Serengeti

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Serengeti National Park
UNESCO world heritage UNESCO World Heritage Emblem
Cheeta and the gazelle.jpg
Grant's gazelle and cheetah in the Serengeti
National territory: TanzaniaTanzania Tanzania
Type: nature
Criteria : (vii) (x)
Surface: 1,476,300 ha
Reference No .: 156
UNESCO region : Africa
History of enrollment
Enrollment: 1981  ( session 5 )
Map of Tanzania with the national parks

The Serengeti is a savannah that stretches from northern Tanzania , east of Lake Victoria , to southern Kenya and covers an area of ​​about 30,000 square kilometers.

The word Serengeti is derived from the Maasai language of the term "esirinket" and means "the endless land" or "endless plain". Extensive, flat grass steppes in the south contrast slightly hilly, slightly forested plains in the north. The central savannah is almost treeless, in the south-east the volcanic Ngorongoro Protected Area rises up ( world natural heritage since 1979). The highest mountains are about 1850 meters above sea ​​level , lower parts of the savannah reach down to about 920 meters. The annual precipitation varies between 300 and 1000 mm.

The Serengeti area encloses the Serengeti National Park , which with its 14,763 square kilometers is one of the largest and certainly the most famous national parks in the world and has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the 23,051 km² biosphere reserve since 1981 . To the south-west of the national park is the Mazwa wildlife sanctuary located at 1000 to 1500 meters above sea level, 2200 km² in size, and to the north of the corridor is the Grumeti reserve with around 2000 to 3000 km². In addition, the 3000 km² Ikorongo reserve borders the Serengeti. The Loliondo Conservation Area lies between the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the state border; the northern end of the Serengeti ecosystem is in the Maasai Mara Reserve .

history

With colonization , big game hunters began to shoot down animals in large numbers and thus to decimate the populations.

Landscape of the Serengeti during the German colonial period, before 1910

This arbitrary killing of wild animals ultimately made it necessary to set up nature reserves in order to protect the savannah habitat and the wildlife there. In the 19th century the area was still grazing land for the nomadic Maasai people . The Maasai, who were not to blame for the destruction of nature, were severely restricted in their freedom in their own homeland by the nature reserves.

The Serengeti was partially declared a game reserve (Serengeti Game Reserve) as early as 1929 to protect the lions that were previously considered pests. In 1940 it was declared a Protected Area . In 1951, the British Mandate Administration of Tanganyika established the Serengeti National Park, which at that time also included the Ngorongoro Crater.

In 1959, the rainy season pastures of were wildebeest in the southeastern Serengeti Ngorongoro Crater separated from the national park and only for the game reserve (Conservation Area) explains allowed to graze their cattle in the well Maasai herdsmen. On this occasion was established the same year of the award-winning film Serengeti Shall Not Die of Bernhard and Michael Grzimek .

flora

Umbrella acacias

The Serengeti is one of Africa's most complex and least disturbed ecosystems, ranging from dusty summer drought to green winter and lush spring. The focus is on the savannah with scattered acacias . To the south there are wide open short grass plains, to the north there are long grasslands covered with thorn trees, along the rivers gallery forest and in the hilly western corridor extensive forests and black clay pans.

Short grasslands form the main vegetation on the undulating open plains. The plains mostly turn into desert during severe drought and are prone to wildfire, which the short grass can tolerate. This is the main habitat of migratory ungulates during the rainy season. Dominant species are Digitaria macroblephara , Sporobolus marginatus and Sporobolus kentrophyllus - indicators of overgrazed and salty soils. The invasive and poisonous Mexican prickly poppy ( Argemone mexicana ) can spread from Ngorongoro. Sedge such as Kyllinga nervosa can be found in humid areas . There are extensive acacia woodland savannahs in the center extending east of Ikoma and some gallery forests along the rivers. Lowland forests include Commiphora africana , Acacia drepanolobium , Acacia gerrardii, and desert date ( Balanites aegyptiaca ). Highland forests consist of Acacia lahai and Seyal acacia ( Acacia seyal ).

fauna

Mammals

The Serengeti is home to huge herds of animals that make extensive, seasonal migrations.
Cub lion in Serengeti National Park

More than 1.6 million herbivores and thousands of predators live there. Common animals in this region are Serengeti white beard wildebeest ( Connochaetes (taurinus) mearnsi ) (stock about 1.5 million), Thomson - ( Eudorcas thomsoni ) and Grant's gazelles ( Nanger granti ), Burchell's zebra ( Equus quagga ) and African buffalo ( Syncerus caffer ).

In particular the wildebeest, zebras, Thomson's gazelles as well as eland antelopes ( Taurotragus oryx ) and lyre antelopes ( Damaliscus lunatus ) are known for their extensive migrations, which they undertake depending on the dry and rainy seasons. Since the Pleistocene, you have been hiking through the entire Serengeti from north to south to the bordering Masai Mara and back over the course of a year . The herds migrate between seasonal water sources and the grasslands, beginning in May and June from the central plains to the western corridor and then northward, more dispersed between July and November.

Depending on the prey scheme, predators accompany the herds. These include in particular lions ( Panthera leo ) (entire Serengeti up to 3000 animals), spotted hyenas ( Crocuta crocuta ), striped hyenas ( Hyaena hyaena ), African golden wolves ( Canis anthus ), striped jackals ( C. adustus ) and black-backed jackals ( C. mesomelas ). The last pack of African wild dogs ( Lycaon pictus ) disappeared in 1991. Three packs fell victim to a rabies epidemic, but there is no clear explanation for the complete disappearance.

There are large herds of antelope with a variety of species. In the grasslands are eland , lesser kudu ( tragelaphus imberbis ) Pferdeantilope ( Hippotragus equinus ), Bleichböckchen ( Ourebia ourebi ), Grant antelopes, Kuhantilope ( Alcelaphus buselaphus ) steenbok ( Raphicerus campestris ), tsessebe and oryx ( oryx gazella ); the African buffalo also occurs. Warthog ( Phacochoerus africanus ), bushbuck ( Tragelaphus scriptus ), sitatunga ( Tragelaphus spekii ), crown duiker ( Sylvicapra grimmia ), impala ( Aepyceros melampus ) and Kirk-Dikdik ( Madoqua kirkii ) can be found in the groves . Reedbuck ( Redunca redunca ) and waterbuck ( Kobus ellipsiprymnus ) occur in the swamps . Midst of ash plateau with single granite rocks are klipspringer ( Oreotragus oreotragus ) as well as giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis ) and baboons ( Papio anubis ); and mountain reedbuck ( Redunca fulvorufula ) to be found in the mountains .

Other characteristic larger mammals are the leopard ( Panthera pardus ), the cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus ) (VU), the caracal ( Caracal caracal ), the African elephant ( Loxodonta africana ) (VU), estimated number 1357 in 1994 - in the Serengeti- National Park alone, its population had grown from 470 in 1961 to 2,470 in 1970 and 3008 in 1977 to 395 in 1987 and 299 in 1989 - the black rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis ) (critically endangered and only very much few) and the hippopotamus ( Hippopotamus amphibius ) (VU).

Mantled monkey

Smaller mammals include numerous species of bat, Brown Greater Galago ( Otolemur crassicaudatus ) Vervet Monkey ( Chlorocebus pygerythrus ), Patas ( Erythrocebus patas ) and Mantelaffe ( Colobus guereza ), aardvark ( Orycteropus afer ), ground pangolin ( smutsia temminckii ), Cape hare ( Lepus capensis ) , porcupines ( Hystrix sp.), three types of hyraxes and many rodent species, bat-eared fox ( Otocyon megalotis ), African clawless otter ( Aonyx capensis ) and spotted-necked otter ( Lutra maculicollis ), honey badger ( Mellivora capensis ), Zorilla ( Ictonyx striatus ), seven species of mongoose , Aardwolf ( Proteles cristata ), small-spotted gorse cat ( Genetta genetta ), large-spotted gorse cat ( Genetta tigrina ), African civet cat ( Civettictis civetta ), serval ( Leptailurus serval ), African golden cat ( Felis silybica ), falcon cat ( Profelis silybica ) and fallow cat ( Profelis silybica ) Bush pig ( Potamochoerus larvatus ).

Birds

Endemic redtail weaver

Numerous species of birds live in the national park. The over 500 species of birds include 34 species of birds of prey and 6 species of vulture as well as collections of over 20,000 water birds. The following species occur (VU = vulnerable = endangered): African ostrich ( Struthio camelus ), thick-billed heron ( Ardeola idae ), marabou ( Leptoptilos crumeniferus ), lesser flamingo ( Phoenicopterus minor ), African African eagle ( Haliaeetus vocifer ), predatory eagle ( Aquila rapax ), red elephant ( Falco naumanni ) (VU), steppe ordination ( Circus macrourus ), secretary ( Sagittarius serpentarius ) Graubrust Frankolin ( Francolinus rufopictus ) Helmperlhuhn ( Numida meleagris ), Crowned crane ( Balearica regulorum gibbericeps ) Choriotis Kori struthiunculus, stilt ( Himantopus himantopus ) , Säbelschnäbler ( Recurvirostra avosetta ), snipe ( Gallinago media ) Black wing Brachschwalbe ( Glareola nordmanni ) Blackwings peewit ( Vanellus melanopterus ), wormwood Plover ( Charadrius asiaticus ), White-winged tern ( Chlidonias leucopterus ) Tern ( sterna nilotica ) Pfirsichköpfchen ( Agapornis fischeri ) , Milchuhu ( Bubo lacteus ), southern ground hornbill ( Bucorvus leadbeateri ), Cory Barbet ( Trachyphonus purpuratus ), Rostkehl Meise ( Parus fringillinus ), gray Schopf-helmetshrike ( Prionops poliolophus ) (VU), white-tailed Lerche , Apalis karamojae (VU) and several endemic spread so z. B. the red-tailed weaver ( Histurgops ruficauda ).

Reptiles

Nile crocodile

Reptiles include, but the Nile ( Crocodylus niloticus ), the Nilwaran ( Varanus niloticus ), the leopard tortoise ( Stigmochelys pardalis ), the Northern rock Python ( Python sebae ), the black-necked spitting cobra ( Naja nigricollis ), and the puff adder ( Bitis arietans ). The habitat -forming lizard species Agama mwanzae lives on the large rocky crests called Kopjes .

Conflicts

Protecting the animal habitat also means curtailing the rights of the local population. The park's original residents were relocated in the 1950s and were no longer allowed to enter their land. To compensate for this, an attempt was made to improve the living conditions of the residents at the park borders, but this attracted even more people to the region and increased the pressure on the park.

In recent times, nature conservationists have therefore been adopting a new strategy: the locals should take over parts of the protected land (“Wildlife Management Areas”) and thus also take responsibility for them themselves. You can benefit from it yourself through tourism and must protect the parts for this in your own interest. The success of this strategy is open.

Another threat to the park was a planned highway route. It is feared that the road could interrupt the world's largest migration of land mammals and thus destroy the entire ecological balance in the long term. After UNESCO threatened to revoke the park's world heritage status, the Tanzanian government relented and has now abandoned the road construction project across the park. Several international organizations advocate a southern bypass of the park and signal support for this alternative road concept. Environmentalists are skeptical whether the road has really been prevented.

tourism

Tourists on photo safari

Over 90,000 tourists visit the Serengeti every year.

Film documentaries

  • Serengeti must not die . Documentary by Michael Grzimek and Bernhard Grzimek. Germany 1959, Asta / Okapia film, 85 minutes.
  • IMAX - Africa - The Serengeti . Documentary by George Casey. USA 1994, VCL, 39 minutes.
  • Serengeti Symphony . Documentary by Hugo van Lawick . Germany 1998, Nature Conservation Films BV, 82 minutes.
  • Serengeti . Documentary by Reinhard Radke . Germany 2011, Universum , 102 minutes.
  • Terra X: Serengeti - Heroes of the Savannah . 2020, 45 minutes.

Exhibitions

  • 2012: Uwe Skrzypczak. Serengeti, a miracle of evolution (photo exhibition to protect the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem), in the Koenig Museum

literature

  • Markus Borner: The Serengeti Myth. Few landscapes cast a spell over us like this great plain - there are good reasons for this , in: National Geographic Germany August 2006, pp. 30–39.
  • Bernhard Gißibl, The Myths of the Serengeti. Images of nature, natural politics and the ambivalence of western global citizenship in East Africa, in: Food for thought. Series of publications by the Foundation for Nature and Environment Rhineland-Palatinate , Issue 10 (2013), pp. 48–75.
  • Wally and Horst Hagen: The African national parks as habitats for elephants . In: Vitus B. Dröscher : Save the elephants of Africa . 1st edition. Goldmann Verlag , Munich 1992, ISBN 3-442-12322-4 . Pp. 243-245.
  • Thomas Lekan: Serengeti Shall Not Die : Bernhard Grzimek, Wildlife Film, and the Making of a Tourist Landscape in East Africa, in: German History 29/2 (2011), pp. 224–264.
  • Robert M. Poole: Hard times for the savannah. In the Serengeti, animals, tourists and locals compete - do the Maasai miss out? , in: National Geographic Germany August 2006, pp. 40–67.
  • David Read , Barefoot over the Serengeti , self-published, Nairobi 1979, 2nd ed. 1980 by Travel Book Club. Reprint 1984, ISBN 9987-8920-2-7 and ISBN 0-304-30057-8
  • Jan Bender Shetler: Imagining Serengeti. A History of Landscape Memory in Tanzania from Earliest Times to the Present. Ohio University Press 2007, ISBN 978-0-8214-1750-8 .

Web links

Commons : Serengeti  - collection of images, videos and audio files
Wikivoyage: Serengeti  Travel Guide

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, October 8, 2008
  2. ↑ netzeitung.de Mr. Borner, how is the Serengeti doing today? ( Memento from May 21, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
  3. ↑ Richard E. Leakey, Virginia Morell: A Life for the Elephants. Fischer-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2004, ISBN 3-596-16052-9 , p. 219
  4. ↑ C. Packer: Who rules the park? In: Wildlife Conservation 99 (3), 1996, pp. 36-39.
  5. ↑ V. Morell: Dogfight erupts over animal studies in Serengeti the. In: Science. Volume 270, Number 5240, November 1995, pp. 1302-1303, ISSN  0036-8075 . PMID 7481816 .
  6. ↑ C. Dye: Serengeti wild dogs: what really happened? In: Trends in ecology & evolution. Volume 11, Number 5, May 1996, pp. 188-189, ISSN  0169-5347 . PMID 21237804 .
  7. ^ ML East, H. Hofer: Wild dogs in the Serengeti ecosystem: what really happened. In: Trends in ecology & evolution. Volume 11, Number 12, December 1996, p. 509, ISSN  0169-5347 . PMID 21237943 .
  8. ↑ MY Said, RN Chunge include: African elephant database 1995. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, 225 S. ISBN 283170295X
  9. ^ N. Stronach: The Management of Fire in Serengeti National Park: Objectives and Prescriptions. Tanzania National Parks. 1988, 38 pp.
  10. ↑ L. Fishpool, M. Evans (Eds.) (2001). Important Bird Areas for Africa and Associated Islands. Priority Sites for Conservation. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK
  11. ↑ Critical to Bernhard Gissibl and John Paul Mann: Serengeti shall not die . In: Jürgen Zimmerer (Ed.): No place in the sun. Places of remembrance of German colonial history . Frankfurt 2013. ISBN 978-3-593-39811-2 , pp. 96-118.
  12. ^ Benjamin Dürr: Nature Conservation in Tanzania: A Highway through the Serengeti. In: zeit.de . July 22, 2010, accessed December 24, 2014 .
  13. ↑ Sebastian Jutzi: Research and Technology: Does the Serengeti have to die? In: Focus Online . June 13, 2011, accessed December 24, 2014 .
  14. ↑ Frankfurt Zoological Society - nature conservation Grzimeks tracks In: zgf.de
  15. ↑ Serengeti highway would disrupt world's greatest migration, conservationists warn. In: sciencedaily.com. August 25, 2010, accessed December 24, 2014 .
  16. ↑ Tagesschau online: Serengeti doesn't have to die ( memento from July 20, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) June 27, 2011
  17. ↑ Tanzania's government abandons road construction project - Serengeti doesn't have to die ( Memento from June 30, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) In: Tagesschau from July 27, 2011
  18. ↑ Dominic Johnson: Tanzania obviously gives in: Serengeti will not die. In: taz.de . June 27, 2011, accessed December 24, 2014 .
  19. ↑ News. In: tanzania-network.de. Retrieved December 24, 2014 .
  20. ↑ Serengeti - The official website of the national park. In: serengeti.org. November 15, 2000, accessed December 24, 2014 .

Coordinates: 2 ° 19 ′ 51 ″  S , 34 ° 50 ′ 0 ″  E