Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

national conservation area in the Arusha region of northern Tanzania, southeast of Serengeti National Park. Occupying some 3,200 square miles (8,300 square km), it extends over part of the Eastern (Great) Rift Valley (East African Rift System) of eastern Africa and contains a variety of habitats and landscapes, including grassland plains, savanna woodlands, forests, mountains, volcanic craters, lakes, rivers, and swampland. Ngorongoro Crater, one of the world's largest unbroken calderas (caldera), is the most prominent feature of the park. Also located there are the major archaeological sites of Olduvai Gorge and Laetolil (Laetoli), within which were found hominid remains dating from 2.1 and 3.6 million years ago, respectively.

      The area's main volcanic formations, including Ngorongoro Crater and the volcanoes Olmoti and Empakaai, formed from 20 million to 2 million years ago. Empakaai Crater is noted for the deep soda lake that occupies nearly half of its caldera floor.

      Ngorongoro Conservation Area is host to the largest ungulate herds in the world, including gnu (wildebeests), plains zebras, and Thomson's and Grant's gazelles. Predatory animals include lions, spotted hyenas, leopards, and cheetahs. The endangered black rhinoceros and African hunting dog can also be found there. Notable among more than 400 species of birds in the area are flamingos, silverycheeked hornbills, superb starlings, and bronze and tacazze sunbirds.

 In 1951 the area was included as part of the original Serengeti National Park, but in 1959 it was separately designated the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List (World Heritage site) in 1979. Although cultivation is not permitted within the area, some 25,000 to 40,000 Masai (Maasai) are allowed to graze their livestock there. Issues of concern during the latter part of the 20th century were the damage to the ecosystem caused by overgrazing and tourism vehicles and the diminishing of black rhinoceros, leopard, and elephant populations because of poaching.
 

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ngorongoro Conservation Area — Ngorongoro redirects here. For the district, see Ngorongoro District. Ngorongoro Conservation Area IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area) …   Wikipedia

  • Ngorongoro Conservation Area — Topografie der Region. Ngorongoro in der Bildmitte. Ngorongoro im Norden Tansanias. Ngorongoro ist ein riesiger Einbruchkrater in …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Conservation refugee — Conservation Refugees are people, usually indigenous, who are displaced from their native lands when conservation areas are created, such as parks and other protected areas.[1] Contents 1 Definition 1.1 Role of ENGOS 1.2 Preserving habitats or …   Wikipedia

  • Ngorongoro (Tanzanian ward) — Ngorongoro is an administrative ward in the Ngorongoro District of the Arusha Region of Tanzania. According to the 2002 census, the ward has a total population of 9,807.[1] References ^ 2002 Population and Housing Census General Report (in en).… …   Wikipedia

  • Ngorongoro District — Arusha Region s Districts Ngorongoro District is one of the five districts of the Arusha Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the north by Kenya, to the east by the Monduli District, to the south by the Karatu District and to the west by the… …   Wikipedia

  • Ngorongoro-Krater — Topografie der Region. Ngorongoro in der Bildmitte. Ngorongoro im Norden Tansanias. Ngorongoro ist ein riesiger Einbruchkrater in …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ngorongoro-Nationalpark — Topografie der Region. Ngorongoro in der Bildmitte. Ngorongoro im Norden Tansanias. Ngorongoro ist ein riesiger Einbruchkrater in …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ngorongoro — Topografie der Region, Ngorongoro in der Bildmitte …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ngorongoro Crater — ▪ volcanic crater, Tanzania extinct volcanic caldera in the Eastern (Great) Rift Valley (East African Rift System), northern Tanzania. It lies 75 miles (120 km) west of the town of Arusha. The caldera measures between 10 and 12 miles (16 and 19… …   Universalium

  • Aire de conservation du Ngorongoro — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Ngorongoro. Aire de conservation du Ngorongoro Le cratère du Ngorongoro Ca …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”