Serengeti

For other uses, see Serengeti (disambiguation).

An umbrella thorn silhouetted by the setting sun near Seronera Camp.
Map of Tanzania showing the country's national parks, including the Serengeti National Park.

The Serengeti (/ˌsɛrənˈɡɛti/ SERR-ən-GHET-ee) ecosystem is a geographical region in Africa, spanning the Mara and Arusha Regions of Tanzania.[1] The protected area within the region includes approximately 30,000 km2 (12,000 sq mi) of land, including the Serengeti National Park and several game reserves.[2] The Serengeti hosts the world's most massive[3] land animal migration (in terms of total body weight), which helps secure it as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.[4]

The Serengeti is also renowned for its large lion population and is one of the best places to observe prides in their natural environment.[5] Approximately 70 large mammal and 500 bird species are found there. This high diversity is a function of diverse habitats, including riverine forests, swamps, kopjes, grasslands, and woodlands. Blue wildebeest, gazelles, zebras, and buffalos are some of the commonly found large mammals in the region. [6]

The Serengeti also contains the Serengeti District of Tanzania.

The name "Serengeti" is often said to be derived from the word "seringit" in the Maasai language, Maa, meaning "endless plains".[1][7][dubious – discuss] However, this etymology does not appear in Maa dictionaries.[8][9]

  1. ^ a b Zimmermann, Kim Ann (23 June 2017). "The Serengeti: Plain Facts about National Park & Animals". Live Science.
  2. ^ Schmaltz, Jeff (9 January 2006). "Serengeti". NASA: Visible Earth.
  3. ^ "14 of the Greatest Animal Migrations".
  4. ^ Sharaf, Yasir (4 June 2017). "The Serengeti Migration | Seven Natural Wonders of Africa". XPATS International. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  5. ^ Nolting, Mark (2012). Africa's Top Wildlife Countries. Global Travel Publishers Inc. p. 356. ISBN 978-0939895151.
  6. ^ "serengeti". rutastanzania.viajes - ES (in European Spanish).
  7. ^ Briggs, Phillip (2006), Northern Tanzania: The Bradt Safari Guide with Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, Bradt Travel Guides, p. 198, ISBN 978-1-84162-146-3
  8. ^ Richmond, Charles (1940). "Maasai Dictionary". Archives & Reprint Series (Imprint).
  9. ^ Payne, Doris L.; Ole-Kotikash, Leonard (eds.). "Maa (Maasai) Dictionary".