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| long_s = 46 | long_s = 46
| long_EW = E | long_EW = E
| area = {{Convert|8292|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}<ref name="Ecology"></ref>
| area = {{Convert|8288|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}
| established = 1959 | established = 1959
| visitation_num =over 500,000 per year<ref>{{cite web | url=http://dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/8757-dar-registers-three-wonders | title=Dar registers "three wonders" | date=20 August 2012 | publisher=] | accessdate=28 January 2013}}</ref> | visitation_num =over 500,000 per year<ref>{{cite web | url=http://dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/8757-dar-registers-three-wonders | title=Dar registers "three wonders" | date=20 August 2012 | publisher=] | accessdate=28 January 2013}}</ref>
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] ]
The '''Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA)''' is a ] and a ] located {{convert|180|km|mi|abbr=on}} west of ] in the ] area of ]. Ngorongoro Crater, inside the NCA, is recognized as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.<ref></ref> The conservation area is administered by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, an arm of the Tanzanian government, and its boundaries follow the boundary of the Ngorongoro Division of the ]. The Ngorongoro Crater, a large volcanic ], lies within the area. The '''Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA)''' is a ] and a ] located {{convert|180|km|mi|abbr=on}} west of ] in the ] area of ]. Ngorongoro Crater, a large volcanic ] within the area, is recognized by one private organization as one of the seven natural wonders of Africa.<ref></ref> The conservation area is administered by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, an arm of the Tanzanian government, and its boundaries follow the boundary of the Ngorongoro Division of the ].


==History and geography== ==History and geography==
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Based on fossil evidence found at the ], various ] species have occupied the area for 3 million years. Based on fossil evidence found at the ], various ] species have occupied the area for 3 million years.


Hunter-gatherers were replaced by ]s a few thousand years ago.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} The ]<ref></ref> came to the area about 2,000 years ago and were joined by the ] around the year 1700.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} Both groups were driven from the area by the ] in the 1800s.<ref name="Bradt">''Northern Tanzania: The Bradt Safari Guide with Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar'', authored by Phillip Briggs, 2006, pages 197, 198 ISBN 1-84162-146-3</ref> Hunter-gatherers were replaced by ]s a few thousand years ago.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} The ]<ref></ref> came to the area about 2,000 years ago and were joined by the ] around the year 1700.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} Both groups were driven from the area by the ] in the 1800s.<ref name="Bradt">''Northern Tanzania: The Bradt Safari Guide with Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar'', authored by Phillip Briggs, 2006, pages 197, 198 ISBN 1-84162-146-3</ref>


Massive fig trees in the northwest of the Lerai Forest are sacred to the Masai and the Datooga. Some of them may have been planted on the grave of a Datago leader who died in battle with the Masai around 1840.<ref></ref> Massive fig trees in the northwest of the Lerai Forest are sacred to the Maasai and the Datooga. Some of them may have been planted on the grave of a Datago leader who died in battle with the Maasai around 1840.<ref></ref>


No Europeans are known to have set foot in the Ngorongoro Crater until 1892, when it was visited by ]. Two German brothers farmed in the crater until the outbreak of ], after leasing the land from the administration of ]. The brothers regularly organized shooting parties to entertain their German friends. They also attempted to drive the wildebeest herds out of the crater.<ref name="Bradt"/><ref name="Ref-1"></ref> No Europeans are known to have set foot in the Ngorongoro Crater until 1892, when it was visited by ]. Two German brothers (Adolph and Friedrich Siedentopf) farmed in the crater until the outbreak of ], after leasing the land from the administration of ]. The brothers regularly organized shooting parties to entertain their German friends. They also attempted to drive the wildebeest herds out of the crater.<ref name="Ecology"/><ref name="Bradt"/><ref name="Ref-1"></ref>


In 1921, the first game preservation ordinance was passed, which restricted hunting to permit holders throughout Tanzania. In 1928, hunting was prohibited on all land within the crater rim, except the former Siedentopf farms. The National Park Ordinance of 1948 (implemented in 1951) created the ] (SNP). This, however, caused problems with the Maasai and other tribes, resulting in the NCA Ordinance (1959) that separated
The Ngorongoro area originally was part of the ] when it was created by the British in 1951. Masai continued to live in the newly created park until 1959, when repeated conflicts with park authorities over land use led the British to evict them to the newly declared Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA).<ref name="natgeo">{{cite web | url=http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0602/feature1/text4.html | title=Heartbreak on the Serengeti | accessdate=2008-02-21 | author=Robert M. Poole | work=] | page=4}}</ref>
the NCA from the SNP.<ref name="natgeo">{{cite web | url=http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0602/feature1/text4.html | title=Heartbreak on the Serengeti | accessdate=2008-02-21 | author=Robert M. Poole | work=] | page=4}}</ref> The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority was established by the Game Park Laws (miscellaneous amendments) Act, 1976 and owns the majority of NCA land, including the crater. The area became a ] ] in 1979.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority is the governing body regulating use and access to the NCA. The area became a ] ] in 1979.


Land in the conservation area is multi-use and unique because it is the only conservation area in Tanzania that protects wildlife while allowing human habitation. Land use is controlled to prevent negative effects on the wildlife population. For example, cultivation is prohibited at all but subsistence levels. Land in the conservation area is multi-use and unique because it is the only conservation area in Tanzania that protects wildlife while allowing human habitation. Land use is controlled to prevent negative effects on the wildlife population. For example, cultivation is prohibited at all but subsistence levels.


The area is part of the ] ] and, to the northwest, adjoins the Serengeti National Park and is contiguous with the southern Serengeti plains. These plains also extend to the north into unprotected Loliondo division and are kept open to wildlife through ] pastoralism practiced by the Masai. The south and west of the area are volcanic highlands, including the famous Ngorongoro Crater and the lesser known Empakaa Crateri. The southern and eastern boundaries are approximately defined by the rim of the ] wall, which also prevents animal migration in these directions. The area is part of the ] and, to the northwest, adjoins the SNP and is contiguous with the southern Serengeti plains. These plains also extend to the north into the unprotected Loliondo division and are kept open to wildlife through ] pastoralism practiced by the Maasai. The south and west of the area are volcanic highlands, including the famous Ngorongoro Crater and the lesser known Empakaa Crateri. The southern and eastern boundaries are approximately defined by the rim of the ] wall, which also prevents animal migration in these directions.

==Ngorongoro Crater==

⚫ The main feature of the Ngorongoro Conservation Authority is the Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic ].<ref name="elsevier"/> The crater, which formed when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself two to three million years ago, is {{convert|610|m|ft|abbr=off}} deep and its floor covers {{convert|260|km2|mi2|abbr=off}}.<ref name="Ref-1"/> Estimates of the height of the original volcano range from {{convert|4500|to|5800|m|ft|abbr=off}} high.<ref>Africa's Great Rift Valley. Nigel Pavitt. 2001. page 135. Harry N. Abrams, Incorporated, New York ISBN 0-8109-0602-3</ref><ref>Northern Tanzania with Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar. Phillip Briggs. 2006. page 197. ISBN 1-84162-146-3</ref> The elevation of the crater floor is {{convert|1800|m|ft|abbr=off}} above sea level.<ref name="Ecology"/>

⚫ The crater highlands on the side facing the easterly trade winds receives {{convert|800|to|1200|mm|in|abbr=off}} of rain a year and are covered largely in ].<ref name="elsevier"/> The less-steep west wall receives only {{convert|400|to|600|mm|in|abbr=off}} and is grassland and bushland dotted with '']'' trees.<ref name="elsevier"/> The crater floor is mostly open grassland with two small wooded areas dominated by '']''.<ref name="elsevier"/>

⚫ The Munge Stream drains Olmoti Crater to the north, and is the main water source draining into the seasonal ] in the center of the crater. This lake is known by two names: ''Makat'' as the Maasai called it, meaning salt; and ''Magadi''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.utalii.com/Ngorongoro/Lakes_in_Ngorongoro.htm|title=Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Lakes Within The Area | accessdate=2008-02-21 | date=2006-09-02 | publisher=Utali Safari}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.zgf.de/mitarbeiterbereich/pdf/NgorongoroBlackRhinoWorkshopl.pdf | title=Management of Black Rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater | publisher=] | accessdate=2008-02-21 | date=2003-09-04 | format=PDF}}</ref>

⚫ 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.<ref></ref> Maasai are now permitted to graze their cattle within the crater, but must enter and exit daily.<ref name="natgeo"/>

⚫ {{wide image|Inside Ngorongoro crater.jpg|1500px|Because of the variety of animals present, the Ngorongoro Crater is a well known tourist attraction.}}


⚫ The annual ] migration passes through the NCA, with ] and ] moving south into the area in December and moving north in June. This movement changes seasonally with the rains, but the migration will traverse almost the entire plains in search of food. The NCA has a healthy resident population of most species of wildlife: in particular, the Ndutu Lake area to the west has strong ] and ] populations.
{{clear}}
{{Wide image|Ngorongoro Crater Panorama.jpg|900px|Panorama view of Ngorongoro Crater.}} {{Wide image|Ngorongoro Crater Panorama.jpg|900px|Panorama view of Ngorongoro Crater.}}
{{clear}}


==Wildlife== ==Olduvai Gorge==
⚫ {{Main|Olduvai Gorge}}
A population of approximately 25,000 large animals, largely ]s along with reputedly the highest density of mammalian predators in Africa,{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} lives in the Ngorongoro Crater. Large animals in the crater include the ], the local population of which declined from about 108 in 1964-66 to between 11-14 in 1995, and the ], which is very uncommon in the area.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} There also are many other ungulates: the ] (7,000 estimated in 1994), the ] (4,000), the ], and Grant's and Thompson's ]s (3,000).{{citation needed|date=January 2013}}
⚫ ], February 2006]]
⚫ The Ngorongoro Conservation Area also protects ], situated in the plains area. It is considered to be the seat of humanity after the discovery of the earliest known specimens of the human genus, ''] '' as well as early ], such as '']''.


⚫ The Olduvai Gorge or Oldupai Gorge is a steep-sided ravine in the ], which stretches along eastern Africa. Olduvai is in the eastern ] Plains in northern ] and is about 30 miles long. It lies in the rain shadow of the Ngorongoro highlands and is the driest part of the region.<ref>Africa's Great Rift Valley. Nigel Pavitt. 2001. pages 138. Harry N. Abrams, Incorporated, New York ISBN 0-8109-0602-3</ref> The gorge is named after 'Oldupaai', the ] word for the wild sisal plant, '']''.
The crater has one of the densest known population of ]s,<ref></ref> numbering 62 in 2001.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} On the crater rim are ]s, ]s&nbsp;&ndash; numbering 42 in 1987 but only 29 in 1992&nbsp;&ndash;{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} ], and ] (4,000 in 1994).{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} A large lake in the middle of the crater is inhabited by hundreds of ], and from a distance, they appear as a pink border of the lake.


⚫ It is one of the most important ] sites in the world and research there has been instrumental in furthering understanding of early ]. Excavation work there was pioneered by ] and ] in the 1950s and is continued today by their family. Some believe that millions of years ago, the site was that of a large lake, the shores of which were covered with successive deposits of ]. Around 500,000 years ago ] activity diverted a nearby stream which began to cut down into the sediments, revealing seven main layers in the walls of the gorge.
⚫ Since the 1980s, the crater's wildebeest population has fallen by a quarter to about 19,000 and 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.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}}


==Wildlife==
In summer, enormous numbers of Serengeti migrants pass through the plains of the reserve, including 1.7 million wildebeest, 260,000 zebra, and 470,000 gazelles. ] occur mainly near Lerai Forest; ]s occur widely in the crater and on the plains to the west.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} Common in the reserve are lions, ], ]s, and ]s. ]s, although common in the reserve, are scarce in the crater itself.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} The ] has recently{{when|date=May 2011}} disappeared from the crater and may have declined elsewhere in the NCA.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}}
⚫ <gallery>
⚫ File:Ngorongoro Crater.jpg|Inside the Ngorongoro Crater
File:Northern Tanzania map.gif
⚫ Image:NgoroNgoro Crater, Tanzania, Africa.jpg|] and ] in a herd
⚫ File:Hunting lionesses ngorongoro4.jpg|Female ]s on the hunt in Ngorongoro Crater
⚫ File:Lioness zebras and wildbeast in Ngorongoro Crater.jpg|Lioness, zebras, and wildebeest in Ngorongoro Crater
⚫ </gallery>


==Ngorongoro Crater== ===Inside Ngorongoro Crater===
⚫ The main feature of the NCA is the '''Ngorongoro Crater''', a large, unbroken, unflooded volcanic ]. The crater, which formed when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed on itself some two to three million years ago, is {{convert|610|m|abbr=on}} deep and its floor covers {{convert|260|km2|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Ref-1"/> Estimates of the height of the original volcano range from fifteen to nineteen thousand feet (4500 to 5800 metres) high.<ref>Africa's Great Rift Valley. Nigel Pavitt. 2001. page 135. Harry N. Abrams, Incorporated, New York ISBN 0-8109-0602-3</ref><ref>Northern Tanzania with Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar. Phillip Briggs. 2006. page 197. ISBN 1-84162-146-3</ref>


The Ngorongoro Crater includes most of the animal species found in ].
⚫ Although thought of as "a natural enclosure" for a very wide variety of wildlife, up to 20 percent or more of the wildebeest (''Connochaetes taurinus'') and half the zebra (''Equus burchelli'') populations vacate the Crater in the wet season. However, a side effect of this enclosure is that the population of Ngorongoro lions is significantly inbred, with many genetic problems passed from generation to generation. 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, because of their large size (the result of an abundant and constant food source), easily expel any outside competitors.


Animal populations in the crater include most of the species found in ], but there are no ]s (''Aepyceros melampus''), ]s (''Damaliscus lunatus''), ]s (''Ourebia oribi''), ]s (''Giraffa camelopardalis''), or ]s (''Crocodylus niloticus'').<ref name="elsevier"></ref> Approximately 25,000 large animals, mostly ]s, live in the crater.<ref name="UNESCO"></ref> Large animals in the crater include the ] (''Diceros bicornis''), the local population of which declined from about 108 in 1964-66 to between 11-14 in 1995, and the ] (''Hippopotamus amphibius)''.<ref name="UNESCO"/> There also are many other ungulates: the ] (''Connochaetes taurinus'') (7,000 estimated in 1994), Burchell's ] (''Equus burchelli'') (4,000), the ] (''Taurotragus oryx''), and Grant's (''Nanger granti'') and Thomson's ]s (''Eudorcas thomsonii'') (3,000).<ref name="UNESCO"/> ] (''Kobus ellipsiprymnus'') occur mainly near Lerai Forest.<ref name="UNESCO"/> There are no ]s (''Damaliscus lunatus''), ]s (''Ourebia oribi''), or ]s (''Crocodylus niloticus'').<ref name="elsevier"></ref> ] (''Aepyceros melampus'') are absent because the open woodland they prefer does not exist.<ref name="Ecology"/> Giraffe also are absent, possibly because of a lack of browse species.<ref name="Ecology"/> ] (''Acinonyx jubatus''), ] (''Lycaon pictus''), and ] (''Panthera pardus'') are rarely seen.<ref></ref><ref name="Ecology"/>


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.<ref name="elsevier"/> Buffalo (''Syncerus caffer'') and eland do the opposite. Their highest numbers are during the rains.<ref name="elsevier"/>
⚫ The crater highlands on the side facing the easterly trade winds receives 800&ndash;1200&nbsp;mm of rain a year and is covered largely in ], while the less-steep west wall receives only 400&ndash;600&nbsp;mm; this side is grassland and bushland dotted with '']'' trees. The crater floor is mostly open grassland with two small wooded areas dominated by '']''.<ref name="elsevier"/>


⚫ Since 1986, the crater's wildebeest population has fallen from 14,677 to 7,250 (2003-2005).<ref name="elsevier"/> 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.<ref name="elsevier"/><ref name="UNESCO"/>
⚫ The Munge Stream drains Olmoti Crater to the north, and is the main water source draining into the seasonal ] in the center of the crater. This lake is known by two names: ''Makat'' as the Maasai called it, meaning salt; and ''Magadi''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.utalii.com/Ngorongoro/Lakes_in_Ngorongoro.htm|title=Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Lakes Within The Area|accessdate=2008-02-21|date=2006-09-02|publisher=Utali Safari}}</ref> 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%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zgf.de/mitarbeiterbereich/pdf/NgorongoroBlackRhinoWorkshopl.pdf |title=Management of Black Rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater|publisher=]|accessdate=2008-02-21|date=2003-09-04 |format=PDF}}</ref>


]s (''Leptailurus serval'') occur widely in the crater.<ref name="UNESCO"/>
⚫ 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.


A large lake in the middle of the crater is inhabited by hundreds of ], and from a distance, they appear as a pink border of the lake.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}}
Aside from herds of ], ], and ], the crater is home to the "]" of ], ], ], ], and ]. The crater plays host to almost every individual species of wildlife in East Africa, with an estimated 25&thinsp;000 animals within the crater.


====Crater lions====
⚫ Following the recommendations of the ''ad hoc'' committee of scientists convened after the 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.<ref></ref> Maasai are now permitted to graze their cattle within the crater, but must enter and exit daily.<ref name="natgeo"/>
⚫ {{wide image|Inside Ngorongoro crater.jpg|1500px|Due to the variety of animals present, the crater is a well known tourist attraction. Tourists looking at the animals and scenery inside the crater}}
<gallery>
⚫ File:Ngorongoro Spitzmaulnashorn edit1.jpg|] in the crater
⚫ File:Safari vehicles.jpg|Safari vehicles in the ]
⚫ File:Zebras Ngorongoro Crater.jpg|]s in the Crater
⚫ File:Ngorongoro fire as management tool.jpg|] is being used to manage vegetation in the crater
⚫ File:Masaai with cattle.jpg|Masaai herdsman with cattle inside the crater
⚫ File:Black rhinos in crater.jpg|] in the crater
</gallery>


The crater has one of the densest known population of ]s,<ref></ref> numbering 62 in 2001.<ref name="UNESCO"/>
==Lion population fluctuations==


⚫ 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.<ref name="Ecology"/>
Drought in 1961 and rains throughout the 1962 dry season caused a massive build-up of '']'' biting flies by May 1962. They drained blood and caused painful skin sores that became infected, causing lion numbers to crash for several years. It was estimated that Ngorongoro's population of at least seventy lions had been reduced to about ten. Drought in 2000 and rain throughout the 2001 dry season caused another plague of the flies, with similar results.<ref></ref>


Long-term data imply that lions in the crater were struck by four deadly disease outbreaks between 1962 and 2002.<ref></ref> Drought in 1961 and rains throughout the 1962 dry season caused a massive build-up of blood-sucking ] (''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 ].<ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref>
Additionally, lion numbers declined over a decade from 80 to approximately 30 in 1997 and 2003.<ref></ref>


The lion population is also influenced to some extent by the takeover of prides by incoming males, which typically kill small cubs.<ref></ref> The biggest influence, however, appears to be disease, particularly canine distemper.<ref></ref>
==Olduvai Gorge==
⚫ {{Main|Olduvai Gorge}}
⚫ ], February 2006]]
⚫ The conservation area also protects ], situated in the plains area. It is considered to be the seat of humanity after the discovery of the earliest known specimens of the human genus, ''] '' as well as early ], such as '']''.


⚫ <gallery>
⚫ The Olduvai Gorge or Oldupai Gorge is a steep-sided ravine in the ], which stretches along eastern Africa. Olduvai is in the eastern ] Plains in northern ] and is about 30 miles long. It lies in the rain shadow of the Ngorongoro highlands and is the driest part of the region.<ref>Africa's Great Rift Valley. Nigel Pavitt. 2001. pages 138. Harry N. Abrams, Incorporated, New York ISBN 0-8109-0602-3</ref> The gorge is named after 'Oldupaai', the ] word for the wild sisal plant, '']''.
⚫ File:Ngorongoro Spitzmaulnashorn edit1.jpg|] in the crater.
⚫ File:Safari vehicles.jpg|Safari vehicles in the crater.
⚫ File:Zebras Ngorongoro Crater.jpg|]s in the crater.
⚫ File:Ngorongoro fire as management tool.jpg|] is used to manage vegetation in the crater.
⚫ File:Masaai with cattle.jpg|Masaai herdsman with cattle inside the crater.
⚫ File:Black rhinos in crater.jpg|] in the crater.
⚫ File:Ngorongoro Crater.jpg|Inside the crater.
⚫ Image:NgoroNgoro Crater, Tanzania, Africa.jpg|] and ] in a herd.
⚫ File:Hunting lionesses ngorongoro4.jpg|Female ]s on the hunt in the crater.
⚫ File:Lioness zebras and wildbeast in Ngorongoro Crater.jpg|Lioness, zebras, and wildebeest in the crater.
⚫ </gallery>


===Outside Ngorongoro Crater===
⚫ It is one of the most important ] sites in the world and research there has been instrumental in furthering understanding of early ]. Excavation work there was pioneered by ] and ] in the 1950s and is continued today by their family. Some believe that millions of years ago, the site was that of a large lake, the shores of which were covered with successive deposits of ]. Around 500,000 years ago ] activity diverted a nearby stream which began to cut down into the sediments, revealing seven main layers in the walls of the gorge.

{{-}}
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 ] and ] populations. Common in the NCA are ] (''Alcelaphus buselaphus''), ]s (''Crocuta crocuta''), and ]s.<ref name="UNESCO"/> The population of ] in the NCA may have declined recently.{{when|date=April 2013}}<ref name="UNESCO"/> ]s occur widely on the plains to the west of the Ngorongoro Crater.<ref name="UNESCO"/>

⚫ The annual ] migration passes through the NCA, with 1.7 million ], 260,000 ], 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.<ref name="UNESCO"/>


==References== ==References==
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==Further reading== ==Further reading==
* at the ] World Conservation Monitoring Centre * at the ] World Conservation Monitoring Centre
⚫ *
*
* Deocampo, D.M., 2004. Hydrogeochemistry in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, and implications for land use in a World Heritage Site. Applied Geochemistry, volume 19, p.&nbsp;755-767 * Deocampo, D.M., 2004. Hydrogeochemistry in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, and implications for land use in a World Heritage Site. Applied Geochemistry, volume 19, p.&nbsp;755-767
* Deocampo, D.M., 2005. Evaporative evolution of surface waters and the role of aqueous CO2 in magnesium silicate precipitation: Lake Eyasi and Ngorongoro Crater, northern Tanzania. South African Journal of Geology, volume 108, p.&nbsp;493-504. * Deocampo, D.M., 2005. Evaporative evolution of surface waters and the role of aqueous CO2 in magnesium silicate precipitation: Lake Eyasi and Ngorongoro Crater, northern Tanzania. South African Journal of Geology, volume 108, p.&nbsp;493-504.
Line 131: Line 135:
==External links== ==External links==
{{Commons category|Ngorongoro}} {{Commons category|Ngorongoro}}
*
⚫ *
* {{Cite web|title=UNEP-WCMC World Heritage Site Datasheet|format = pdf|url=http://www.unep-wcmc.org/medialibrary/2011/06/28/a1e08823/Ngorongoro.pdf}} * {{Cite web|title=UNEP-WCMC World Heritage Site Datasheet|format = pdf|url=http://www.unep-wcmc.org/medialibrary/2011/06/28/a1e08823/Ngorongoro.pdf}}
* *
* *
*


{{-}} {{-}}

Revision as of 04:47, 16 April 2013

"Ngorongoro" redirects here. For the district, see Ngorongoro District.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources)
Elephant in the crater
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LocationArusha Region,  Tanzania
Area8,292 km (3,202 sq mi)
Established1959
Visitorsover 500,000 per year
Governing bodyTanzania National Parks Authority
UNESCO World Heritage Site
TypeNatural
Criteriavii, viii, ix, x
Designated1979 (3rd session)
Reference no.39
State PartyTanzania
RegionAfrica
Endangered1984–1989
Inside the crater

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) is a conservation area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located 180 km (110 mi) 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 conservation area is administered by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, an arm of the Tanzanian government, and its boundaries follow the boundary of the Ngorongoro Division of the Arusha Region.

History and geography

Based on fossil evidence found at the Olduvai Gorge, various hominid species have occupied the area for 3 million years.

Hunter-gatherers were replaced by pastoralists a few thousand years ago. The Mbulu came to the area about 2,000 years ago and were joined by the Datooga around the year 1700. Both groups were driven from the area by the Maasai in the 1800s.

Massive fig trees in the northwest of the Lerai Forest are sacred to the Maasai and the Datooga. Some of them may have been planted on the grave of a Datago leader who died in battle with the Maasai around 1840.

No Europeans are known to have set foot in the Ngorongoro Crater until 1892, when it was visited by Oscar Baumann. Two German brothers (Adolph and Friedrich Siedentopf) farmed in the crater until the outbreak of World War I, after leasing the land from the administration of German East Africa. The brothers regularly organized shooting parties to entertain their German friends. They also attempted to drive the wildebeest herds out of the crater.

In 1921, the first game preservation ordinance was passed, which restricted hunting to permit holders throughout Tanzania. In 1928, hunting was prohibited on all land within the crater rim, except the former Siedentopf farms. The National Park Ordinance of 1948 (implemented in 1951) created the Serengeti National Park (SNP). This, however, caused problems with the Maasai and other tribes, resulting in the NCA Ordinance (1959) that separated the NCA from the SNP. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority was established by the Game Park Laws (miscellaneous amendments) Act, 1976 and owns the majority of NCA land, including the crater. The area became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

Land in the conservation area is multi-use and unique because it is the only conservation area in Tanzania that protects wildlife while allowing human habitation. Land use is controlled to prevent negative effects on the wildlife population. For example, cultivation is prohibited at all but subsistence levels.

The area is part of the Serengeti ecosystem and, to the northwest, adjoins the SNP and is contiguous with the southern Serengeti plains. These plains also extend to the north into the unprotected Loliondo division and are kept open to wildlife through transhumance pastoralism practiced by the Maasai. The south and west of the area are volcanic highlands, including the famous Ngorongoro Crater and the lesser known Empakaa Crateri. The southern and eastern boundaries are approximately defined by the rim of the East African Rift wall, which also prevents animal migration in these directions.

Ngorongoro Crater

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.

Because of the variety of animals present, the Ngorongoro Crater is a well known tourist attraction. Panorama view of Ngorongoro Crater.

Olduvai Gorge

Main article: Olduvai Gorge
Olduvai Gorge, February 2006

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area also protects Olduvai Gorge, situated in the plains area. It is considered to be the seat of humanity after the discovery of the earliest known specimens of the human genus, Homo habilis as well as early hominidae, such as Paranthropus boisei.

The Olduvai Gorge or Oldupai Gorge is a steep-sided ravine in the Great Rift Valley, which stretches along eastern Africa. Olduvai is in the eastern Serengeti Plains in northern Tanzania and is about 30 miles long. It lies in the rain shadow of the Ngorongoro highlands and is the driest part of the region. The gorge is named after 'Oldupaai', the Maasai word for the wild sisal plant, Sansevieria ehrenbergii.

It is one of the most important prehistoric sites in the world and research there has been instrumental in furthering understanding of early human evolution. Excavation work there was pioneered by Mary and Louis Leakey in the 1950s and is continued today by their family. Some believe that millions of years ago, the site was that of a large lake, the shores of which were covered with successive deposits of volcanic ash. Around 500,000 years ago seismic activity diverted a nearby stream which began to cut down into the sediments, revealing seven main layers in the walls of the gorge.

Wildlife

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.

A large lake in the middle of the crater is inhabited by hundreds of flamingoes, and from a distance, they appear as a pink border of the lake.

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.

References

  1. ^ "The historical ecology of the large mammal populations of Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, east Africa", Mammal Review, authored by Louise Oates and Paul A. Rees, 2012
  2. "Dar registers "three wonders"". Daily News (Tanzania). 20 August 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  3. Seven Natural Wonders of Africa
  4. "Mbulu", Information about northern Tanzania: a personal scrapbook of "cuttings" from published sources
  5. ^ Northern Tanzania: The Bradt Safari Guide with Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, authored by Phillip Briggs, 2006, pages 197, 198 ISBN 1-84162-146-3
  6. Excerpt from Ngorongoro Conservation Area, authored by Jeannette Hanby & David Bygott, Information about northern Tanzania: a personal scrapbook of "cuttings" from published sources
  7. ^ Africa's Great Rift Valley, authored by Nigel Pavitt, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York, 2001, pages 135-139, ISBN 0-8109-0602-3
  8. ^ Robert M. Poole. "Heartbreak on the Serengeti". National Geographic. p. 4. Retrieved 2008-02-21.
  9. ^ "Downward trends in Ngorongoro Crater ungulate populations 1986–2005: Conservation concerns and the need for ecological research", Biological Conservation, authored by R. D. Estesa, J. L. Atwood, and A. B. Estes, 2006, page 107
  10. Africa's Great Rift Valley. Nigel Pavitt. 2001. page 135. Harry N. Abrams, Incorporated, New York ISBN 0-8109-0602-3
  11. Northern Tanzania with Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar. Phillip Briggs. 2006. page 197. ISBN 1-84162-146-3
  12. "Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Lakes Within The Area". Utali Safari. 2006-09-02. Retrieved 2008-02-21.
  13. "Management of Black Rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater" (PDF). African Wildlife Foundation. 2003-09-04. Retrieved 2008-02-21.
  14. "Downward trends in Ngorongoro Crater ungulate populations 1986–2005: Conservation concerns and the need for ecological research", Biological Conservation, authored by R. D. Estesa, J. L. Atwood, and A. B. Estes, 2006, pages 116-7
  15. Africa's Great Rift Valley. Nigel Pavitt. 2001. pages 138. Harry N. Abrams, Incorporated, New York ISBN 0-8109-0602-3
  16. ^ "Ngorongoro Conservation Area", World Heritage List, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
  17. "Persistence and local extinction of lion prides in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania", Population Ecology, authored by Bernard M. Kissui, Anna Mosser, and Craig Packer, 52:103-111, 2010
  18. "The Crater Lions, Nature, United States Public Broadcasting System
  19. Demography, Population Dynamics, and the Human-lion Conflicts: Lions in the Ngorongoro Crater and the Maasai Steppe, Tanzania, authored by Bernard Mombo Kissui, University of Minnesota, ProQuest, 2008, page 38
  20. "Stomoxys", Information about northern Tanzania: a personal scrapbook of "cuttings" from published sources
  21. "Downward trends in Ngorongoro Crater ungulate populations 1986–2005: Conservation concerns and the need for ecological research", Biological Conservation, authored by R. D. Estesa, J. L. Atwood, and A. B. Estes, 2006, page 108
  22. Demography, Population Dynamics, and the Human-lion Conflicts: Lions in the Ngorongoro Crater and the Maasai Steppe, Tanzania, authored by Bernard Mombo Kissui, University of Minnesota, ProQuest, 2008, page 29
  23. Demography, Population Dynamics, and the Human-lion Conflicts: Lions in the Ngorongoro Crater and the Maasai Steppe, Tanzania, authored by Bernard Mombo Kissui, University of Minnesota, ProQuest, 2008, page 38
  24. Demography, Population Dynamics, and the Human-lion Conflicts: Lions in the Ngorongoro Crater and the Maasai Steppe, Tanzania, authored by Bernard Mombo Kissui, University of Minnesota, ProQuest, 2008, page 42

Further reading

  • Ngorongoro Conservation Area at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre
  • Deocampo, D.M., 2004. Hydrogeochemistry in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, and implications for land use in a World Heritage Site. Applied Geochemistry, volume 19, p. 755-767
  • Deocampo, D.M., 2005. Evaporative evolution of surface waters and the role of aqueous CO2 in magnesium silicate precipitation: Lake Eyasi and Ngorongoro Crater, northern Tanzania. South African Journal of Geology, volume 108, p. 493-504.

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