Masai Mara

Infobox_protected_area
name = Masai Mara National Reserve
iucn_category = II


caption = Location of Masai Mara National Reserve
base_width = 300px
locator_x = 55
locator_y = 215
location = Kenya, Rift Valley Province
nearest_city = Nyeri
lat_degrees = 1
lat_minutes = 29
lat_seconds = 24
lat_direction = S
long_degrees = 35
long_minutes = 8
long_seconds = 38
long_direction = E
area = 1,510 km²
established = 1974
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body = Kenya Wildlife ServiceThe 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 year from July to October, a migration so immense it is called the Great Migration. Its twenty or more lion prides are an attraction.cite web
url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/features/174africa.shtml|title=BBC Big cat watching in Africa|publisher=www.bbc.co.uk
accessdate=2008-03-17|last=Jackman|first=Brian]

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.

Masai Mara Wildlife

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.

As 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. 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 vultures, marabou stork, secretary bird, hornbill, crowned crane, ostrich, long-crested Eagle, and african pygmy-falcon.

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. 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 previously arranged by their agencies. 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.
Mara Serena Airport, Musiara Airport and Keekorok Airport are located in the Reserve area of the Masai Mara. Mara Shikar Airport, Kichwa Tembo Airport and Ngerende Airport are located in the Conservation area of the Masai Mara.

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 and Fig Tree Ridge areas of the Conservation area.

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Wildebeest_and_zebra_migrationImage:MasaiMaraCheetahs01.jpgcheetahs

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Cheetahs

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RhinosImage:Lioness_in_masai_mara.jpg|Lioness in masai mara
Lion with kill
Lion

ee also

*Julie Ward, Wildlife photographer who was murdered in Masai Mara in 1988

Footnotes

External links

* [http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/wdbpa/sitedetails.cfm?siteid=1297&level=nat World Database on Protected Areas: Masai Mara]
* [http://www.tourism.go.ke/default.nsf/doc21/4YGEX3ADMY6?opendocument&l=1&e=1&se=103 Ministry of Tourism Kenya - Maasai Mara National Reserve]
* [http://www.maratriangle.org/ The Mara Triangle – Official website for The Mara Conservancy]