Top 10 amazing facts about Ngorongoro conservation area
Top 10 amazing facts about Ngorongoro conservation area.
Top 10 amazing facts about Ngorongoro conservation area : Ngorongoro conservation area is a UNESCO world heritage site and a protected area I the Arusha region in Tanzania 180 kilometers from Arusha town, the area is named after Ngorongoro crater a large volcanic caldera with in the area and it is found in the crater highlands area of Tanzania. Ngorongoro conservation area was established in 1959 covering an area of 8,292 square kilometers, the conservation area is a great habitant for animals and an excellent tourist destination offering mazing amazing safari activities such as game viewing, visiting the Masai local communities, bird watching and many more.
Apart from the activities and attractions, Ngorongoro conservation are hosts many mazing facts which makes it an exceptional destination to visit while on a safari in Tanzania, the facts about ngorongoro conservation are many but this article only lists the top ten facts about the area.
One of Africa’s seventh wonders
Ngorongoro crater is one of the seven natural wonders in Africa, Africa is an exciting tourist destination with many amazing attractions with some of them listed among the top seventh wonders on the continent. Some of the attractions and destinations listed on the list of 7th wonders on African continent include the Nile River, the Sahara, Okavango delta, Serengeti migration, red sea reef and Ngorongoro crater itself. What makes Ngorongoro crater to be visited among the 7th wonders in Africa is that the crater is the world’s largest inactive and unfilled volcanic caldera with a crater floor at the altitude of 5,900 feet above the sea level, height of 4,500 to 5,800 metres and depth of 610 metres.
One of the largest unbroken calderas in the world
Ngorongoro crater is one of the largest unbroken calderas in the world, calderas in the world are cauldron-like depression created as a result volcanic activity which took place a million years ago. The calderas are as a result of emissions of large amounts of magma leaving behind volcano caves in form of a sinkhole, most of the caldera in the world are filled with water turning into crater lakes but Ngorongoro crater is exceptional. The crater is fully intact crater and has not turned into a lake yet which is an amazing fact about it.
An excellent habitant for a huge population of wildlife
Ngorongoro conservation area is an excellent habitant for a variety of wildlife species with over 25,000 animals, the most notable animals in the conservation area id black rhinoceros which had declined in number in the years of 1964 – 66. Fortunately they were relocated back to the conservation area. Other animals in the conservation area include zebras, wildebeests, common elands, rhinos, hippopotamus, Thomson’s gazelles, waterbucks, lions, hyenas, elephants and many more. These animals live on the crater floor of the conservation area.
Home to more pride per capita (large population of lions)
Ngorongoro crater is a residence to a large population of lions making it one of the areas with a highest densities of lion prides on earth according to prides per capita, the caldera contains a range of 55-65 lions which are permanent residents on the crater floor.
Best place to view the big five and most importantly the black rhino
Ngorongoro crater offers high chances of sighting the big five most especially the black rhino, the black rhino is near extinct in the conservation area but due to the efforts they were brought back in the area. Black rhinos in ngorongoro crater are fantastic animals to look at with 2 large horns and a hooked upper lip and in Ngorongoro crater they are approximately 30 individuals. Other big 5 living in the crater include lions, leopards, elephants and buffaloes which are easily seen in the park.
Important birding area and an excellent place to see birds
Ngorongoro crater is an excellent birding area in Tanzania and an excellent bird watching sport in Tanzania, the caldera is a home to over 500 bird species including residence and migratory bird species. these birds in at the caldera include Ostriches, Kori bustards, secretary bird, African spoonbill, Augur buzzard, Capped wheatear, Eastern double-collared sunbird, Egyptian vulture, Fan-tailed widowbird, Greater flamingo, Hartlaub’s turaco, Hildebrandt’s francolin, Hildebrandt’s starling, Jackson’s widowbird, Kenya rufous sparrow, Livingstone’s turaco, Namaqua dove, Northern anteater chat, Red-and-yellow barbet, Rosy-throated longclaw, Rufous-tailed weaver, Scarlet-chested sunbird, Schalow’s wheatear, Speke’s weaver, Verreaux’s eagle, White-eyed slaty flycatcher and many more. The best time to see birds in Ngorongoro crater is during the periods of November to April.
May to October is the best time to visit the crater
Visiting ngorongoro crater is always a great time for a safari no matter the time of the year but for an amazing safari experience the best time to visit the park is in the period of May to October. This period is relatively dry characterized of dry and less muddy trails and short grass which gives easy view of the animals in the crater.
It is possible to sleep at the caldera rim
While on a safari in ngorongoro it is possible to stay on the rim of the caldera, at the rim of the caldera there is many accommodation options which offers accommodation to tourists visiting the park and nothing is more adventurous and amazing to see the sun set behind the caldera from your accommodation.
Ngorongoro conservation area is at times experiences wildebeest migration
Ngorongoro crater is one of the exceptional areas in the world which occasionally experiences the great migration of animals, as the animals migrate from Serengeti national park of Tanzania to Masai mara national reserve of Kenya. The animals occasionally pass through ngorongoro conservation area crossing over Lake Ndutu while on their way, the migration happens from December to march involving over 2 million animals such as wildebeests, zebras and gazelles creating a unforgettable sight to see.
Site where our earliest human ancestors lived
Ngorongoro conservation area has been marked as the site where the earliest human ancestors lived this is evidenced and backed by the presence of Olduvai Gorge where discoveries of human remains were found. The gorge is a steep ravine in Great Rift Valley, the gorge is where paleoanthropologists Louis and his wife Mark Leakey carried out their discoveries and discovered many remains of human beings dating back 2 million years back. The gorge also has an olduvai museum which showcases many remains discovered in the gorge as a witness to the first settlement of the humans in the area.
