National Geographic - USA (2021-12)

132

2019

Single trapped

wildebeest, 2019

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NYA

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Ewaso (^) N
gir
o
San
d
Mulot
Siongiroi
Olesere
Ngorengore
Nkoilale
Sekenani
Talek
Oloolaimutia
Lemek
Aitong
Sigor
Kipkeigei
Narok
Narosura
Maji Moto
NABOISHO
LEMEK
SIANA
OLARE
OROK
NASHULAI
ENONKISHU
OLARRO
NORTH
OL KINYEI
MARA
NORTH
PARDAMAT
ISAATEN
OLARRO
SOUTH
OLCHORRO
OIROUA
MOTOROGI
OLDERKESI
MASAI MARA
NATIONAL
RESERVE
L O I T A (^) P L A
I N S
BU
RR
UN
GA
T
PL
AI
N
KILORITI PLAIN
L O I T A H I L L S
SIANA
PLAINS
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Ol^ D
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ois
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KENYA
MARA-
LOITA RESIDENT^ W
ILDE
BEES
TS
First facility installed
1970
18
2010
132
2019
Total tourism facilities
in the greater Serengeti
TOURISM SURGE
In the past decade, the greater Seren-
geti ecosystem has seen a dramatic
rise in tourism, especially in the Masai
Mara region. Foreign dollars sustain the
local economy, but garbage and human
waste, demand for freshwater, and jeep
tourism all stress the environment.
Migrating wildebeests that try
to cross fences often get injured
or die. Those trapped in pastures
can be difficult to remove. One
tagged animal was caught in a
330-acre pasture for four weeks
in October 2019.
Land has increasingly moved into
private hands and commercial
farming. This keeps wildebeests
from wet-season grazing lands on
the Loita Plains and funnels them
into denser, more sedentary
clusters farther south.
SOURCES: JARED STABACH AND LACEY HUGHEY, SMITHSONIAN
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY INSTITUTE; JAKE WALL, MARA
ELEPHANT PROJECT; GRANT HOPCRAFT AND THOMAS MORRISON,
UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW; DANIEL SOPIA, MAASAI MARA WILDLIFE
CONSERVANCIES ASSOCIATION; AARHUS UNIVERSITY
The Mara River is a vital source of
freshwater for wildebeests in the
dry season. But it must first flow
through agricultural fields, crowded
human settlements, and tourist
hot spots before reaching wildlife
protection zones in the south.
SOREN WALLJASPER AND
MATTHEW W. CHWASTYK, NGM STAFF;
ALEXANDER STEGMAIER