View source for Maasai Mara

== Geography ==
[[Maasai Mara]], officially known as Maasai Mara National Reserve, is a large game reserve in [[Narok County]], [[Kenya]], contiguous with the [[Serengeti National Park]] in [[Mara Region]], [[Tanzania]]. Named in honor of the [[Maasai people]], the ancestral inhabitants of the area, and their description of the area when looked at from afar: "Mara" means "spotted" in the local Maasai language, due to the many trees which dot the landscape.

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The reserve is located in the Great Rift Valley in primarily open grassland. Wildlife tends to be most concentrated on the reserve’s western escarpment. The Maasai Mara is considered the jewel of Kenya's wildlife viewing areas, with over 95 species of mammals and over 570 recorded species of birds.

== Climate ==
The climate of Maasai Mara is mainly equatorial, with higher altitudes experiencing cooler temperatures than the lower regions. The reserve experiences two rainy seasons, the long rains from March to May and the short rains from November to December. The dry season from June to October is considered the best time for wildlife viewing.

== Flora and Fauna ==
The Maasai Mara is renowned for its spectacular wildlife, including the [[Big Five]] - lion, leopard, African elephant, African buffalo, and Black Rhinoceros. The reserve is also home to numerous other species, including cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, impalas, wildebeests, topis, baboons, warthogs, buffalo, zebras, elephants, and crocodiles.

The reserve is also known for its exceptional population of [[Masai lions]], [[African leopards]] and [[African cheetahs]]. It also hosts the Great Migration, which is one of the most impressive natural events worldwide, involving some 1,300,000 wildebeest, 500,000 Thomson's gazelles, 97,000 Topi, 18,000 elands, and 200,000 zebras. These animals migrate from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the greener pastures of the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya during July through to October.

The reserve is also home to a diverse range of bird species, with over 470 species recorded, including vultures, marabou storks, secretary birds, hornbills, crowned cranes, ostriches, long-crested eagles, African pygmy-falcons and the lilac-breasted roller, which is the national bird of Kenya.

== Conservation Efforts ==
Conservation efforts in the Maasai Mara are a balance between managing the natural ecosystem and addressing the needs and rights of the local Maasai people. The reserve is managed by the Narok County Government, but several non-profit organizations are active in the area to prevent poaching and to build sustainable systems for wildlife management.

== Tourism ==
Tourism is a significant part of the Maasai Mara experience. The reserve offers a wide range of accommodation options, from luxury lodges to budget camping sites. Game drives, hot air balloon rides, and cultural visits to Maasai villages are popular activities for visitors.

== See Also ==
* [[Ngorongoro Conservation Area]]
* [[Amboseli National Park]]
* [[Tsavo East National Park]]

[[Category:Protected areas of Kenya]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Kenya]]
[[Category:Maasai]]