Maasai Mara
Their description of the area when looked at from afar: "Mara" means "spotted" in the local Maasai language, because of the short bushy trees which dot the landscape.Maasai Mara is one of the wildlife conservation and wilderness areas in Africa, with its populations of lions, leopards, cheetahs and African bush elephants.The Great Migration normally happens from July depending on weather as the wildebeest Moves in large numbers crossing river Mara from Tanzania.[5] Tradition continues to play a major role in the lives of modern-day Maasai people, who are known for their tall stature, patterned shukas and beadwork.[2] Around July of each year, these animals migrate north from the Serengeti plains in search of fresh pasture, and return to the south around October.The Maasai Mara is the only protected area in Kenya with an indigenous black rhino population unaffected by translocations.The population of black rhinos was fairly numerous until 1960, but it was severely depleted by poaching in the 1970s and early 1980s, dropping to a low of 15 individuals.African wild dogs are quite rare here due to the widespread transmission of diseases like canine distemper and the heavy competition they face with lions, who can often ravage their populations.[3] The more visited eastern part of the park, known as the Maasai Mara National Reserve, is managed by the Narok County Council.[16] Concentrating on the northern conservancies where communities coexist with wildlife, the project aims to identify population trends and responses to changes in land management, human settlements, livestock movements and tourism.[18] Collected over the years, photographic data allows the project team to trace kinship between generations and build Mara cheetah pedigree.The data collected helps to reveal parental relationship between individuals, survival rate of cubs, cheetah lifespan and personal reproductive history.The resilience of the game park model and the impact of the covid pandemic have also been evaluated so as to include consideration of issues of equality, and environmentalism.[27] The rise of local populations in areas neighbouring the reserve has led to the formation of conservation organisations such as the Mara Elephant Project.According to their website, as of 2022 they have arrested 4,500 poachers, vaccinated 100,000 dogs against rabies and distemper, improved access roads, and provided security for the local community and tourist facilities.
Rift Valley ProvinceNarok Countygame reserveSerengeti National ParkTanzaniaMaasai peopleMaasai languageleopardscheetahsAfrican bush elephantsSeven Natural Wonders of AfricaWonders of the WorldMara TriangleMaasai Mara conservanciessmallpoxrinderpestcattleMaa languageSamburuIlchamus peopleMara RiverecosystemescarpmentacaciaEast African RiftEthiopiaMalawiMozambiqueNairobisemi-arid climateumbrella acaciawildebeestzebrasBlue wildebeestThomson's gazellescommon elandsGrant's zebrasBig FiveAfrican leopardsAfrican buffaloesblack rhinocerosHippopotamusesNile crocodilesSpotted hyenasEast African cheetahscanine distemperAfrican wolvesblack-backed jackalsAfrican striped weaselscaracalsservalshoney badgersaardwolvesAfrican wildcatsside-striped jackalsbat-eared foxesStriped polecatsAfrican civetsgenetsmongooseAfrican clawless ottersAntelopesGrant's gazellesimpalasduikersCoke's hartebeestsMasai girafferoan antelopebat-eared foxImportant Bird Arearaptorsvulturesmarabou storkssecretary birdshornbillscrowned cranesostricheslong-crested eaglesAfrican pygmy-falconslilac-breasted rollerMartial eagleMichigan State Universitytrans-boundary riverBig Cat Diaryungulatesgiraffescommon warthogshartebeestimpalaOlare Orok ConservancyNational Parks of KenyaAberdareAmboseliArabuko SokokeCentral IslandChyulu HillsHell's GateLake NakuruMalka MariMarsabitMount ElgonMount KenyaMount LongonotOl Donyo SabukSaiwa SwampSibiloiSouth IslandTsavo EastTsavo WestArawaleBisanadiBuffalo SpringsDodoriKerio ValleyKakamega ForestKisumu ImpalaLake BogoriaMwaluganjeNgare Ndare ForestShimba HillsWitu ForestKisite-MpungutiKiungaMalindiMombasaWatamu