Photographer’s Note
the mornings the great savana of the Masai Mara are special moments, this part of the world looks like a Paradise
From Wikipedia:
The Masai Mara is a large park reserve in south-western Kenya, which is effectively the northern continuation of the Serengeti National Park game reserve in Tanzania. Named for the Maasai people (the traditional inhabitants of the area) and the Mara River, which divides it, it is famous for its exceptional population of game and the annual migration of zebra and the wildebeest from the Serengeti every year from July to October, a migration so immense it is called the Great Migration. Its twenty or more lion prides are an attraction.
With an area of 1510 km² the Masai Mara is not the largest game park in Kenya, but it is probably the most famous. The entire area of the park is nestled within the enormous Great Rift Valley that extends from the Mediterranean Sea to South Africa. It is at the bottom of the Siria Escarpment. The terrain of the reserve is primarily open grassland, with seasonal riverlets. In the south-east region are clumps of the distinctive acacia tree. The western border is the Esoit Oloololo Escarpment of the Rift Valley, and wildlife tends to be most concentrated here, as the swampy ground means that access to water is always good and tourist disruption is minimal. The easternmost border is 224 km from Nairobi, and hence it is the eastern regions which are most visited by tourists.
The Masai Mara is perhaps most famous for its lions. All other members of the "Big Five" are to be found in the Masai Mara, although the population of black rhinoceros is severely threatened, with a population of only 37 recorded in 2000. Hippopotami are found in large groups in the Masai Mara and Talek Rivers. Cheetah are also to be found, although their numbers are also threatened, chiefly due to tourist disruption of their day-time hunting. As mentioned above, the plains between the Mara river and the Esoit Oloololo Escarpment are probably the best area for game viewing, in particular regarding lion and cheetah.
As in the Serengeti, the wildebeest are the dominant inhabitant of the Masai Mara, and their numbers are estimated in the millions. Around July of each year these ungainly animals migrate in a vast ensemble north from the Serengeti plains in search of fresh pasture, and return to the south around October. The Great Migration is one of the most impressive natural events worldwide, involving an immensity of herbivores some 1,300,000 Wildebeest, 360,000 Thomson's Gazelle, and 191,000 Zebra. These numerous migrants are followed along their annual, circular route by a block of hungry predators, most notably lions and hyena.
Numerous other antelope can be found, including Thomson's and Grant's gazelle, impala, topi and Coke's hartebeest. Large herds of zebra are found through the reserve. The plains are also home to the distinctive Masai Giraffe as well as the common giraffe. The large Roan antelope and the nocturnal bat-eared fox, rarely present elsewhere in Kenya, can be seen within the reserve borders. The Masai Mara is a major research centre for the spotted hyena. Additionally, over 450 species of birdlife have been identified in the park, including vultures, marabou stork, secretary bird, hornbill, crowned crane, ostrich, long-crested Eagle, and african pygmy-falcon.
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cobra112
(11506) 2009-03-15 13:20
Ciao Franco. Così i leoni ti hanno rispamiato. E io che speravo nel tuo lascito ereditario...(sai dicosa parlo). Un'immagine di struggente naturale bellezza dove la famosa e inarrivabile luce africana è padrina della scena.
Roberto
lousat
(15302) 2009-03-15 13:33
Certo che ta la sciali di continuo eh? Hai scelto un posto che ho visitato 2 volte e resta sempre nel mio cuore,io ho toppato facendo una gelida settimana in Marocco..eheh..forse questa foto dice un po' poco in confronto alle potenzialita' che questo luogo offre....avresti dovuto svegliarti un'oretta prima..eheheh...buona settimana,vedremo le prossime! Luciano.
kiks
(6065) 2009-03-15 13:46
I liek the misterious mood of this image. The color tonalities are lovely.
Best regadrs
KIKS
amcolli
(569) 2009-03-16 10:27
grande senso del mistero. qunati misteri nelle vite di tutti noi... questo sembra proprio un grande sogn... come quello ch esto vivendo io
un abbraccio
anna
papera
(5302) 2009-03-16 13:30
ciao franco,
pero' che salto culturale e paesaggistico - dall'Asia all'Africa...
io dell'Africa conosco solo il Marocco e il Sudafrica, e del Sudafrica mi ricordo la luce veramente accecante, indescrivibile nel suo biancore assoluto. questo cielo me la ricorda molto. si creano illusioni ottiche nel tentativo di mettere a fuoco forme e movimenti, e ci si chiede se esiste davvero quello che si crede di vedere.
non so se il Paradiso fosse davvero cosi - ad ogni modo se anche fosse solo una meraviglia terrena, hai saputo cogliere bene l'atmosfera che la pervade.
c.
Photo Information
-
Copyright: Franco Degani (degani)
(2876) - Genre: Places
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2009-03-11
- Categories: Daily Life, Nature
- Camera: Nikon D-80
- Exposure: f/9.0, 1/320 seconds
- More Photo Info: view
- Photo Version: Original Version
- Date Submitted: 2009-03-15 12:58








