Ngorongoro

Ngorongoro is a protected area in the crater of the same name, covering an area of 265 ^km2. This area appeared as a result of a volcanic explosion 2.5 million years ago.

Ngorongoro Crater is located on the edge of the Serengeti savannah, and to the southeast lies the famous Lake Manyara. The crater is also notable for the fact that its edges, up to 2,286 meters high, do not allow animals to freely leave, which is why its own fauna has formed here, cut off from the rest of Africa.

Elevation differences prevent the movement of air masses, so high areas are often covered with fog due to the abundance of rain. In lowland areas, there are very sudden temperature changes. The edges of Ngorongoro crater are mostly covered with shrubs, while Lake Magadi is located at the bottom, where pink flamingos can be seen.

In 1951, the crater was incorporated into the Serengeti National Park, and in 1979, the crater was protected by UNESCO as an outstanding natural monument. All this led to the fact that in 1981 the crater became a biosphere reserve. But even such protected lands have their own difficulties. Illegal agricultural land on the outskirts must be permanently eliminated. On the territory of the Serengeti Park, about 50 thousand shepherds graze about 400 thousand heads of cattle, which greatly harm the local fauna. The leadership of Tanzania wants to resolve this problem by purchasing land outside the park.

Approximately 25,000 different animals have found refuge in the Ngorongoro crater, among which you can find zebras, buffaloes, wildebeest and eland, gazelles. It also has the largest concentration of predators in Africa. Besides them, there are black elephants, rhinos, and hippos, which is very unusual for these latitudes.