Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Africa’s Eden

Posted at January 7, 2010

Measuring 8,288km2 Ngorongoro conservation area comprises Ngorongoro crater, Olduvai Gorge, and huge expanses of highland plains, scrub bush, water falls and mountain forests. The area was originally part of the Serengeti National Park during its first gazzettment by the British in 1951 but continued conflict between the Maasai who were still living in the park and the park authorities over land use led to the creation of the Ngorongoro conservation area in 1959 where both wildlife and human co-exist beautifully.

Land use is however controlled by the Ngorongoro conservation area authority reducing threats to the flora and fauna of the area through regulation of human activities such as cultivation which is prohibited except for subsistence farming. Through this regulating body the area became a UNESCO world heritage site in 1979.

The area is part of the larger Serengeti ecosystem, adjoining the Serengeti National Park to the north-west, flanked by the southern Serengeti plains which extend to the north into unprotected Loliondo division. The area to the south and west is characterized by volcanic highlands including the renowned Ngorongoro Crater and the rarely exploited Empakai.

The area contributes greatly to the greatest natural spectacle on earth that is the annual wildebeest migration which also includes numerous zebra and Thompson’s gazelle. These ungulates move south into the area in December and move north in June with movement changes occasioned by the seasonality of the rains consequential to the continued traversing of the entire plain in search of good grazing grounds. The NCA has a healthy resident population of most species of wildlife; in particular the Ndutu Lake area to the west has strong cheetah and lion populations.

The main attraction in this area is without a doubt the Ngorongoro crater, world’s largest volcanic caldera 2000ft deep with a 260km2 floor whose formation was as a result of a giant volcano explosion causing collapse on itself over 3million years ago.

The crater highlands on the east of the trade winds receives 800–1200mm of rain a year and is covered mainly in montane forest, while the less-steep west wall receives only 400–600 mm; this side is grassland and bush land strewn with Euphorbia bussei trees. The crater floor is mostly open grassland with two small wooded areas covered by Acacia xanthophloea.

Lake Makat, a central soda lake filled by the Munge Stream drains is the main water source. The Lerai Stream drains the humid forests to the south of the Crater, and it feeds the Lerai Forest on the Crater floor. The other major water source in the Crater is the Ngoitokitok Spring, near the eastern Crater wall.

Found here is a picnic site open to tourists and a huge swamp fed by the spring where hippopotamus, elephants, lions, and many others flock. Several other small springs can be found around the Crater floor serving as vital water supplies for the animals and local Masaai, especially during the drought seasons.

Olduvai Gorge considered to be the seat of humanity is another protected feature situated in the area where history was made through an archeological discovery of the human genus Homo habilis and the early hominids Paranthropus boisei. This steep-sided gorge in the Great Rift Valley stretches along eastern Africa in the eastern Serengeti Plains in northern Tanzania and is about thirty miles long. It lies in the rain shadow of the Ngorongoro highlands and is the driest part of the region.

The gorge is named after the Maasai word Oldupaai a wild sisal plant (Sansevieria ehrenbergii). It is one of the most significant prehistoric sites in the world and research there has been instrumental in enhancing understanding of early human evolution. Excavation work there was pioneered by Mary and Louis Leakey in the 1950s an ongoing venture led by their family.

Other attraction not as popular include Olmoti Crater is at 3,700 meters relatively shallow and home to numerous grazing wildlife where water flows across the floor pouring through a small but impressive cleft on the south side. It is also a favorite for foot safaris.

Oldonyo Lengai Crater with a bubbling view of the floor of from the edge of the ash cone on the summit an ultimate reward for those who climb the mountain.

Empakaai Crater, 300 meters deep and 6kms wide, is dominated by a soda lake which occupies nearly half the floor. It supports an assortment of unique water- bird life a view which can be enjoyed along the 32 km rim walk.

The NCA is never lacking when it comes to wildlife found here in their vastness and diversity both in species and numbers. The ungulates hold the highest number followed by the highest predator population in Africa. These include the endangered black rhinoceros whose numbers have drastically dwindled, hippopotamus which are a rare spot, wildebeest , zebra , eland, Grant’s, Thomson’s gazelles and the densest known population of lion all found within the crater.

On the crater rim are leopard, elephant numbering, mountain reedbuck and buffalo. Waterbuck mainly occur mainly near Lerai Forest. Common in the reserve are lion, hartebeest, spotted hyena and jackal Cheetah. A recent observation is that of the absence of the wild dog both in the crater and other parts of the Conservation Area while the Golden cat has recently been seen in the Ngorongoro forest.

Worth mention is the fact that NCA is prolific with birdlife numbering over 500 species. These include ostrich, white pelican, and greater and lesser flamingo and on Lake Makat in Ngorongoro crater, Lake Ndutu and the Empakaai Crater Lake.

There’s no doubt that this is one of the most beautiful parts of Tanzania, with a rich history and heaving with wildlife topped off by safaris to Ngorongoro Crater, Olduvai Gorge, and surrounding attractions, not forgetting the hiking treks option through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area which is quickly gaining popularity the experiencing is thrilling to say the least.