Tarangire Ecosystem

rdf:langString Tarangire Ecosystem

rdf:langString The Tarangire Ecosystem (/ˌtɑːrɑːnˈɡɪreɪ/) is a geographical region in Africa. It is located in northern Tanzania and extends between 2.5 and 5.5 degrees south latitudes and between 35.5 and 37 degrees east longitudes. The Tarangire Ecosystem hosts the second-largest population of migratory ungulates in East Africa and the largest population of elephants in northern Tanzania. The Tarangire Ecosystem is defined by watershed boundaries of the Lake Manyara Basin and the Engaruka Basin, and the long distance migratory movements of eastern white-bearded wildebeest and plains zebra. It includes the dry season wildlife concentration area near the Tarangire River in Tarangire National Park, and the wet-season dispersal and calving grounds to the north in the Northern Plains and to the east in Simanjiro Plains, spanning in total approximately 20,500 km2 (7,900 sq mi). Migratory animals must have access to both the dry-season water source in the park, and the nutrient-rich forage available only on the calving grounds outside the park to successfully raise their calves and maintain their high abundance. The Tarangire Ecosystem is also known as the Masai Steppe, or the Tarangire-Manyara Ecosystem. Tarangire has approximately 500 species of birds, and more than 60 species of larger mammal.