Dry Season: In September and October
the dry season is at its peak, and this provides some of the best game viewing
to be had anywhere in Africa, the baobabs are bare, the grass has dried out and
dust devils whirl across the plains.The only source of water in the ecosystem
is the stangant pools and seeps to be found in the Tarangire River and it
tributaries outside the park, and the remnants of the Silale swamp, all mainly
in the north of the ecosystem. During the heat of the day, the river is packed
with massive herds of elephants, zebras and wildebeest. Unlike traditional
safari thinking, it is best to spend the middle of the day game viewing. During
the evening and nights, most of the wildlife are to be found on the ridges and
hills, away from the river itself. This is purely for self preservation, as it
is much harder to see the lions and other predators, and too easy to be
ambushed on the rivers banks.So whilst many operators are returning to the
lodges or camps for lunches, I found Tarangire to be exciting when the herd of
elephants, zebras and wildebeest all head down to the river mid morning and
spend most of the day along the river banks. This is also the best chance to
see lions and cheetahs as they are also more active at this time, and many lion
kills in Tarangire tend to occur near water sources.
Tarangire is also one of the best
locations for birding in East Africa,over 500 species have been recorded there,
including some endemics, and with the opportunity for walking safaris and night
drives in the Conservation Area, their is always extra opportunities to add to
that list. Between October and March a lot of migrants visit the ecosystem,
making it very special indeed for birding enthusiasts.
The main attraction in Tarangire is
of course the elephants, over 3000 of them, and the only place in Tanzania
where you will see so many young of all ages, who even during the long rains
never
wander far from the park. The
matriachs and calves tend to stay within the confines of the park and the
conservation area, drinking from the river during the day or from the shallow
seeps in the sand river beds, and grazing far at night, north along the Lemiyon
plains towards the Makuyuni river and east towards Gosuwa swamp in the
Conservation area.
Short Rains: At the end of October
or early November, the short rains occur in the Tarangire ecosystem, of a
yearly average of about 650mm of rainfall, about 10% falls in September,
October and Novemeber, usually in one or two large heavy rainstorms, lasting a
few hours, and creating havoc with the roads for an hour or so. The baobabs
start to show green shoots and the hills and ridges take on a green tinge from
all the grasses and bushes. It is at this time that the wildebeest and zebra
move out of the park through the Conservation Area and out onto the Maasai
steppes. The Zebras not usually leaving the park or conservation area entirely,
but wildebeest moving 30 to 40 kms away to graze on forage to be found in the
Lolkisale and Simanjaro plains as the phosphate content of the soil, and hence
the forage, is significantly higher than that found in the National Park. This
has specific physiological ramifications for wildlfie, especially lactating
mothers. Lets not forget also the wildebeest in Tarangire are probably a
seperate sub species and different to those found west of the rift valley in
Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
Elephants are still the main
attraction, large resident herds are still found in the park and conservation
area, some of the older bulls moving further a field into village lands. Some
of the cats, such as lions and cheetahs also move out into the conservation
area.
In December, Janurary and Feburary
about 250mm of rainfall occurs, still in only a handful of main incidences. The
grass is still short, and everywhere is green, elephants are found in mainly
small families groups. Wildebeest are rarely seen but Zebras and other wildlife
especially giraffe and Impala are found everywhere. It is also during this
period of short rains that the packs of hunting dogs move through the area,
mainly seen on the eastern side of the park and heading north and towards the
Manyara and Natron area.
Buffaloes are also found in large
numbers on the ridges and slopes leading down towards the swamps.
It is also at this time that the
herds of oryx and eland move in from outside the ecosystem, from the dry Maasai
steppes and are found in the plains around lemiyon in the North and in the
Conservation area, very skittish from being hunted for the last 6 months of the
year, but easliy spotted on the plains.
In mid to late March and early April
the long rains occur, mainly steady rainfall for hours on end, over a few days,
then clearing before starting again. game viewing can be difficult on some days
because of the muddy roads and black cotton soil plains. Elephants are
everywhere, as are buffalo. Walking in the Conservation area is sometimes
exciting and challenging. nearly 50% of the yearly rainfall occurs from late
March to early May. At the end of May the grass in the valleys is high, but
with the drying of the water holes on the Maasai steppe and the beginning of
the hunting season in June the wildebeest move back into the park, and by mid
june the grass has been trampled and game viewing in the park has started to
pick up.
From June to September, the weather
is very mild, the park slowly begins to dry out, and by mid June takes on the
characteristic brown dun color. Once again you will find the really large herds
of elephants in the Silale and Gosuwa swamps, and wildebeest and zebra
congregating on the banks of the Tarangire river during the middle of the day.
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