NGORONGORO CRATER
In the 1920's it was treated as part of the Serengeti. It is the largest unbroken volcanic caldera ( collapsed volcano) in the world, with the crater itself covering an area of 259 square kilometres and having walls over 600 meters high. It was formed by geological faulting in the eastern arm of the Great Rift Valley two to three million years ago. The volcano created was probably larger than Mount Kilimanjaro. the quick withdrawal of molten lava beneath it made the centre collapse, creating the crater we see today. the name Ngorongoro comes from a Masai word, llkorongoro which was the name given to the age group of Masai warriors who wrested the highlands from the datong, their previous occupants. The datong had in turn taken them from their predecessors the Hadzabe (bushmen/hunter-gatherers). The name llkorongoro echoed the sound of the battle bells the Masai warriors wore when they first occupied the highlands in the year 1800.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) is a conservation area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located 180 km (110 m) west of Arusha in the Crater Highlands area of Tanzania. Ngorongoro Crater, a large volcanic caldera within the area, is recognized by one private organization as one of the seven natural wonders of Africa.The main feature of the Ngorongoro Conservation Authority is the Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera. The crater, which formed when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself two to three million years ago, is 610 metres (2,000 feet) deep and its floor covers 260 square kilometres (100 square miles). Estimates of the height of the original volcano range from 4,500 to 5,800 metres (14,800 to 19,000 feet) high. The elevation of the crater floor is 1,800 metres (5,900 feet) above sea level.
The crater highlands on the side facing the easterly trade winds receives 800 to 1,200 millimetres (31 to 47 inches) of rain a year and are covered largely in montane forest. The less-steep west wall receives only 400 to 600 millimetres (16 to 24 inches) and is grassland and bushland dotted with Euphorbia bussei trees. The crater floor is mostly open grassland with two small wooded areas dominated by Acacia xanthophloea.
The Munge Stream drains Olmoti Crater to the north, and is the main water source draining into the seasonal salt lake in the center of the crater. This lake is known by two names: Makat as the Maasai called it, meaning salt; and Magadi. The Lerai Stream drains the humid forests to the south of the Crater, and it feeds the Lerai Forest on the crater floor - when there is enough rain, the Lerai drains into Lake Magadi as well. Extraction of water by lodges and NCA headquarters reduces the amount of water entering Lerai by around 25 percent.
The other major water source in the crater is the Ngoitokitok Spring, near the eastern crater wall. There is a picnic site here open to tourists and a huge swamp fed by the spring, and the area is inhabited by hippopotamus, elephants, lions, and many others. Many other small springs can be found around the crater's floor, and these are important water supplies for the animals and local Masaai, especially during times of drought.
Following the recommendations of the ad hoc committee of scientists convened after the year 2000 drought, an ecological burning program was implemented in the crater, which entails annual or biannual controlled burns of up to 20 percent of the grasslands. Maasai are now permitted to graze their cattle within the crater, but must enter and exit daily.
Inside Ngorongoro Crater
The Ngorongoro Crater includes most of the animal species found in East Africa.
Approximately 25,000 large animals, mostly ungulates, live in the crater. Large animals in the crater include the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), the local population of which declined from about 108 in 1964-66 to between 11-14 in 1995, and the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius). There also are many other ungulates: the wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) (7,000 estimated in 1994), Burchell's zebra (Equus burchelli) (4,000), the common eland (Taurotragus oryx), and Grant's (Nanger granti) and Thomson's gazelles (Eudorcas thomsonii) (3,000). Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) occur mainly near Lerai Forest. There are no topis (Damaliscus lunatus), oribis (Ourebia oribi), or crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus). Impala (Aepyceros melampus) are absent because the open woodland they prefer does not exist. Giraffe also are absent, possibly because of a lack of browse species. Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), and leopard (Panthera pardus) are rarely seen. Although thought of as "a natural enclosure" for a very wide variety of wildlife, 20 percent or more of the wildebeest and half the zebra populations vacate the crater in the wet season. Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) and eland do the opposite. Their highest numbers are during the rains.
Since 1986, the crater's wildebeest population has fallen from 14,677 to 7,250 (2003-2005). The numbers of eland and Thomson's gazelle also have declined while the buffalo population has increased greatly, probably due to the long prevention of fire which favors high-fibrous grasses over shorter, less fibrous types.
Servals (Leptailurus serval) occur widely in the crater.
Lake Magadi, a large lake in the southwest of the crater, is often inhabited by thousands of mainly Lesser Flamingoes.
Crater lions
The crater has one of the densest known population of lions, numbering 62 in 2001.
A side effect of the crater being a natural enclosure is that the lion population is significantly inbred. This is due to the very small amount of new bloodlines that enter the local gene pool, as very few migrating male lions enter the crater from the outside. Those who do enter the crater are often prevented from contributing to the gene pool by the crater's male lions, who expel any outside competitors.
Long-term data imply that lions in the crater were struck by four deadly disease outbreaks between 1962 and 2002. Drought in 1961 and rains throughout the 1962 dry season caused a massive build-up of blood-sucking stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) by May 1962. They drained blood and caused painful skin sores that became infected, causing lion numbers to crash from 75-100 to 12. The population recovered to around 100 by 1975 and remained stable until 1983, when a persistant decline began. Numbers have generally remained below 60 animals since 1993, reaching a low of 29 in 1998. In 2001, 34 percent of the lion population died between January and April from a combination of tick-borne disease and canine distemper.
The lion population is also influenced to some extent by the takeover of prides by incoming males, which typically kill small cubs. The biggest influence, however, appears to be disease, particularly canine distemper.
Outside Ngorongoro Crater
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) has a healthy resident population of most species of wildlife. The Ndutu Lake area to in the west of the NCA has particularly strong cheetah and lion populations. Common in the NCA are hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus), spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), and jackals. The population of African Wild Dog in the NCA may have declined recently. Servals occur widely on the plains to the west of the Ngorongoro Crater.
The annual ungulate migration passes through the NCA, with 1.7 million wildebeest, 260,000 zebra, and 470,000 gazelles moving south into the area in December and moving north in June. This movement changes seasonally with the rains, but the migration traverses almost the entire plains in search of food.
Inhibitants around Ngorongoro crater
For
thousands of years a succession of cattle herding people moved into the
Area, lived here for time, and then moved on, sometimes forced out by
other tribes.
About 200 years ago the Maasai arrived and have since
colonized the Area in substantial numbers, their traditional way of life
allowing them to live in harmony with the wildlife and the environment.
Today there are some 42,200 Maasai pastoralists living in the NCA with
their cattle, donkeys, goats and sheep. During the rains they move out
on to the open plains; in the dry season they move into the adjacent
woodlands and mountain slopes. The Maasai are allowed to take their
animals into the Crater for water and grazing, but not to live or
cultivate there. Elsewhere in the NCA they have the right to roam
freely.
Visitors are welcomed at two designated Maasai cultural bomas
one on the road to Serengeti and another close to Sopa Lodge at
Irkeepusi village.
The Datoga, Nilo-Hamitic-speaking pastoralists,
who arrived more than 300 years ago and were subsequently forced out of
the Serengeti-Ngorongoro area by the Maasai, today they live just
outside the NCA, in the Lake Eyasi basin and beyond.
Accomodation in ngorongoro
Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge
From its prime position on the eastern rim of the famous Ngorongoro crater, Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge offers safari participant sophisticated comfort that the early explorers (Stanley, Livingstone, Speke) could only have dreamt of. The lodge has more than 100 rooms all equipped with two queen-sized beds, carpets, fully tiled bathroom with bidets and hair dryers, and private lounge with mini bar. The lodge's swimming pool overlooks the crater.
Ngorongoro Serena Lodge
Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge is built into the rim of the caldera, the plant and ivy-covered native stone blending masterfully with its surroundings. The guest rooms are spacious with central heating, prehistoric cave paintings and balconies overlooking the Ngorongoro Crater. It's furniture is created from rich hardwood timber. The lounge and dining room are indoors, overlooking the Crater. Log fires greatly enhance the atmosphere, especially in the evenings. The lounge has a balcony with a fixed telescope for guests' use.
Ngorongoro Farm House
Located in the Ngorongoro Highlands, it is only minutes from the Ngorongoro Crater entrance gate. Ten spacious luxury bungalows are each decorated in a colonial style, complete with private baths. Additional facilities include a swimming pool and two dining areas. This small lodge is a perfect alternative to the big lodges on the Ngorongoro crater rim, offering personalised service and a special atmosphere. The lodge's farm on the slopes of the crater has an organic vegetable garden which not only supplies the lodge, but many other lodges and visitors can enjoy fresh roasted coffee from the on site coffee plantation.
How to Get Here
By airOne needs to fly to Kilimanjaro International Airport at Moshi, situated at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. From there one can get a charter flight, take a taxi or make use of the free shuttle service. The distance from Moshi to Arusha is about 55km.
By road
Take note: The road from Arusha to Lodoare Entrance Gate is 160km long. As of recently, the entire journey is on tarmac and it takes about two hours. Unless you stay on the main roads, which are graveled, a 4x4 vehicle is essential when entering the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Serengeti National Park.
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