Maasai Mara

The Maasai Mara, sometimes also spelt Masai Mara and locally known simply as The Mara, is a large national game reserve in Narok County, Kenya, right next to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. It is named to honor the Maasai people, the area's original inhabitants, who came from the Nile Basin long ago. In their language, "Mara" means "spotted" because from far away, the land looks dotted with short, bushy trees.

Maasai Mara is one of Africa’s most important places for wildlife and nature. It is home to many amazing animals, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, and African bush elephants. One of the most famous events there is the Great Migration, where huge numbers of wildebeest move across the land. This amazing event helped earn Maasai Mara a spot as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa and one of the ten Wonders of the World.

The Great Migration usually takes place around July, when the wildebeest cross the Mara River from Tanzania. The whole area, called the Greater Mara ecosystem, includes the Maasai Mara National Reserve, the Mara Triangle, several Maasai group ranches, and Maasai Mara conservancies.

History

Maasai Mara was created as a wildlife sanctuary in 1961, initially covering 520 km² (200 sq mi). It was later expanded to 1,821 km² (703 sq mi) and became a Game Reserve. Over the years, some parts were returned to local communities or removed, leaving the current size at 1,510 km² (580 sq mi).

The Maasai people live across parts of Kenya and Tanzania, relying on their lands for their cattle and families. Before the reserve was created, the Maasai were moved from their native lands due to health issues among the people and their cattle. Today, the Maasai continue their traditions, known for their tall height, patterned clothing, and beadwork.

Geography

The Maasai Mara is a big protected area covering almost 1,510 km². It is part of a larger natural area called the Mara-Serengeti, which stretches into both Kenya and Tanzania. The Mara River and its smaller rivers, the Sand and Talek, flow through this area, surrounded by shrubs and trees.

The land here is mostly open grasslands with small streams that appear during certain times of the year. In the southeast, you can find groups of tall acacia trees. The western edge of the Mara borders a high, rocky area called the Esoit Escarpment, part of the East African Rift. This is where many animals gather because the ground stays wet, and there are fewer tourists. The eastern part of the Mara is closer to Nairobi, making it a popular spot for visitors. The climate here is dry with two rainy seasons: one in April and May, and another in November and December.

Wildlife

The Maasai Mara is home to many amazing animals. One of the most famous events is the Great Migration, when millions of blue wildebeest, along with many Thomson's gazelles, topi, common elands, and Grant's zebras, travel between Tanzania’s Serengeti and Kenya’s Maasai Mara each year. This journey, driven by the search for fresh food and water, usually happens between July and October.

The Maasai Mara is also a place where you can see the “Big Five”: lions, African leopards, African bush elephants, African buffaloes, and black rhinoceros. These animals are some of the most famous in the world. There are also many other interesting animals, including spotted hyena, East African cheetahs, and many smaller carnivores like African wolves and bat-eared foxes.

The area is very important for birds too. Over 500 different kinds of birds live here, including vultures, marabou storks, and ostriches. The Maasai Mara is a special place for wildlife and nature lovers everywhere.

Administration

The Mara Triangle area is looked after by Mara Conservancy for the county. The Narok Sector is managed by the County Government of Narok. The more visited eastern part, called the Maasai Mara National Reserve, is cared for by the Narok County Council.

In the past, the outer areas were managed by Maasai community ranches. The land was divided, but some people received more benefits than others. This makes it harder to care for the Mara in a way that lasts for the future.

Research

Since October 2012, the Mara-Meru Cheetah Project has been working in the Mara to watch over the cheetah population. They look at how many cheetahs there are, how their numbers change, and how other animals and people affect cheetahs. There is also a programme called the Mara Predator Conservation Programme in the Maasai Mara that watches and records lion numbers in the area. Scientists also study the spotted hyena in the Maasai Mara.

A plan was made to help manage a river between Kenya and Tanzania. This plan aims to keep the ecosystem healthy and make sure that one million people have enough water.

Big Cat Diary

Main article: Big Cat Diary

The BBC made a television show called "Big Cat Diary" in the Maasai Mara. The show showed the lives of big cats in the reserve. It featured places like the Musiara marsh area, Leopard Gorge, Fig Tree Ridge, and the Mara River, which separates the Serengeti and the Maasai Mara.

Photography competition

In 2018, the Angama Foundation started a photography contest called the Greatest Maasai Mara Photographer of the Year. This contest showed how beautiful the Mara is all year and helped raise money for nature protection. The contest ran for six years and ended in 2023. Different photographers won each year, including Anup Shah from Britain in 2018, Lee-Anne Robertson from South Africa in 2019, Paolo Torchio in 2020, Harry Collins in 2021, Preeti and Prashant Chacko in 2022, and Shravan Rao in 2023.

Threats

Between 1989 and 2003, scientists watched animals in the Maasai Mara every month. They found that many animals, like giraffes, common warthogs, hartebeest, and impala, had become much less common. This happened because more animals were being raised by people nearby, and some animals were taken illegally.

As more people live near the Maasai Mara, it becomes harder for animals and people to share the same space. Many visitors come to the area to see the wildlife, which also creates challenges. The need for more land and resources has led to changes in the area that make it harder for animals to move freely. Groups like the Mara Elephant Project and the Mara Conservancy work to help protect the animals and support the people living nearby.