Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara national park is an impressive national park situated at the base of the Great Rift Valley in and located in a distance of 126 kilometers southwest of Arusha, the park lies in the Tanzania northern safari circuit along the route leading to Ngorongoro conservation area and Serengeti national park. Lake Manyara national park borders Marang forest reserve in the south, Kwa Kuchinja wildlife migration corridor in the east and the rocky escarpment of the rift valley wall rising steeply to 1,219 – 1,829 in the western.
Lake Manyara national park covering an area of 330 square kilometers is part of the extremely large Lake Manyara Biosphere Reserve, two thirds of this park is occupied by the scenic Lake Manyara. Lake Manyara is a shallow alkaline lake formed as a result the rift valley process, Lake Manyara covers an area of 470 square kilometers with a maximum depth of 10ft and lies at the altitude of 960 meters above the sea level. Lake Manyara is attracts a huge population of animals and birds such as flocks of flamingoes and it is one of the best sites to visit while Lake Manyara national park for excellent sightings of animals and birds.
Wildlife & Birds Species
Lake Manyara national park is famous for flocks of thousands of flamingoes found along the edge of lake Manyara mostly in the wet season, other highlights of Lake Manyara national park are the tree climbing lions seen relaxing on branches of acacia trees, one of the highest concentration of elephants in Africa and the largest baboon troops ever documented. Lake Manyara national park is a habitat to diversity of animal species habiting in acacia woodlands and woodlands dominating the park, animals in the park include elephants, giraffes, leopards, impalas, banded mongoose, Kirk’s dik-dik, Bohor Reedbucks, wildebeests, hippos, Thomson’s gazelles, grant’s gazelles, warthogs, African wild cat, bat-eared foxes, black-backed jackals, honey badgers, African civet, genet species, servals, spotted hyenas, cheetahs, African golden cats and many more.
Lake Manyara national park is a recognized bird habitat in Tanzania with over 390 species of birds, the trademark bird species is flocks of flamingoes crowding the edge of Lake Manyara most especially in wet season. Bird species in Lake Manyara national park include Marabou stork, grey heron, egrets, palm nut vultures, Ayre’s hawk-eagle, black faced sand grouse, stalks, yellow-billed stork, Marabou stork, spoon bills, stilts herons, crowned eagles, Narina trogon, Emerald cuckoo, ground-dwelling crested guinea fowl, slivery cheeked hornbills, Schalow’s turaco and many more. Birds in Lake Manyara national park are found on the margins and floodplains of Lake Manyara, groundwater forest north of Lake Manyara, acacia and savannah vegetation.
