Dave Taylor's African Safari: Abiotic Factors of the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem - Introduction

Abiotic Factors of the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem
Introduction
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Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem

The Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is one of the most studied of all of the World’s wild places. There are several reasons for this. First, it captures the imagination. There are herds of large animals that surpass in number and grandeur any others found on Earth. Here, too, can be found the World’s greatest concentration of predators. This is the Africa of big game hunts, Tarzan and safari. The so-called Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo) can still be seen here.

It is an environment that invites study. Unlike researchers who work in the rainforest or the north woods, a researcher here can see for vast distances because much of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is covered with open grasslands. This makes it easier to find and observe wildlife. Another advantage that allows researchers to find wildlife is that vehicles can roam over most of the area. Because of the number of tourists that visit the region, wildlife are accustomed to cars and noisy people and do not panic at the sight of a safari or research automobiles.

The Governments of both Kenya and Tanzania, over whose borders the ecosystem spills, have had a long tradition of supporting research here. The Serengeti Research Institute (SRI) has been in existence since the early 1960s and is recognized world-wide for its long range studies. Scientists from around the globe have come here to work and study. The nearby Ngorongoro Crater has also proved invaluable for helping researchers to unlock the secrets of this ecosystem.

Through movies, television programs, videos and books, this area has captured the imagination of the world. It is an area that people feel is important as a place for wildlife and one which they want to know more about. Public interest translates into research dollars to support the work of the SRI.

Finally, it is an area in which our own species may have originated. Within the ecosystem are sites where some remarkable anthropological finds have been made. The Serengeti-Mara ecosystem not only preserves these spots but may also provide a glimpse of the prehistoric world in which our ancestors lived.

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