Originally a part of the Masai people’s territory, the Serengeti National Park served as their grazing grounds. The name of the park comes from the Masai language. The name of the park is derived from the term “siringet,” which means a place where the land runs. The first American to visit the park in 1913 and 1920 arrived with the goal of going hunting with his friends, and he was astounded by the quantity of wildlife he saw.
With a total area of over 14,763 square kilometers, the park is also among Tanzania’s largest. The Masai speak of boundless grasslands that are home to the highly sought-after wildebeests during their calving and migration seasons. Since the park is an extension of Kenya’s Masai Mara game reserve, it is simple for wildebeest to migrate there during the dry season in quest of water and more lush vegetation.
You will see breathtaking vistas on the Serengeti trip, which will make your safari worthwhile. This national park is very sought after because of its diverse biodiversity. Numerous species of wildlife, including the critically endangered black rhino, can be found on the boundless grasslands that the Masai have described. The plains are primarily made up of savanna, however there are also some thickets and forests.
Because of the favorable environment, a wide range of birds can be found here. More than 450 bird species have been identified in this area. Giraffes, lions, leopards, warthogs, hippos, cheetas, and numerous more cats are among the other wildlife species to be on the lookout for. Elephants and buffalos are seen in big herds. The Kori bustard, Fischer’s lovebird, rufous-tailed weaver, and grey-breasted spurfowl are the birds to watch out for.
Wildebeests in Serengeti National park.
As members of the Bovidae family, wildebeests gather cattle. Similar to cattle, a group of wildebeests is referred to as a herd. Generally speaking, female wildebeests are brighter than male ones. The backs of wildebeests are covered in long hair. The term “wild beast,” which was first used by the Dutch in southern Africa, is where the creatures receive their name. The two subtypes of wildebeests are the eastern white-bearded wildebeest breed, which is found in the Gregory Rift, and the western white-bearded wildebeest breed, which is found in the Serengeti-Mara region.
The wildebeest live in the savanna and woodland areas. These animals are very territorial and they are very social animals. Therefore they live in groups of over 100 members in a herd and march a particular territory usually about 2 square Kilometers.
Wildebeests will move in search o water and greener areas in the dry season from August to October. They used sounds to communicate as well as the sense of smell. Their sound travels over 2 kilometers.
The gestation period of a wildebeest is about 8 months and 2 weeks.
What is the calving season/Migration?
This is the procedure by which the wildebeests disperse around the plains covered in dense vegetation in the southern regions of the Ngorongoro conservation area in order to give birth. Typically, this time frame falls between January and March. They generally favor the wet season, but they follow the same routes to the plains, though occasionally the times change. The gazelles and zebras also go through this process, so the wildebeest are not the only ones. They frequent these locations because the short grass there is easily consumed by their young and makes it difficult for predators to conceal.
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