)Gnus and Zebras migrating through Masai Mara, Kenya. ... Reserve can mean several things; 1. ... The Serengeti National Park ( ) is a large national park in Serengeti area, Tanzania, Africa. ... A game reserve is an area of land set aside for maintenance of wildlife for tourism or hunting purposes. ... Language(s) Maa (ɔl Maa) Religion(s) Monotheism including Christianity Related ethnic groups Samburu The Masai are an indigenous African ethnic group of semi-nomadic people located in Kenya and northern Tanzania. ... This article describes the Mara River in Africa. ... For other uses, see Zebra (disambiguation). ... Species Connochaetes gnou Connochaetes taurinus The wildebeest (plural, wildebeest or wildebeests), also called the gnu (pronounced or ), is an antelope of the genus Connochaetes. ... A zebra and wildebeests during migration The Serengeti ecosystem is located in north-western Tanzania and extends to south-western Kenya between latitudes 1 and 3 S and longitudes 34 and 36 E. It spans some 30,000 km. ...

Geography

With an area of 1510 km² the Masai Mara is not the largest game park in Kenya, but it is probably the most famous. The entire area of the park is nestled within the enormous Great Rift Valley that extends from the Mediterranean Sea to South Africa. It is at the bottom of the Siria Escarpment. The terrain of the reserve is primarily open grassland, with seasonal riverlets. In the south-east region are clups of the distinctive acacia tree. The western border is the Esoit Oloololo Escarpment of the Rift Valley, and wildlife tends to be most concentrated here, as the swampy ground means that access to water is always good and tourist disruption is minimal. The easternmost border is 224 km from Nairobi, and hence it is the eastern regions which are most visited by tourists. Northern section of the Great Rift Valley. ... Mediterranean redirects here. ... For other uses, see Acacia (disambiguation). ... Location of Nairobi Coordinates: , Country Province HQ City Hall Founded 1899 Constituencies of Nairobi List Makadara Kamukunji Starehe Langata Dagoretti Westlands Kasarani Embakasi Government  - Mayor Geoffrey Majiwa Area  - City 684 km² (264. ...

Masai Mara Wildlife

Young cheetahs in Masai Mara

Cheetahs in Masai Mara

Rhinos in Masai Mara

Female Lion in Masai Mara

Elephants in Masai Mara

Cubs in Masai Mara

Female Lion with kill in Masai Mara

Lion in Masai Mara

The Masai Mara is perhaps most famous for its lions. All other members of the "Big Five" are to be found in the Masai Mara, although the population of black rhinoceros is severely threatened, with a population of only 37 recorded in 2000. Hippopotami are found in large groups in the Masai Mara and Talek Rivers. Cheetah are also to be found, although their numbers are also threatened, chiefly due to tourist disruption of their day-time hunting. As mentioned above, the plains between the Mara river and the Esoit Oloololo Escarpment are probably the best area for game viewing, in particular regarding lion and cheetah. This article is about the animal. ... This article is about the animal. ... For other uses, see Lion (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Lion (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Lion (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Lion (disambiguation). ... Lion (Panthera leo) African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) Leopard (Panthera pardus) Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) The phrase Big Five game was coined by big-game hunters and refers to the five large mammals that were sought in Africa. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 Black Rhinoceros range Subspecies Diceros bicornis michaeli Diceros bicornis longipes Diceros bicornis minor Diceros bicornis bicornis The Black Rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis also colloquially Black Rhino is a mammal in the order Perissodactyla, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758[2] Range map[1] The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), from the Greek ἱπποπόταμος (hippopotamos, hippos meaning horse and potamos meaning river), often shortened to hippo, is a large, mostly plant-eating African mammal, one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae (the other being the Pygmy... This article is about the animal. ...

Like in the Serengeti, the wildebeest are the dominant inhabitant of the Masai Mara, and their numbers are estimated in the millions. Around July of each year these ungainly animals migrate in a vast ensemble north from the Serengeti plains in search of fresh pasture, and return to the south around October. The Great Migration is one of the most impressive natural events worldwide, involving an immensity of hervibores: some 1,300,000 Wildebeest, 360,000 Thomson's Gazelle, and 191,000 Zebra. These numerous migrants are followed along their annual, circular route by a block of hungry predators, most notably lions and hyena. See migration safari: [1].

Numerous other antelope can be found, including Thomson's and Grant's gazelle, impala, topi and Coke's hartebeest. Large herds of zebra are found through the reserve. The plains are also home to the distinctive Masai giraffe as well as the common giraffe. The large Roan antelope and the nocturnal bat-eared fox, rarely present elsewhere in Kenya, can be seen within the reserve borders. The Masai Mara is a major research centre for the spotted hyena. Additionally, over 450 species of birdlife have been identified in the park, including vulture, marabou, secretary bird, hornbill, crowned crane, ostrich, long-crested eagle, and pygmy falcon. This article is about the herbivorous mammals. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Impala (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Damaliscus lunatus Burchell, 1823 Topi standing in Masai Mara The Topi, or Tsessebe, as it is called in Southern Africa, (Damaliscus lunatus also known as Tiang or Korrigum) is a savannah and floodplain antelope found in Sudan, Chad, Kenya, Tanzania, and Southern Africa. ... Binomial name Alcelaphus buselaphus Pallas, 1766 The Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus) is a grassland antelope found in West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. ... For other uses, see Zebra (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 Range map The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all land-living animal species. ... Binomial name Hippotragus equinus Desmarest, 1804 The Roan Antelope (Hippotragus equinus) is a grassland antelope found in West, Central,East Africa and Southern Africa. ... Binomial name Otocyon megalotis (Desmarest, 1822) The Bat-eared Fox is a canid of the African savanna. ... Subfamilies and Genera Hyaeninae Crocuta Hyaena Parahyaena Protelinae Proteles Hyenas or Hyænas are moderately large terrestrial carnivores native to Africa, Arabia, Asia and the Indian subcontinent. ... Orders Falconiformes (Fam. ... Binomial name Leptoptilos crumeniferus (Lesson, 1831) The Marabou Stork, Leptoptilos crumeniferus, is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. ... Binomial name Sagittarius serpentarius (Miller,JF, 1779) The Secretary Bird, Sagittarius serpentarius, is an extraordinary member of the bird of prey family. ... Genera Aceros Anorrhinus Anthracoceros Buceros Bucorvus Ceratogymna (=Bycanistes) Ocyceros Penelopides Tockus Hornbills (Family Bucerotidae) are a group of birds whose bill is shaped like a cows horn, but without a twist, sometimes with a casque on the upper mandible. ... Crowned Crane may refer to: Black Crowned Crane (Balearica pavonina) Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum) Red-crowned Crane or Japanese Crane (Grus japonensis) Category: ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 Distribution of Ostriches. ...

Useful Information

The Masai Mara Reserve area is administered by Narok County Council and the Mara Conservancy (under contract by the Trans Mara county council) a local non profit organization formed by the local Maasai, and contains a number of anti-poaching units that are stationed well away from the regions frequented by tourists. The Masai Mara Conservation area is administered by the Group Ranch Trusts of the Maasai community who also have their own rangers for patrolling the park area. The wildlife roam freely across both the Reserve and Conservation areas which are a continuous wildlife ecosystem. Game parks are a major source of hard currency for Kenya, and entry fees (as of April 2006) for adult non-Kenyans is US$40 ($10 for children). There are a number of lodges and tented camps for tourists inside the Reserve and the Conservation area borders. The tourists/visitors cater for their own expenses unless previuosly arranged by their agencies. It has been suggested that Soft currency be merged into this article or section. ...

Lodges and camps inside the Reserve include Mara Serena, Governor's camp, Keekorok, and Sarova Mara. In the Conservation area are Royal Mara Safari Lodge, Siana Springs tented camp, Mara Sopa, Elephant Pepper, Mara Simba, and Sekenani camp. Keekorok Game Lodge is an hotel/lodge in the Masai Mara Game Reserve in southwest Kenya. ... Siana Springs tented camp is a Kenyan tourist resort in Masai land in the Masai Mara National Park. ...

Mara Serena Airport, Musiara Airport and Keekorok Airport are located in the Reserve area of the Masai Mara. Mara Shikar Airport and Ngerende Airport are located in the Conservation area of the Masai Mara. Mara Serena Airport is an airport in Masai Mara, Kenya (IATA: MRE, ICAO: N/A). ...

The BBC Television show Big Cat Diary is filmed in both the Reserve and Conservation areas of the Masai Mara and highlights scenes from the Reserve's Musiara marsh area and the Leopard Gorge of the Conservation area. Big Cat Diary (known as Big Cat Week from 2004 - 2006) is a documentary film that has been running since July 1996 on BBC television. ...

See also

• List of national parks of Kenya
• Julie Ward, Wildlife photographer who was murdered in Masai Mara in 1988

The national park system of Kenya is maintained by the Kenya Wildlife Service. ... The murder of Julie Ward in Kenya in 1988 is notable for the indefatigable campaign by her father, John Ward, firstly to persuade the Kenyan authorities to recognise that Miss Ward was murdered and secondly to try to identify the killer or killers. ...

Footnotes

2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Mara Conservancy's Official Website
• The Mara Conservancy Blog: The Mara Triangle
• Masai Mara interactive Map
• Integrating Community Development & Wildlife Protection in Masai Mara
• The Annual Wildebeest migration in Masai Mara
• Accommodations - Lodges, Map and location of some lodges
• Official Kenyan tourist board website