Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Crater
Tanzania
Approximately 25,000 large animals, mostly ungulates, live in the crater.
Large mammals in the crater include the endangered black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis ), the local population of which declined from about 108 in 1964-66 to between 11-14 in 1995, African Elephants, the African buffalo or Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer), and the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius).There also are many other ungulates: the blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) (7,000 estimated in 1994), Grant's zebra (Equus quagga boehmi) (4,000), the common eland (Taurotragus oryx), and Grant's(Nanger granti) and Thomson's gazelles(Eudorcas thomsonii) (3,000),Waterbucks(Kobus ellipsiprymnus)
facts
1) It’s One of the Largest Unbroken Calderas on the Planet (That’s Not a Lake).
A caldera is a “cauldron-like” depression created when a volcano emits large amounts of magma in a short amount of time, and the volcano caves in like a sinkhole. There are only a handful of calderas around the globe, but the Ngorongoro is special because it’s the world’s largest fully intact caldera that hasn’t yet turned into a lake.
2) Over 25,000 Wild Creatures in the Caldera (Gulp.)
Drumroll please…7,000 wildebeest, 4,000 zebras, 3,000 eland, 3,000 gazelles, 600 hyena, 200-300 elephants, over 60 lions, 30 rhinos, and many others. In all, over 25,000 wild creatures call the Ngorongoro Crater home. That is a whole lot of wild.
3) More Prides Per Capita (PPC) than Anywhere on Earth.
This single caldera contains 55-65 permanent lion residents on the crater floor, one of the highest densities of lion prides on Earth. Whoa. We like to say that the PPC (Prides Per Capita) is about as high as it gets here in the Ngorongoro.
4) Your Best Chance to Spot a Black Rhino (And Complete your Big 5!)
Seeing a black rhino for the first time kind of feels like you’re traveling through Jurassic Park. With two large horns and a hooked upper lip, these creatures look as if they’re from a different epoch. Rhinos were brought to the brink of extinction but now their populations, due to conservation efforts, have bounced back to over 5,000 worldwide, 30 of which live in Ngorongoro Crater. This will be the best place to complete your Big 5 list
5) Our Earliest Human Ancestors Lived Here.
Within the greater Ngorongoro Conservation Area exists the Oldupai Gorge, a steep ravine in the Great Rift Valley where paleoanthropologists Louis and Mark Leakey famously discovered traces of homo habilis, our first known human species, reaching back 2 million years. Two million years? Mind blown.
6) The Birding is Crazy Good.
For friends of the winged ones, look no further. Within this caldera you will find 500 bird species. Ostriches, flamingos, kori bustards, secretary bird…you name it. Visit from November to April and witness the myriad migratory birds that take up residence here.
7) Best Time to Visit? May to October.
Anytime is a great time to catch wildlife in the Ngorongoro Crater, but from May to October it’s drier and grasses aren’t as abundant, so wildlife tend to come closer together. Overall,
8) You Can Sleep on the Caldera Rim
If the primary attraction to Tanzania is wildlife, the second might just be its unbelievable accommodations throughout the country.luxury lodges and campsite are available on the crater rim
9) A Million Wildebeest Might Pass Through (Literally).
The Great Wildebeest Migration (the largest migration of ungulates on the planet passes right through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, more specifically Lake Ndutu, from December to March. With over 2 million wildebeest, zebra, and gazelles, this monster migration is a sight to behold. Don’t miss it.
10) It’s One of Africa’s Seven Natural Wonders
The African continent includes a lot of pretty incredible natural wonders: The Nile River. The Sahara. The Okavango Delta. So, to make it on the list of seven natural wonders of Africa is a huge deal, and for good reason.
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