The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is well-known for its breathtaking scenery and varied wildlife—including the famous great migration and threatened species like the black rhino.
Witnessing these fires and aftermath can be overwhelming for some guests, during some periods of the year.
Why do Serengeti’s wildfires exist?
Under Serengeti National Park Management (SENAPA), the Tanzania National Park Authority (TANAPA) purposefully prepares and oversees controlled burns in Serengeti soon after the wet season, usually between June and September.
Controlled burning is a tool used for maintaining park vegetation. Without fire, trees and thorn bushes can take over the grasses, thereby vying for soil moisture and sunlight. By removing too much vegetation, controlled burns enable grasses to flourish and help to preserve a good balance. This then helps a varied ecosystem including herbivores such as zebras and gazelles, who rely on rich grasses.
For many species, the open savannah landscape—which features grasslands dotted with scattered trees—is essential. Fire helps to preserve Serengeti’s special environment by preventing the spread of woody plants that would otherwise turn the grasslands into thick woods.
Managing Controlled Fires
TANAPA rangers carefully watch the fires during the burning season to ensure they do not spread to wildly. Safety precautions including requiring fire lanes surrounding Serengeti’s tented camps and around hotels guarantee that guests’ experiences are safeguarded from any possible hazards the fires could create.
Nature and Visitors’ Experience
Worried about how flames can affect your safari? Rest assured, the controlled burns are carried out in reasonable chunks rather than all at once over the park. The Serengeti has a fairly extensive road network allowing guests see different areas to game-view in areas not burned, however guides almost always need to traverse through burned areas, to get to the areas not burned.
Although it can be upsetting to see Serengeti’s aftermath from wildfires, fresh grass shoots show up within days drawing grazing animals. For herbivores like gazelles, zebras, and others, this new growth not only provides nutrition but also softer quality that improves their feeding possibilities.
Controlled burning is essential for preserving the diversity and health of the Serengeti, maintaining it as a place for people and a refuge for wildlife. The impact of a wildfire depends more on where and what it is burning, than on how big it is, or indeed how many fires there are.
