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| TANZANIA
NATIONAL PARKS AND GAME RESERVES |
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Tanzania's national parks extend over some
33,660 sq km (13,000 sq miles). In addition, there is the unique
Ngorongoro Conservation Area (see below), in which wildlife
is protected and where the Masai tribespeople also live and
herd their cattle. There are also some 10 game reserves where
government-approved hunting safaris operate under license and
about 40 controlled areas where the hunting of game is controlled
by a quota system.
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| Serengeti National
Park |
This is a plain-dwellers' stronghold of 14,763 sq km (5678
sq miles) reaching up to the Kenyan border and claimed to be
the finest in Africa. Here are 35 species of plain-dwelling
animals, including wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, cheetah and lion,
which feature in the spectacular Serengeti migration, and also
an extensive selection of birdlife. Probably the best time to
see the migrating herds is from November to May.
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| Ngorongoro Conservation
Area |
Rising high above the plains of the Serengeti, this vast protected
area stretches from Lake Natron in the northeast (the breeding
ground for east Africa's flamingoes) to Lake Enaysi in the south
and Lake Manyara in the east. The area includes the still active
volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai (Mountain of God), which last erupted
in 1983. The park's centerpiece is the Ngorongoro Crater, a
collapsed volcano forming a crater that is 610m (2000 ft) deep,
20km (12.5 miles) in diameter, covering an area of 311 sq km
(122 sq miles). The crater accounts for just one-tenth of the
conservation area, which is home to almost every species of
African plains mammal (except for the impala, topi and giraffe)
and particularly well known for the endangered black rhino.
It also has the densest population of predators in Africa. The
rich birdlife includes flamingoes which are attracted by the
soda content in Lake Magadi on the crater floor.
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| Lake Manyara National
Park |
Famous for its elephants and tree-climbing lions. The wall
of the Great Rift Valley forms a backdrop to the park, before
which lies forest, open grassland, swamp and the soda lake.
Wildlife includes lions, herds of buffalo, baboons, elephant,
rhino, impala, giraffe, leopard, zebra, bushbuck, reedbuck,
waterbuck and blue and vervet monkeys. Manyara is also noted
for its birdlife, particularly the flamingoes.
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| Arusha National
Park |
This park lies within the Ngurdoto Crater, a volcano that
has probably been extinct for a quarter of a million years.
Visitors are able to see buffalo, rhino, elephant, giraffe
and warthog.
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| Mikumi National
Park |
This park, 1300 sq km (500 sq miles) in area, offers a
chance to see lion, zebra, hippo, leopard, cheetah, giraffe,
impala, wildebeest and warthog. A popular spot for visitors
is the Kikaboga Hippo Pool. Although December to March is
the ideal time for viewing at Mikumi, there are animals throughout
the year.
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| Tarangire National
Park |
Only 130km (80 miles) from Arusha and 8km (5 miles) off
the Great Cape to Cairo road, it is nonetheless an area which
compares favorably with the Serengeti in terms of wildlife
density.
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| Ruaha National
Park |
Tanzania's second-largest and wildest park and the world's
largest elephant sanctuary, Ruaha is located 118km (73 miles)
from Iringa in the Southern Highlands along an all-weather
road. The park affords views of unparalleled scenery along
the Ruaha Gorge, with many sightings of antelope. Iringa is
also connected with Dar es Salaam and other centers by air
and bus service. The best time to visit is from July to November.
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| Selous Game Reserve |
The Selous Game Reserve in southern Tanzania covers an
area larger than Switzerland (about one-sixth of Tanzania's
land surface), making it one of the biggest in the world,
with a massive elephant population. There is also a high concentration
of stalking lions and other game. UNESCO declared the game
reserve a World Heritage Site in 1982.
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| Gombe National
Park |
This park is near Kigoma on the shores of Lake Tanganyika
and is the home of about 200 chimpanzees, more easily seen
here in their natural habitat than anywhere else in the world.
This is the place where Jane Goodall devoted her life to recording
chimpanzee ethology in a 37-year study.
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| Other National
parks |
These include Katavi, Mahale Mountains, Rubondo and Udzungura
Mountains. There are also marine parks at Kilwa Reserve, Latham
Island Reserve, Rufigi Delta and Tanga Coral Gardens.
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