TANZANIA'S NATIONAL PARKS

1 Serengeti

2 Lake Manyara 3 Tarangire

4 Arusha

5 Kilimanjaro 6 Mikumi

7 Ruaha

8 Kitavi

9 Mahale Mountains 10 Gombe

11 Rubondo Island

PARK REGULATIONS

2

INTRODUCTION

It is the vast number of baobabs that first capture the eye as you enter Tarangif8 National Park. The gently rolling coun~ide is dotted with these majestic trees. which seem to dwarf the animals that fe8d'beneath them.

The Park is spectacular in the dry season when many of the migratory wildlife species come back to the permartent waters of Tarangire River. Huge herds' of wildebeest zebras. elephants, eland and oryx gather to stay in Tarangife f/Rf11mEJ onset of the rains when they mig'!lte again to good grazing areas.

But this annual migration is threatened by increasing agriculture in the areas surrounding the Park. For wilderness areas like Tarangire to survive, conservation measures must go hand in hand with appropriate roral development The commitment shown by the Tanzanian government to, promote these ideals is) important

, Your purchase of this guide book and visit to Tarangire National Park will help put conservation strategies into practice, as all proceeds go directly towards the conservation of the Park. I hope that your time here is enjoyable and rewarding.

LOTA MELAMARI Director General Tanzania National Parks-

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TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK

Tarangire National Park covers approximately 2600 sq km and, in the dry season, is second only to Ngorongoro Crater in the concentrations of wildlife to be seen here. The Park lies to the south of the large, open grass plains of southern Maasailand and derives its name from the Tarangire River, whi9h proYides \he onty permanent water for wildlife in the area.

TARANGIRE ECOSYSTEM .

The ecosystem is defined by the main migration routes of several species and extends into the game controlled areas (GCA) and other areas that surround the Park's bOundaries.

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1. Tarangire National Park

2. Lake Manyara National Park 3. Mtu wa Mbu GCA

;~ 4. Lake Natron GCA

5. Lolkisale GCA
6. Simanjiro GCA & Plains
7. Mkungunero GCA

As in many national parks, much of the wildlife which inhabits the area moves across park boundaries at certain seasons of the year, along traditional migration routes, in search of food and water.

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WET SEASON DISPERSAL ROUTES

Routes 1 -4 are the northern routes used by wildebeest and zebra.

The main bulk of the wildlife, including buffalos, gazelles, elephants, kongoni, eland and oryx, move east along routes 5-7

Route 8 leads south and is used by wildebeest, zebras, buffalos and eland.

Most animals leave the area near the Tarangire River at the beginning of the short rainy season in October/November. The first to move are the numerous wildebeest and zebras, soon followed by Grant's and Thomson's gazelles, buffalos, eland, elephants, oryx and hartebeest Only the resident species, which include waterbuck, impalas, warthogs, dikdiks, giraffes, rhinos and lesser kudus stay behind.

The second rainy season begins in March and at its peak the Tarangire animals are spread over an area of more than 20,500 sq km of Maasai country. At the beginning of June the long rains end, the Maasai steppe dries up rapidly and the migratory species return to the Tarangire River.

As in all ecosystems the vegetatipn and the types of animals you find are closely correlated. The principal features of the Park are the grassland and f100dplains, which may be divided into Acacia forti/is parkland; tall acacia woodland; drainage line woodland; Acacia-Commiphora woodland; Combretum-Da/bergia woodland; and rocky hills.

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l>I~"aCia torti/is parkland consists of open grassland with flat-topped or umbrella ,acacia trees and a few scattered baobas (Adansonia digitata). Tall acacia woodland is dominated by fever trees (Acacia xanthoph/oea) and Acacia sieberiana. Both of these trees have yellow bark but A sieberiana has a more round~ Canopy and is not as tall as the fever tree. Drainage line woodland occurs beside tributaries which run into the Tarangire River. These are rich woodlands and include the 'sausage' tree (Kige/ia . africana), A. sieberiana and the tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica). Combretum-Da/bergia woodland is often known as 'orchard bush' because of the even distribution of the trees. In Tarangire Da/bergia me/anoxy/on, or African ebony, only grows as a large shrub, whereas Combretum zeyheri can attain the height of a small tree. Recently the woodland habitat of fever trees. umbrella acacias and A sieberiana, along the Tarangire River from Matete has become more open. This is primarily a result of fire in the area, and heavy utilization by elephants.

NOTES FOR VISITORS

This guide book is divided into the rNlin areas of the Park and describes wile" and" where to look for the IiR~ly species. There are summary page~ for each of ttfg main areas and also more detailed descriptions of the species.

The road system Ylithin Tarangire is most developed in the northern part of tfie Pci'~ There are plans to extend the main road to the southern part of the Park and Build an' entrance gate at Chubi Ranger Post. Visitors will tf1en be able to visit tfle K61d rotR paintings as part of tMir Park tour. Many roads throughout the Park bec6me impassable during the wet season (see map on centre pages) and visitors are aslterd to be cautious.

The Park has guides who can accompany you on your game drives. The g~ides know the Park well, know where animals can be found and can plan ro~tes wflictt will suit your interests. If your trip to farangire is a st'l6rt one, a tour of the Tarangire River arid U~miyon prbviaE!~ the Lmst cill .•. rourid viewing.

Associated with these different vegetation zones and places are different types of animals. Giraffes need trees to browse and so will not be found in open grasslands. Uons will usually follow the migrating antelopes and waterbirds will be found on the flood plain. It is obviously impossible to say exactly when and where different species will occur but it is possible to build up a picture of the most likely species to be found in any area at any particular time.

Tsetse flies are found in Tarangire and have played a major role in the land-use of the area. Tsetses carry trypanosomiasis, a form of sleeping sickness to which domestic stock are highly susceptible. This has m~nt that Tarangire has not been used as a dry"season rangeland by the Maasai and wildlife has remained undisturbed.

If you are planning a longer trip please remerflMr that you may only travel in the ~rk between 6am and 7pm, so allow pl~nty of time to reach your destination in daylig,ht Always check that you have enougt'l petrol before starting out. When planning g'ame drives it is advisable not to travel directly into the sUn wf\~n it is low, as it makes game viewing more difficult. The Lake Burungi circlIIit is best approached in a c6unter­ clockwise direction in the evening.

Over 300 species of birds have been recorded in the Park, some of them Eurasian migrants which are present from October to April.

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You are welcome to get out of your car in open areas - after making sure you are not near any animals. Be particularly careful near thick bush as animals are often well hidden. Always remain close to you car and keep a carefuf lookout

Tsetse flies do bite and it is advisable to keep your arms and legs covered. Some people may get some swelling from tsetse fly bites, but this soon subsides. It may be some consolation to know that warthogs are the favourite host of tsetse flies, providing three quarters of the blood meals taken by tsetse per day!

The wild animals have, over a long period, built up a resistance to 'tryps' and can suryive in a tsetse~infested area. Large areas in Africa contain no human settlements because Qf the small tsetse f1¥, but recent projects to eradicate tsetses and open up these areas threaten the existence of large populations of wild animals and their ~atural habitats .

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WHERE AND WHAT TO WATCH

I'he early mornings and late evenings are the besHimes to observe birds and ~imals. During the heat of the day much of the wildlife rests under cover. Lea1e

camP or the lodge early and remember to drive slowly. Look under trees and bushes fQr the pric~ed ears of some animal raising' its head, and also keep a watch out in trees for the dangling tail of a leopard as it lies on a branch: Observe movements of the plains animals which may appear disturbed for no apparent reason - they may have seen, or be suspicious of, nearby lions. Tick birds may indicate the presenw~ rhinos or b",ffalos in bush country, and vultures can indicate a kill worth investigating:

Footprints on the road surface will tell you which animals have recently passed by,

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When you first see members of a certain group of animals like a pride of lions or a group of zebras they all look much the same. If you spend a few moments watching you' will begin to see indivjdual diff~rences. No tWl> zebras have the same stripe , pattern. individual elephants can be recognised by the different patterns of nicks or damage to their ears and by the size-and shape of their tuskS. Lions can be told apart

various shapes and lengths and individual antelopes may have unusually shaped horns.

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Wildebeest

Zebra Thomson'sgazefle

, Grant's gazalfEr Oryx Hartebeest Buffalo Elephan\..

ANIMAL POPULATIONS-

A wildlife census was carried out in the wet season in 1980 by EcoSystems Lta; The population numbers in the Tarangire - Simanjiro - Lolkisale ecosystem were estimated to be:

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Look to see the composition of the group: is there one male with several females. or all males. or all females or a mixture? As you watch carefully you may begin to notice the way the animals interact with each other, how the young play together. how closely they feed together, whether some animals seem 'dominant' toothers,.what a

_ courtshilt display looks like. If you watch for long enough you can be rewarded by ~eaf"ing a lot about the 'social organisation' of a group of animals and get as much enjoyme~t out of watching the herbivores as the carnivores.

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25,000 32.000 3,500 3,250 1,000 6.700 6.000 3,000

Giraffe' \ Eland. Impala Lesser kudu Warthog Gerenuk Greater kudu Reedbuck

2,700 5,500 30,750 300 2.000 50 50 150

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LEMITON and MATETE

p14,22

Features eaobSb trees

Acacia parkland

Black cotton grassland Combretum-Dalbergia woodland

Facilities Tented lodge­ Campsites·

Park headquarters

TARANGIRE RIVER

During the dry season from June to September the Tarangire River. provides the only permanent water for wildlife in this area and large concentrations of animals can be seen. p4

BAOBAB TREES

Large baobab ,

trees are seen _ in this area. These trees are very old and said to provide sanctuary for ghosts and spirits.

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MAMMALS Baboon Bat-eared fox Buffalo

Dikdik

Elarid Elephant Gazelles Giraffe

Ground squirrel Hyena

HyrdX

ImpaIa Klipspringer Kongoni Leopard Lesserkudu Uon

Oryx

Reedbuck Vervet monkey Warthog-­ Wildebeest Zebra

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p22 p25 p34 p44 p33 p20 p18 p38 p36 p42 p24 p40 p24 p18 p31 p32 p26 p25 p24 p22 p35 p14 p15

_J!IT

BURUNGI and KITtBONG

p3p.34

Features

Doum palms Acacia parklal'ld

" Comlffetum-Dalbergia woodland

LAKE BURUNGI

Lake Burungi is a shalldw soda lake. During the rainy season flamingos and pelicans can be seen here.

MAMMALS Baboon Buffalo' Bushbuck Eland

Elephant Gazelles Giraffe

Impala

LeOpard

Lesser kudu Lion

Rhino

,Warthog

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RHINOS

Black Rhinos used to be comm~rt· in the Park but poaching for their horns has reduced "their numbers. Park managementinclude.s anti-poaching activities. p4 7

BIRDS

Martial eagle Bateleur eagle Ground hornbiH

p1 p24 p35

Over 300 species of birds have been recorded in the Park. Tarangire has the highest recorded nu1mber of breedinp bird specie~ fOL a~y habitat in th~ world

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p36,39

'FeatUres

Black cott<>ri grasslaoo Acacia-Commiphora woodland Conibretum-Dalbergia woodland erainage line woodland near Kuro

~UANIIN~ .

L.argegr~ss fjres sometimes sweep through~'ffils area: These often' 'burn . trees anl!, to prevent severe'·darilAOe. ' Park authorities carry out controlled, bwrning. 1 p48

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BIRDS

Two large birds live in this area. The OSTRICH is the largest bird:in the world .. p47

The KORI BUSTARD is the heavi~t bird which can fly. p43'.

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~tuffJS

Open plains

Acacia woodlands Fresh water pools Black cotton grassland

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WATERBIRDS

Crowned crane Egyptian goose Hamerl<op Jacana

Long-toed lapwing Purple gallinule Saddle-bill stork p45

RARE SIGHTINGS

You may be lucky enough to see Greater kudu

Roan antelope.

p42.44

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS

MAMMALS

African hare Ant-bear Bushpig Civet

Genet

p19

Pangolin Porcupine Ratel Spring hare Zorilla

MAMMALS Cheetah

Civet

Dikdik

Eland

Gerenuk Hyena

Jackal Mongooses Porcupine Waterbuck Wildebeest Zebra

p42 p19 p44 p33 p46 p42 p45 p46 p19 p44 p14 p15

TREE CLIMBING PYTHONS

Tarangire is famous for the pythons which climb trees along the edge of the swamps. It is uncertain why they do this - but may be to find a safe place.to warm up in me mornings and ,avoid being trOdden on by animals coming to drink at the swamps.

Anotl1er reptile seen in this area is the monitor lizard

p45

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The area in the most northerly part of the Park within the triangle formed by the eastern and western boundaries and the Tarangire River as it flows westwards towards Lake Burungi, is called Lemiyon. The vegetation is composed of some open grassland on 'black cotton' soil (a fine, dark volcanic soil,) an area of Combretum­ Dalber{jia woods and a more extensive parkland of umbrella or flat-topped acacia trees. The toothbrush bush (Salvadora persica) is also very common, showing up bright gree'" even at the height of the dry season.

But the most striking feature of this pan of the Park are the majest ~~, old baobab trees. With their massive silvery trunks, spindly branches and gourd-like fruit, they are strange and impressive trees. The young leaves are edible by humans and the wood, which has a long fibre, is used for weaving ahd' rope-making. As many baobab trees are hollow, they frequently setVe as reser'\toirs for rain water, as the site of wild bee hives or as n~sting tr~s for horn bills.

Wildebeest have many predators, including lions, cheetahs and hunting dogs, and hyenas take a heavy toll of newly born calves. When attacked wildebeest will form a defensive circle, snorting at their attacker. Their erratic bucking actions are part of their evasive tactics against predators.

The zebra present in Tarangire is BURCHELL'S ZEBRA. They move in large aggregations, which consist of family units each containing a stallion and up_to a dozen females and young, and bachelor herds of mainly immature males. Each family is controlled by a stallion, who defends it both against potential rivals and against predators such as hyenas and hunting dogs. Mares also cooperate in defending the family and especially protect foals against predators. Foals are born in all months except during the dry season. This group defence is so effective that hyenas prefer to hunt in packs for zebras, whereas they usWcilly hunt singly for antelopes.

Wildebeest and zebras are common here, as they are in many other parts of the Park. Both species need to drink regularly so unless there art1 pools of surface water, they do not go far from the river.

WILDEBEEST or white-bearded gnu are rather ungainly-looking animals with massive shoulders and slender hindquarters. Adults are a dull slaty grey colour, with dark streaks and stripes across the back and flanks. The young are rufous fawnjn colour. Wildebeest (the name means 'wild cattle' in Afrikaans) are grazers and are often seen on the new flush that appears after a grass fire, especially on the 'black cotton' soils early in the dry season. Wildebeest live in large herds and are very vocal. Their constant grunts and loud explosi~e snorts are very characteristic.

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The stripe pattern of every zebra is different, making individual recog'nition comparatively easy. Zebras are very conspicuous in broad daylight, but at night, dawn and dusk - the hours when most predation occurs - the stripes seem to blend together and zebras become as hard to see as grey or tan animals.

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PREDATORS AND PREY

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Throughout Tarangire you will see 'ecological processes' at work. Grasses, shrubs and trees grow fueled by energy from the sun. Herbivores, like gazelles, zebras and buffalos, eat these plants. In turn they are hunted and eaten by the carnivores, the hyenas, lions and leopards, who are at the top of this food chain.

People often think grazing animals live in constant fear of predators. Although they always remai •.• very wary, they seem to know when a predator is not actually hunting, and at such times show remarkably little nervousness provided the predator does not get closer to them than the limit known as the 'flight distance' .

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GRANT'S

The KONGONI, or Coke's hartebeest, is seen here and throughout the Park. It is fawn in colour with a pale rump and can easily be distinguished by its long very narrov,' head, and horns which grow outwards and sharply backwards.

Two cat-like creatures which are nocturnal may occasionally be seen during the day. These are the civet and the genal. The C!VET is a heavily bUilt animal with wiry, dark grey.fur. black spots on the body and blackverticai stripes on the tail. The abdomen and legs are afSO black. Civets are solitary and hide during the day in tall grass or old pi;cuplne burrows. They produce ,I pungent, oily anal gland seCretion which is emitted when the animal alarmed. This secretion has been collected over the ages in many region~ to form the basis of perfumes.

Males defend permanent territories containing enough forage for a herd of females throughout the year. Hartebeest breed throughout the year, though there are two clear peaks, one in the dry season and one in the wet season. Newborn calves spend most of·their first month hiding in the grass, as do the young of

many antelopes.

THOMSON;S

The genet appears more '~the and catlike, with its narrow pointed face, conical ears and short grey fur, even though it is more closely related to the mongoose. Its tail is heavily ringed wi~h dark brown and it has white patches below the eyes. Genets are semi-arboreal so may be seen resting in trees. Both civets and genets are solitary.

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Other nocturnal animals you might get a glimpse of are ant-~rs and pangolins. Both these speCies feed on ants and termites which they scoop up with their long sticky tongues. The ant-bear or 'aardvark' is a pig-like creature with large ears, a narrow head and long snout The pangolin is easily recognised by the armour of scales which cover its body. Another nocturnal animal which isweU protected is the porcupine. When attacked it erects i1s quills and jumps backwards to drive the very sharp points into th~ attacker.

In this area you may see GRANrS GAZELLES. These are not to be confused with THOMSON'S GAZELLES which have only recently moved into the Park from the north-east The Tommy, as it is affectionately known, is considerably' smaller and redder than the Granfs. An easy way to distinguish these species is to look at the white marking on the rump of the animals. In Tommies the white comes up to the tail wherea$ in Grant's it come over the tail and onto the rump. Tommies of both sexes have strongly marked lateral stripes whereas in the Granfs it is only the female which is marked in this way. Granfs are larger and are pale fawn with white underparts. Horns are present in both male and female of the two species but are much larger in the male.

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Elephants may be seen at the river during the dry season, as in many other parts of the Park. The AFRICAN ELEPHANT is larger than its Asiatic cousin and has a sloping as opposed to a straight back and much larger ears. If you see a herd of elephants it is most likely.to be either an all male group or a family unit Uke the baboon and the lion, the social system of the elephant is based on close family kin. Daught.ers remain in,,thel same family as their mothers and grandmothers whilst males leave once they

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reach adolescence. The young males then frequent non permanent bachelor groups

which often change composition ..

If you watch a female herd you may be able to spot the matriarch. This is usually the oldest and largest animal who acts as the leader, particularly during defence when she will govern the course of action. Elephants can live up to 60 years and a female may give birth by the time she is 13 years old. The gestation period for elephants is 2~ months. When a baby elephant Oust about 80 cms high) is born, the whole herd is attentive to it and will be very protective, especially against lions.

There is a dominance hierarchy among the males within a population. At certain times of the year a dominant male exhibits a phenomenon ,known as 'musth' (pronounced must), which is apparently a highly sexual "3tate. This can be recognized by a profuse secretion from the temporal gland at the side of the head and the continuous dribbling of urine. Such males usually associate with herds when a female is in season.

FIELD ESTIMATION of AGING

(after Laws)

/11- ••••

Elephants can be recognised individually by looking at the shape of their tusks and nicks in the outline of their ears. Both male and female elephants have tusks and tusk length and circumference can also be used to age an animal.

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MATETE

The area of the Park in the vicinity of the lodge, campsites and Engelhard Bridge over the Tarangire River is known as Matete, taking its name from the tall elephant grass and reeds which grow along the river banks. Lolkisale, the mountain which stands outside the Park to the east, can often be seen from here.

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The vegetation is mainly open umbrella acacia parkland with scattered baobabs and is dominated by the river which attracts many animals in the dry season. The water in the river is very saline but the animals seem to have a considerable tolerance for the concentrations of sodium salts it contains.

Open acacia woodland is the favoured habitat of a wide variety of wildlife, because of the shelter and food which it provides. Bird life is very abundant and the canopies of the flat-topped trees provide excellent nesting sites which are difficult for a predator to reach. Acacia forti/is is easily recognised by its umbrella-like thorny canopy and gnarled, twisted branches.

BABOONS are particularly common in the Matete area. Much of their diet consists of grass, fruit and insects but they frequently hunt and kill the young of impalas, reed bucks and other antelopes. A single baboon troop can range over an area as large as 10 sq km ..

A baboon troop consists of between 30 and 100 individuals, and is hlade up of females and their young, adolescent animals of both sexes and a number of adult males. Af adolescence males leave the troop into which they were born and 'transfer' into another troop.

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Males can be distinguished from females . by their larger size, mane and canines. At first, females carry their young on their stomachs, but after about a month the young infant' rides jockey style on the mother's back near the tail. Female baboons form dominance hierarchies, in which the members of the same family assume similar ranks. High-ranking females have greater access to food and sometimes have more offspring. The hierarchies of males are not so clear cut and depend less on their mothers' rank than on such factors as fighting ability and age. Females in oestrus develop large pink swellings on their rears which signal receptivity.

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A very common monkey here, indeed throughout woodlands in East Africa, is the VERVET MONKEY. The vervet is' a small monkey with a black face, white cheek tufts and grey fur. Male vervets are easily identified by their azure blue scrotum. Vervets feed on insects, fruit, leaves and seeds and may also eat young birds and eggs. Their social structure is similar to baboons although vervetgroups are territorial and defend their ranges against nearby groups. The larger eagles, such as the martial eagle, and leopards are their main enemies.

In and around the woodland you will see a plant called the sodom apple recognised by its small purple flower and round yellOW fruit This plant is rarely eaten by browsing animals and is a pernicious weed in cultivated land.

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About one kilometre south 9f the bridge is a rocky kopje (pronounced copy) which is an ideal habitat for hyraxes, of which two species occur, and klipspringers. Hyraxes are notable for being the nearest living relative of the elephant, as shown by anatomical similarities, a fact not easy to believe! They look rather like a short-eared rabbit The rock hyrax is larger and browner in colour than the bush hyrax, whose fur is grey.

Also seen on this kopje are KUPSPRINGERS. These thick-set, rough-

"coated antelopes are about the size of goats and adapted for leaping from rock to rock. Klipspringers are monogamous and pair for several years, living in their own territory which they mark using scent glands near the eye. If you see three together, one may have shorter horns and is likely to be a young animal. The klipspringer found here is the Maasai race in which the males, as well as the majority of females, are horned.

Ali. Bohor reedbuck are often seen in this area. They can be confused with impala, but the Bohor reedbuck can be distinguished by its uniform sandy-red colour and a very bushy tail with a white 'flag'. The males have short forward curving horns. Reedbuck

are difficult to see as they often lie down in tall grass, but if alarmed they will give a' li"

The large bird of prey, bluish-black in colour with chestnut upperpartsis the BA TELEUR eagle. The tail is very short and the contrasting black underparts and white undersides of the wing

'.it~ make, this eagle eas~ to identify in , flight The name bateleur means . 'tumbler' in French and refers to the sensational aerobatics this species can perform.

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'~The FRINGE-EARED ORYX, often found in the Matete area, is a large antelope with a well-defined pattern on the head and body. The body is rufous grey with black stripes along the spine and separating the lower flank from the white underparts. The black and white facial markings are striking and the ears bear a distinctive tuft of long black hairs. The ridged horns, carried by both sexes, are long and narrow and grow straight back frOm the head.

Fringe-eared oryx live in grasslands, bush steppe and dry savannah; their wanderings follow the rainfall. Oryx are grazers and can go for long periods without drinking, eating succulent roots to obtain enough water for their needs. Oryx live in herds of up to 40 animals. Their main predator is the lion, and adults will put up strong

appearance and very large ears. They feed almost exclusively on insects, but apparently eat roots" fruit and eggs from time to time. Bat-eared foxes give birth once a year, at the end of the dry season. Four cubs to a litter is typical but

up to ten are occasionally seen.

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UONS are often found near the river because they need to drink regularly and because they frequent areas of the Park where prey species coft~regate. When yod find a pride of lions they are most likely to be resting, as lions spend a large part of ~ir day doing this. If they are awake, they may be licking, grooming, playing and greeting one another. Lions greet upon waking'and,whenever \hey meet after being separated. Greeting behaviour is easy to recognise and consists of rubbing heads or even their whole bodies together. A cub greets its mother by rubbing the top of its head and then the whole body and tail under her chin.

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Uon prides consist of a core of related females: mothers, daughters, sisters, cousins and aunts. These groups of females have a large territorial range within which they capture prey and raise their cubs. Cubs of different females are often born close together and are raised by several females. The cubs cans~ckle from any lactating female and if a mother dies, her orphans will be adopted by the other females.

The role of male lions is very different A band of male lions, often brothers, 'have a range which they mark, patrol and defend. Within this range may live one or mO'fe prides of females and the males will join these prides and mate with any receptive females. The more prides they hold, the more cubs the males are likely to sire. Some lions live a nomadic life, roaming singly, in pairs or in small groups, with no fixed

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Lions usually hunt at night but you may be lucky enough to see a kill during the day. A high proportion of hunts are unsuccessful but they are nevertheless fascinating to watch, particularly if several members of the pride are hunting together. Lions hunt by stealthily stalking their prey, crouching low to the ground before they advance close enough to make a rush. Lions generally knock running prey over with a swipe of the paw, or pull it down with both front paws, whilst keeping their hind legs on the ground. As soon as the prey is down, the lion either grasps the throat, biting down on the windpipe, or grabs the muzzle and suffocates it 'Ill

Once the animal is dead, the lions will sometimes move it to a secluded or shady spot i

- Depending on how hungry the lions are, they may feed quietly or if it is a large pride'I' eat anything they can get hold of and begin dragging pieces away as soon as 1[1 possible. Cubs start to eat a kill from about three months old but males usually get il', priority at a kill, even over the females that hunted it, and can eat up to a quarter of their body weight! The main prey species in Tarangire are zebra and wildebeest

If you find a kill with lions eating, please do not go too close as you may disturb them .

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Lake Manyara ;'

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LEMIYON

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TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK

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• Tented lodge o Park entrance

• Campsite
• Ranger post

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Main park track Dry season track Park vehlcles.only Proposed road Taranglre)!liver Flood plain

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ICIIomehs

LAKE BURUNGI CIRCUIT

Taking this circuit in a clockwise direction, you drive south from Engelhard Bridge alongside the Tarangire River, through flat-topped acacia parkland to within 2 kms of Kuro. Here you turn right and soon find yourself crossing a belt of Combretum­ Dalbergia woodlands as you head for the western boundary of the Park. Before reaching the boundary you re-enter acacia parkland and follow the boundary northwards. Just before the Tarangire River you turn right again, once more crossing the Combretum woodland back to Engelhard Bridge. The complete circuit is 80 kms.

As you drive south you may be lucky enough to see a BLACK RHINO. Black rhinos were found throughout the Park but recent poaching for their horns has drastically reduced their numbers. Rhinos are usually solitary as adults. The most stable association is that of a mother and calf which are usually found within a well defined home range. The range size varies according to vegetation and the density of the rhino population.

30

Black rhinos are browsers and have pointed prehensile lips adapted for browsing off thorny shrubs. They feed at night and dawn and dusk and rest during the heat of the day. They have a good sense of hearing and smell but their sight is poor at more than 30 m. A distinctive feature of rhinos is their habit of depositing dung in the same spot, then scattering it with the hind feet

In this area, as elsewhere, you will see the CANDELABRA TREE with its dark green, succulent branches. The trees are readily eater. by rhinos if they get knocked or blown down, but aN I not otherwise damaged by animals.

I

IIII1I

l.£OPARDS are qttite common in Tarangire and should be looked for in the branches Ofttees, where they resttll.1ring the heatofthe day. They often carry their prey up into the branches in order tb get it out of the reach of lions, hyenas and, to a lesser exteht, vultures.

Leopards are solitary creatures, the male only associating with the female when she isin season. Their markings are roseate cluBters of spots, unlike the cheetah which has single spots. Leopard are traditionally one of the most dangerous of the wild cats, and if a leopard has cubs with her you should approach with care.

Whereas the cheetah hunts by speed, the leopard catches its prey by careful, stealthy stalking. Leopards have a wide range of prey; they are particularly fond ojjmpalas and gazelles, but will also eat dikdlks, hares, game birds and occasionally mor.k~ and baboons. When baboons spot a leopard from the safety of trees they will often bark loudly at the intruder. Leopards, although expert climbers, can only hunt on the ground. Vervet monkeys make a particular vocalisation when they see a leoparctanct· the whole group responds by rushing up the nearest tree. Leopards do not roar like lions, but make a noise like sawinQ wood and a 'grunt cough'.

31

LESSER KUDU

BUSH BUCK

Any patch of thick bush in this area is the place to look for LESSER KUDU. These animals are very shy Clnd must be approached slowly. They usually spend the ~y . in deg~ bush and mbve mostly at dusk and in the early mornings. The male, with ~ three-spiral horns, is grey in colour, and 1hefemale, which has no horns, reddish-' fawn. Both sexes have about 13 narrow white vertical stripes around the body, conspicuous white throat and neck patches and a short white mane along the neck and back. Lesser kudu are often seen in pairs, perhaps with a juvenile. They browse on leaves, yoUng shoots and twigs. A pair have a hQltle range of about 2, sq km although young males may move around more.

The .palm trees, which are such a feature of the' river valley, are doum palms. i~erestingly palms, unlike trees, have only one growing point, which means that a palm will die if this is damaged. Palm swifts nest in the branches of the trees. They build their nests by attaching a small pad of feathera to the mid-rib of the leaf with sticky salWa From the ground these nests often look like a mass of cobwebs.

Of the nintf species of game birds so far recorded in the Park, the three most common are 1h,e yellow-necked spurfOWI. Cr~ francolin and helmeted guinea fowl. Vulturine guinea fowl hava been signted near Oldoinyo Ngahari in the east of the Park; but that is at the extreme edge ot meir range .

32

.•• """"'I';~~'~"'~'

After having turned westward into the Combretum-Dalbergia woodland you may see herds of ELAND. The eland is a large rather cow-like antelope weighing as much as 900 kgs. and measuring nearly two metres at the top of the hump. In colour the females are reddish-fawn and the males are grey. Both sexes have lateral stripes round the barrel of the body and a conspicuous tuft of dark hair on the dewlap; Both males and females have heavily spiralled or corkscrew horns which grow straight back from the head.

Eight kilometres short of the Park boundary near a kopje is a fine view of_Lake Burungi, with Lake Manyara, the three peaks of Milima Mitatu and the rift wall in the background. Lakes Burungi and Manyara are saucer-shaped defi)ressions with saline water and are the home of flamingos andpelieans.

so at the height of the rains, and often drying up completely by the end of the dry season. They are formed in natural depressions in land from which there is a very limited outlet The surface water which,fills them carries in various mineral elements, chiefly calcium and sodium. When these lakes do dry up through evaporation they glitter with a white encrustation of salts which looks, at a distance, like snow.

~~~:":: ..

On reaching the track, which here forms the Park boundary, turn right and drive with Lake Burungi on your left hand side. In the valley, where you re-enter thick cover, you might eatch sight of a BUSH BUCK Bushbuck are medium-sized antelopes with rufous-brown coats and light spots on the haunches. They have vertical stripes on the body and white half collars round the base of their necks. Short, single-spiral horns are present only in the males, but both sexes have white, rather bushy tails, which are raised as a 'flag' as they bound for cover. The lion is the main predator of

.. the bushbuckaUhough:small eats and pythons -may. eat the young. - .

In orcfer to complete the circtiit and return to the Engelhard Bridge, turn right again leaving Tarangire River on your left. The Engelhard Bridge is named after a bene~ctor whose family continues to help Witll fu~~o develop Tarangire National Park.

33

A buffalo herd is a cohesive unit with a well established social hierarchy, each animal knowing its status in relation to each other. Females form the core of the herd and bulls leave and rejoin the herd at will. The bulls' movements seem to be linked to mating behaviour. In the dry season when fewer females come on heat, older bulls leave and form bachelor herds.

A large, black turkey-like bird is the GROUND HORNBILL Although these big birds spend much of their time on the ground, feeding on insects and reptiles, they will fly slowly and heavily to perch in a tree, at which time their white primary feathers are conspicuous. At a distance the call of the ground hornbil/ sounds much like human voices in conversation and a Maasai folk story translates the sound as a man speaking to a woman saying '" want more cows" to which she replies, "Yo~'1I die before you get them".

Here, as in many ",arts of the Park, you will probably catch a QTfmpse of WARTHOGS feeding on their knees or running away with tails in the air. Warthogs are strictly diurnal, spending the night in burrows which they take over from other animals. They often back into the hole, so as to be ready for any attack made on them by predators. They are usually seen in family groups with 2-4 young, but sometimes the previous year's young stay in the family. Old males, recognised by their impressively curved tusks, may become solitary.

KITIBONG HILL

The eastern part of this area is composed of acacia parkland, while to the west Combretum-Dalbergia woodland predominates. The Sangaiwe Hills can be seen outside the Park to the west

BUFFALOS are often found on the east side of this area in mixed breeding herds or as male animals living alone orin bachelor herds. They weigh up to 775 kgs, measure about one and a half metres at the shoulder and carry massive, heavily bossed horns. Buffalos are exclusively grazers and spend more time feeding at night than during the day. This may be because they have a poor ability to regulate their body temperature and must therefore avoid too much activity during the heat of the day. As they \leed to drink regularly and are especially fond of wallowing, buffalos tend to stay close to water.

FIELD ESTIMATION OF AGING

(after Grimsdel~

I

You should be able to distinguish between the sexes and ages on the basis of horn shape and size and might see evidence of the dominance hierarchy found in males, by watching to see if certain animals have priority over others when feeding.

,34

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'I

I

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11 i

35

GURSI

Termite colonies can number up to three million inhabitants. They are divided into castes of queen, king, soldiers and workers, each with a specific function to perform and all interdependent The queen is the largest inhabitant and her huge abdomen may reach as long as 20 cms. The passages of the mound are too small for her to enter and she spends her life in a chamber laying eggs, as many as 10,000 per day, and being fed by the workers. The king is the only sexually active male. The soldiers which guard the entrances to the mounds, develop weapon-like jaws and cannot feed, relying on the workers to feed them.

This section of the Park contains the 'same vegetational zones as Kitibong, but has in addition a belt of Acacia-Commiphota woodland which runs parallel to the river. This area is dominated by 'black cotton'grassland near Haidedonga Hill.

'Black cotton' is a very heavy clay soil common in Africa which, when dry, cracks into gullies often two metres deep. Once the rains start the soil rapidly absorbs a large quantity of water, and in so doing expands and becomes very sticky. Roads which cross 'black cotton' soil are rough and dusty in the dry season and in wet weather often become impassable.

During the rains vast numbers of termites fly out from the mounds in the hopes of founding a new colony. These are eaten by many different animals including man and only those pairs that find shelter underground manage to get established.

During the rainy season large numbers of water birds will inhabit this temporary wetland. If the grass and reeds are burned soon after the end of the rainy season, the new flush of grass soon attracts many grazing animals.

These animals live underground in

burrows and feed on roots, bulbs, seeds and grubs. They are very sociable and live in colonies. The ground squirrel is a very wary creature seldom straying far from its hole and scuttling for cover at the slightest sound~

In parts of Tarangire Park you will see large sculptured earth mounds which are built by TERMITES. Termites are sometimes called 'white ants', but are in fact related to cockroaches. Termite mounds vary in shape and size depending on the soil types and local climatic conditions.

36

An attractive little creature seen in this area is the GROUND SQUIRREL, easily recognisable by its bushy tail and white lateral stripe. The tail is as long as the head and body and covered by long black and white hairs forming alternate ~ings.

AFRICAN HUNTING DOGS, although not common in the Park, may occasionally be seen in this area. They are mud and mustard coloured with black and white patches and large, round ears. They live in packs of 6-20 animals and have ranges up to 800 sq kms. They are efficient hunters but their kills may be gruesome to watch. Their hunting success rate falls off dramatically when the migratory prey disappears from their range.

Each pack has a dominant breeding pair and up to 16 pups may be born in one litter. The pups are kept in dens for about 12 weeks until they are old enough to follow the adults. Meanwhile members of the pack supply them with food. The pups beg for the food which is then regurgitated by the adults. Pup mortality is high as dens are often flooded during the rainy season.

37

LARMAKAU

The name Larmakau is a corruption of '01 Lakau' which means hippopotamus in the Maasai language. The black cotton grassland becomes a huge swamp or 'mbuga' in the rainy season and hippos are found here. Some years the mbuga does not dry out, in which case water birds and water-loving mammals remain based here throughout the year. Parts of the grassland are surrounded by the acacia woodlands where tree-climbing pythons are sometimes seen .

.• J~~

Because GIRAFFES feed almost exculsively on the tender leaves of acacia trees they are rarely seen outside the areas where these trees grow. The species of giraffe occurring in Tarangire is the Maasai giraffe, which has irregular roseate or star­ shaped markings which cover almost the entire body. Giraffes have individually distinct patterns - the neck is a good place to look at markings and recognise individuals. As giraffes do not compete for food with grazing animals, and feed at a greater height than most other browsers, they are able to share their habitat with a wide range of creatures.

For all its great length the gfraffe's neck has only seven vertebrae, the same as man. A male giraffe weighs about 500-800 kgs and stands about five metres tall: the female is about one metre shorter and correspondingly lighter. Males can be distinguished from females by their sturdier horns, which are not true horns but thickened bone. In the female the horns are more slender and often topped with a tuft of hair.

HIPPOPOTAMUSES are large animals (on average 2-3000 kgs). Their bodies can overheat easily and need to be cooled in water, which is why they spend most of the day submerged. They swim very well and dive for periods of about three minutes before coming up to breathe noisily.

If you watch giraffes walk you will notice that they have a characteristic gait which brings both limbs on the same side forward together. '

"

At night and occasionally on wet overcast days hippos leave the water to graze the vegetation, sometimes roaming a considerable distance from their pool. They can eat

, up to 60 kgs in a night and feed mainly on grass and sedges. Females give birth to a single calf either on land or in the water. The calf is suckled on land for the first few weeks, and then In the water. Mothers are very protective and teach their young to swim and wallow.

Amongst males there is a strong dominance hierarchy and it is fairly easy to observe the displacement of one male by another. Males frequently spar in a particular manner known as 'necking', They stand shoulder to shpulder and swing their heads at each other in such a way that their necks sometimes entwine. The impact can sometimes be very hard and heard as a thud.

38

As you watch hippos you will most likely hear them grunting and might see them spreading their dung with vigorous wagging movements of their short strong tails. It Is safe to watch the hippos from the bank as they bask in the water, but they should be avoided if found on land. Hippos are usually placid creatures but can become very aggressive if an intruder g'3ts between them and their pool.

One of the most graceful of East Africa's antelopes is the IMPAl..A. The impala has a rufous coat, dark above and blending into fawn below, with a black stripe bordenng the white rump patches. Only males have horns. Both sexes have scent glands . concealed in tufts of black wiry hair just above the heels. There are also sebaceous glands in the forehead with which adult male~ use to scenkmark bushes and trees. Impala stand about one metre at the shoulder and males weigh about 70 kgs and

Being browsers as well as grazers impalasare seldom far from cover They are constantly On the alert as they are a favourite food for many of the large predators, particularly leopards. Alarmed impalas seem to explode in all directions in great soaring bounds making it hard for a cat to single out a victim.

Impalas are seen either in breeding herds of females and younq often shepherded by a territorial male, or in all-male groups of from 10-50 animal •. The male groups are composed of immature males that have yet to gain a territory and prime males, that have lost one. If a male does not possess a territory he does not have the opportunity to breed. Bachelor herds are typically found close to the breeding herds and may even be allowed to graze with the females.

There is an interesting symbiotic relationship between impalas and f1at­ topped acacia trees. Toward& the end of the dry season, when other food is getting scarce; the ripe acacia pods fall and are eaten by the impalas. The pods are a good source of protein for the impalas and the seeds in the pods have their outer ~ softened as they pasS through the impala's' gut The seeds are then ready to germinate quickly when the rains come and are distributed over a large .area by the imp8Ja

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The·territorial-mate·canb~id~htifiool)ylifsherdiiig of females and freqiienfYlgoroua

chasing away of bachelors, while spectacularty puffing and roaring. In .this display the male dashes about with horns thrust forward and tail spread and raised to reveal the white 'flag', From time to time top-ranking bachelors challenge territorial males leading to serious fights. If the territory owner loses, he forfeits his place and he then becomes one of the bachelor males. The competition is so intense for the chance to monopolize herds of up to 100 females that few impala males manage to hold a territory for more than three months at a time.

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SPOTTED HY~NAS are rarely se,en in br~d dayli~ht in TCl[~i~,~i'~f1f!~~~:~~~~~J!i!j~~ '·very'common In--thePark Atmght theIr whooping cry eansoAAetlrne-§ ~ neara.

~yena~ hCiye the reputation of beingscav~ng~ bLl~ th~y ft,:sgUE!!Jt1y /:l4m ~'l~~,ktlUtwjr . own food;ari'd"ifis'not uncommon for lions to steal their kills. When a pack of hyenas has pulled down a zebra or wildebeest it is only a matter" of minutes before all evidence of their meal has disappeared.

NGUSELOROROBI

The name of this southern section of the Park means 'cold plains' in the'Maasal language. This area is mainly 'mbuga' or swamp country with some open plains and some wooded areas.

Although cheetahs can be found throughout those parts of Taranglre which are not too heavily wooded, they are most likely to be seen on the plains. The cheetah, which is sometimes mistaken for a leopard, is a lighter built animal and has dark 'tear marks' which almost join the corners of the eyes to the mouth. Each cheetah has its own individual pattern of spots on its face, chest and banding on the tail. Other smaller members of the tat family which occur in the Park are caracals, servals and wild cats.

Hyenas have a bear-like appearance with a very sloping back, short broad muzzle and round ears. They live in clans varying in size from 10 to 100 animals, and occupy a recognised territory. The sexes are very difficult to tell apart but females ca.n be distingui~hed by their larger size and the presence of nipples.

The striped hyena is also found in the Park and is a smaller and lighter animal. It can be recognised by the pointea, upright earS, shaggy mane, bushy tail and black vertical stripes on the grey ,body.

Female cheetah are always solitary, when not raising cubs,! but males sometimes form groups of two or three. There is no marked birth season and up to six cubs are born in a secluded nest site. At six weeks old they start to accompany their mother and remain with her until 15 months old. During this time young cheetah rely on their mother for food while they develop hunting skills.

Cheetahs are specialised predators relying on a concealed approach to prey, followed by a short swift chase. Although chases can reach 100 kph they cannot be sustained beyond 300 metres because cheetahs over-heat quickly. Cheetahs rely primarily on eyesight and do not hunt at night Unlike lions they do not hunt cooperatively, and they lose many kills to these larger predators as well as to spotted' hyenas.

1f you see a large 6ird with greyish­ brown plumage it is probably a KO RI Bl::.ISTARD. The male bird, which at 12 kgs weighs considera'Oly more than the femi'lle, is the heaviest bird cl" the world which can fly. However it is mainly seen on the ground. During the breeding season the male has a spectacular display in which the white plumage around the neck and tail are raised as the male calls.

Bustards live on small reptiles and m~mmals, seeds and insects, particularly locusts. Senegal, crested and black-bellied bustards are also present hi Tarangire .

42

43

MKUNGUNERO

In the extreme south-east corner of the Park there are several pools of fresh water which form ou;tS In otherwise dry country. These pools attract a wide variety of

\.

The thick-set antelope with a brownish-grey coet and a white ring around the rump is the COMMON WATERBUCK As their name implies waterbucks usually live near

. watercourses and will take to water when pursued. Only the males are homed. They are territorial, but waterbuck are unusual in that several adult, subadult and juvenile males may be found mixed with t.g/'ds of females and young. The territorial bull will tolerate them as long as they behQve submissively, approaching him with head and tail extended while licking the air. Females perform the same submissive display.

A very small antelope, which will be seen either singly or in pairs, is KIRK'S DIKDIK They weigh about 4 kgs and the female is slightly bigger than the male. In colour they are drab grey and they have very large, luminous eyes and proboscis-like noses. Only the male is homoo. Uke the hyrax, they have the habit of depositing their droppings in, a selected spot, where large quantities will accum~late. These serve as territorial markel'S.

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The water holeSt-are the feeding ground or the SADDLE-BILL STORK This is a distinguished looking bird with blarl( head, neck,' wing coverts and tail, wl •.. e ibodyand bright red bill banded in black with a yellow 'saddle'. Saddle-bills are to be seen either alone or in pairs, feeding on fish, frogs and small mammals. They move with a slow' deliberate gait, but strike quickly if they see suitable prey.

Also a frog-eater and found in the. same damp environment is the hamerkop or hammer-headed stork. This brown bird, with dark bill and feet, is easily recognised by its odd hammer-shaped head. Many legends surround these birds and it J&" considered unlucky to kill one.

In the Same marshy RAbitat you may be lucky enough to see a MONITOR UZARD . Theee hyge reptiles, often 2 m if1 length are very cryptic against the background gral8el end r.8, as their yellow and green markings blend in well with their surroundings. Monitor li18rdsfeed on eggs and fledglings of ground nesting birds, frogs, fiSh and carrion.

A small camivorelikeJy to be seen in this area is the black-backed jackal. This dog-llke6nlmal has a silver-streaked black saddle and yellowish-rust cotoured flanks and legs. Apart from feeding on the kills of larger predators and gazelle fawns, jackals eat variety of small creatures including scarab grubs which they extract from the enclosing ball of dung. Jackals have a YeIY Interesting social system as they are one of the few lRUtM8lian species in which ~ Male and female mate for life.

45

',Fi.our species of mongooses have 'been recorded in the Park. The marsh mongoose is

vMy rare and the three most likely to be seen are the dwarf, banded a~d slender or

b1ack-~pped. BANDED MONGOOSES are stocky little animals with a wiry coat marked by, dark transverse bands. They live in groups of up to 30 individuals and can often be seen following one another very closely as they mOlle Iik~ a huge snak~ winding through the bush. They sometimes follow the trails of elepha~ts and buffalos and eat the dung beetles and millipedes which they find in the piles of droppings.

\.(

The pack can roam a large area looking for food and keep in contact with eactl other by continual twittering. Within a pack's territory there are usu.allyseverai'dens between which they wander. Young are kept in the den until th~y are old enough to forage and it is believed that they may be suckled by different females.

Although it is on the western limit of their range, GERENUKS are sometimes seen in "this part of Tarangireo This elegant, brown antelope is easily recognised by its long neck and legs and white underparts. Gerenuks are browsers and are often seen standing up on their hind legs, with long necks outstretched, feeding on tender 1eaves and shoots of a bush. Gerenuks typically live in dry country and seldom drink, getting most of the water , they require from food. They live 'either in small family parties of one adult male with several females and young, or in pairS. The males have heavily ridged horns which curve backwards. Females have no horns and a dark patch on the crown.

46

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THe OSTRICH is fh.f wol1d's largest bird and the only fli~htless p.ird native to Africa. MaleS are conspicuously black and white with naked necks and thighs which tum bright pink during courtship. The breeding season extends from around August to December. Single male~ defend large territories. court females whO enter, singly or in small groups" and guide them to a nesting

~ hollow, where several different hens may lay up to 30 eggs. at the rate of OlJe every other day. This is too many eggs for one ostrich to cover and the extras are left around the nest and fail to develop.

In~ubatiori is divided into day and night shifts, the black male by night the fe(nale by day when her neutral colour makes her harder to see. The female who incubates the nest is I<nown as the 'major' hen and is the first to lay an egg in the nest scrape. The young that hatch in December or Ja~uai)' tend to

• band together and adult pairs may crechE: their young together making flocks

okiches are very fast runners and are able to maintain their pace for a cdnsiderable time. This. together wit.h the fact that thi4~ have the ability to s~ervEl sharply, sometimes enables ti"'.em to outwit predators such as lions, wflich are very fond ot'their flesh.

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PARK MANAGEMENT

'14

: The policy of the mangement of parks in East Africa is'lg. try and presetVe natural ecosystems and to avoid interfering with the animals and plants within the ecosystem. Park management is concerned with the three main influences of man on wildlife: poaching, fire and tourism, and conversely, with the, effects of wildlife activities on communities living close to the Park, such as crop raiding and destructi<;>n of livestock by predators. It is also increasingly concerned with land use practices In the

POACHING

Park authorities organise anti-poaching patrols. There are two types of poacher in

Tarangire, those who poach for meat, and trophy hunters who kill elephants and rhinos. With such a large area to cover, the Anti-Poaching Units at Tarangire SPPM many hours tracking and trying to apprehend poachers. Unfortunately trophy f'lullting for ivory and rhino horn has greatly increased recently, as world marKets continue to demand these items.

YOU CAN HELP THE PARKS IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST IVORY POACHERS BY NOT CONTRIBUTING TO THE TRADE BY BUYING IVORY GOODS.

If you do see any poachers in the Park please give any information to the nearest ranger post as soon as possible.

BURNING

Visitors are often perturbed by the signt of numerous grass fires, which spread through Tarangire and surrounding areas during the dry season. Within the Park they are usually started by poachers attempting to hide their tracks. Fires started outside the Park by the Maasai to produce new grass shoots for their cattle may accidentally spread into the Park.

The fires often damage new trees and hence prevent woodlands from beComing established and cause management problems to the Park authorities, who try to mlnlmize'their effectOne:method of 'prevention' is to carry out early burning at the end of the wet season when there is still some moistUre in the vegetation. Controlled burning of the grass p1alns'-at this time does not harm the bush and young trees. A 'flush'bf young grass shoots appears for the grazing animals and large fires are "'prevented from becOming eStablished later in the year.

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TOURISM

Tourism is an integral part of partt management Facilities for tourists, such as' roads and accommodation, have to be provided and maintained. Roads are planned to give visitors an opportunity to see as much of the wildlife as possible without damaging .~e fragile ~~tation: Campsites are.chosen for their scenic location and equipped with facilities. A network of support services has also been established. Pari( interpretatfOn programmes have beer! developed to increase understanding about

LAND MANAGEMENT IN SURROUNDING AREAS

Increasingly it is being recognised that the future of many national L'8rks is dependlent on the treatment and development of areas surrounding the parks, Aroul\o Tarangir& there is evidence that the traditional wet! dry season migration patterns are seriously threatened by the increasing human population in certaj" areas, and large scale ranching and farming schemes. Tarangire is in real daflger of becoming an 'island' park with only its resident wildlife species surviving. It conservation policies are to remain justifiable in a country cQmmitteQ, to national development, they must address issues relating to human needs and lal'ld use polic.)I; A. pOSSible solution for Tarangire­ would be the creation of a multiple land-use scheme in the Lolkisale-Simanjiro area,

. meeting the needs of both the Maasai pastoralists and wildlife. Tanzania National Parks are working towards developing such solutioll$.

49

;',;\y;.

INDEX

A

Acacia, umbrella 22 Animal population 9 Ant-bear 19· • -

Apple, sodom 23 Area of Park 4

G

Gazelle,Grant's 18 Gazelle: IhomSon's 18 Genet 19

Gerenuk 46

Giraffe 38

Gnu, *hite-bearded 14 Gursi 12,36

B

Baboon 22

Baobab 14

l3irds. game 32

Black cotton soil 36 Bridge, Engelharct 33'" Buffalo 34

Burungl, Lake 11, 30, 33 Bushbuck 33

Bustard, Kori 43

H

Hartebeest, Coke's 18

I Hippo 39

Hornbill, ground 35' Hyena,spotted 42 Hyena, striped 43 Hyrax 24

C

Candelabra tree 30 CheckIIata 51, 52 Cheetah 42

Civet 19

I

Impala 40 Information, tourist. 50 Introduction 3

o

Dikdik 44 .~

•

Dogs. hunting 37

J

Jackal, black-backed 45

K

Kitioong Hill 11, 34 Klipspringer 24 Kongoni 18

Kudu, greater 12 Kudu, lesser 32

'I

Eagle, bateleur 24 Eagle, martial 1 Ecosystem 4 Eland 33 Elephant 20

L

Lake Burungi Circuit 30 Lannakau 12, 39 Lemiyon 10, 14 Leopard 31

Lion 26

. Lizard, monitor 45

F

Fire, bu$h 48 Flight distance 17 Food chain 17 Fox, bat-eared 25

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M

Maps. 16, 28, 29 Matete 10, 22 Mkungunero 13,44 Mongooses 46 Monkey, vervet . 23

S

Squirrel, grQund 36

Stork, hammer-headed 45 Stork, saddle-bill 45

Swift, palm 32

N

Nguselororobi 13, 42

T

Tarangire River 4 Termites 36

Toothbrush bush 14 Tourist facilities SO " Tourist infonnatlon SO" Tsetse flies 6

o

Oryx 25 Ostrich 47

p

Palm, doum 32 Pangolin, ground 19 Park, management 48 Park, national 4

Park, regulation~ 2 Populations, animal 49 Porcupine 19 Publications, other 51

W

Watching' animals 8 Warthog 35 Waterbuck 44 Wildebeest 14 Wildlife movements 5

Z

Zebra, Burchell's 15 Zones, vegetational 5

R

Reedbuck, Bohor 24 Rhino 30

Roan antelope 12

~

Several of the illustrations in this guide book have been reproduced from 'The Marsh Lions' by Brian Jackman and Jonathan Scott (Elm.Tree Books 1982) and 'The Leopard's Tale' by Jonathan SC.ott (Elm Tree Books 1985) by kind permission of the artist

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