The Serengeti - A World of Difference

After leaving the relative hardship of Eastern Kenya's dry landscape and decreasing wildlife, I joined an overlanding tour with 23 other people that went from Nairobi to Zanzibar. Our first stop was the Maasai Mara, the famous Kenya Game Reserve that is in the south west part of Kenya and borders the Serengeti in Tanzania. After 2 days there we went to the Serengeti for a few days. These 2 parks comprise about 20,000 square kms and are the focus of most East African wildlife programs we would see on TV in the states. Don't get me wrong, these parks also have their issues with respect to decreasing wildlife and human-wildlife conflicts, but they seem to be in much better shape and the animals are much more abundant. Part of this is due to increased tourist traffic (more money is spent seeing these animals so the community increasingly benefits as a result). Part of the difference is habitat. The Serengeti and Mara (part of the Maasai Steppe ecosystem) have always been more productive habitat give the terrain and relatively abundant rainfall. Over the 3 days we spent in these parks, we saw over 40 lions, many different prides as well as many lion cubs (of various ages) as well as 3 leopards, 2 cheetah and massive amounts of zebra, wildebeest, gazelle, etc. The Serengeti/Mara parks are also famous for the large wildbeest migration that happens twice a year.

These trips were obviously enjoyable and certainly productive from a photo standpoint (the pictures are coming, don't fret, and you will be shocked at how good they are and how close we are to the animals...my 400mm zo0om lens helps a bit). This was also a positive experience after leaving the harsh reality of dead lions near Tsavo National Park. In the Serengeti/Mara ecosystem (slightly smaller than Tsavo) there are 3,000 - 4,000 lions, there are only 200-300 in Tsavo. Again, there are issues and they are the same issues that pervade all of Africa's famous wildlife areas (mostly related to poverty affecting wildlife), but after witnessing the Serengeti, conservation seems achievable.

Additionally, after returning to Tanzania, it seems fairly obvious that Tanzania is in better shape than Kenya. Both are obviously poor, but in the northern pars of Tanzania, where there is more abundant rainfall, people are not struggling quite as much. That, as well as Tanzania's much larger conservation system (39% of Tanz is protected whereas less than 10% of Kenya is), seems to mitigate the pressure on wildlife and help alleviate human-wildlife conflicts. There is still a lot of work to be done and people clearly need more economic and agricultural development. But the wildlife is relatively safe for now.

As for the trip, it is officially over now (i am actually writing this from Zanibar), i have lots of new British friends and we had a blast over the last 12 days. Plenty of wildlife, good times and the occasional night of drinking. It is sad to be leaving Africa and the group (most of whom are continuing on for another 15-20 days) but it will be nice to get home to NYC and see family and friends (also think Mom needs a breather from stressing about about my 6 weeks abroad). Only about 8 days in the states, then i head off again, hope to catch up with everyone while I am back.

Later