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LAKE MANYARA
Lake Manyara is a lake located in Monduli District of Arusha Region, Tanzania and is the seventh-largest lake of Tanzania by surface area, at 470-square-kilometre (180 sq mi).[1] It is a shallow, alkaline lake in the Natron-Manyara-Balangida branch of the East African Rift.[2] The northwest quadrant of the lake (about 200 sq, km.) [3] is included within Lake Manyara National Park and it is part of the Lake Manyara Biosphere Reserve, established in 1981 by UNESCO as part of its Man and the Biosphere Programme.[4]
Manyara
A Bird Watcher's Paradise
Lake Manyara is a beautiful little park which is famous for its tree-climbing lions, elephants and large troops of baboons. The park is home to an amazing variety of birds and animals considering its small size. A short visit to this serene park will greatly diversify your safari experience as the lush green jungle habitat is of stark contrast to the other parks you will visit during your safari. Although Lake Manyara National Park has more than 300 species of birds which the park is famous for, Lake Manyara National Park has a wide and diverse variety of animals too, including the Big Five!
Manyara's Diverse Fauna
THE GREATER FLAMINGO
With an estimated 1.9 million of these pink beauties, Lake Manyara’s soda lake always looks blissful. The wet (green) season is the best time to spot these water birds as the water levels are high during those times.Â
THE GREY CROWNED-CRANE
This aggressive bird is The National Bird of Uganda but can be seen around Africa. Being around 1 m tall, the Grey Crowned-Crane has a wingspan of 2 m. You can spot these in grasslands, rivers and also near lakes.Â
THE TAWNY EAGLE
Like all eagles, The Tawny Eagles also has legs that are heavily feathered and can weigh up to 3 kilograms. The Tawny Eagle can be found near drier areas when not breeding.Â
THE MAASAI GIRAFFE
In Tanzania, The Maasai Giraffe is the popular and native one. You can spot these 17 feet tall creatures in most of Tanzania’s National Parks. It is also called The Kilimanjaro Giraffe and it is spotted by the irregular spots around it’s body.Â
THE GRANT ZEBRA
Since the 1960s, Tanzania has been blessed with the presence of zebras. Every year, loads of zebras commence their journey from Tanzania to Kenya and that is the Great Migration.Â
THE AFRICAN BUSH ELEPHANT
The elephant is the world’s largest animal. Elephants are peaceful when left alone and did you know that to smell and place food in their mouths, they use their trunks!
THE SEMIAQUATIC HIPPOPOTAMUS
With an estimated 30,000 hippos in Tanzania, these huge water animals spend most of their time in water bodies to keep their enormous bodies cool. The numerous waterholes in Lake Manyara National Park can guarantee you to spot these large creatures!
