African Savanna
In East Africa, the heart of the continent beats with an untamed intensity, offering nature lovers an unparalleled experience. The great African Savannh, a region that stretches like a vast and infinite tapestry, is the habitat of an incredible diversity of fascinating animals.
The Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is the prime representative of the African savanna. Its arid lands bear witness to one of the most fascinating natural spectacles in the world: the Great Migration. A cyclical movement of millions of herbivores, which also influences the lives of the majestic lions, leopards, and cheetahs that survive in this territory.
But the wild world of the African savanna extends far beyond. In East Africa, in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, there are some of the most captivating national parks to observe this ecosystem of pure beauty and delicate harmony.
The silhouette of a flat top acacia tree (Acacia tortilis) during the sunrise in Serengeti National Park.
An Ugandan kob (Kobus kob thomasi) in Murchison Falls National Park.
Details of an African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana) in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania. The future of the largest terrestrial animal on the planet is concerning and uncertain.
One of the lions (Panthera leo) from the Rongai Pride, one of the most emblematic prides in the Masai Mara, Kenya.
A three-month-old lion cub in the Masai Mara.
A numerous group of blue wildebeests (Connochaetes taurinus) walking across the plains surrounding Lake Ndutu, on the south of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Every February, half a million wildebeest calves are born in this area.
A herd of elephants in the Masai Mara. Elephant herds have complex social structures, led by matriarchs and consisting of groups of adult females and their calves, while male elephants typically live solitary lives or in small bachelor groups.
A pair of lions perched on top of a tree in Tarangire National Park. In some areas of Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, lions have become accustomed to climbing trees to escape the annoying tsetse flies.
A yellow-billed oxpecker (Buphagus africanus) on top of a Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) in Serengeti National Park.
A cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) bathed in the warm light of the sunrise in the Masai Mara.
A lion devouring a zebra hunted during the night in the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
In the minimalist landscape of the African savanna in the Serengeti, the silhouettes of trees and giraffes can be seen from afar.
A lioness from the Rongai Pride with her cub of less than three months.
In the savanna, around river courses, is where you can observe the most diversity of birds. In the photograph, a malachite kingfisher (Alcedo cristata) in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda.
A white rhinoceros and its calf in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy area. This reserve is home to the last two surviving northern white rhinoceroses.
Sunrise in the semi-arid savanna of Samburu National Reserve.
A lion resting in a tree in Tarangire National Park.
The word kopje is used to describe the small rocky hills that break the monotony of the African savanna. They are one of the distinctive features of Serengeti National Park.
A group of plains zebras (Equus quagga) photographed during a dawn in the Ngorongoro Crater.
Three cheetahs feeding on a freshly hunted Thomson’s gazelle in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya. The cheetah is the fastest terrestrial animal, capable of reaching speeds of up to 113 km/h. After a chase, a cheetah needs about half an hour to catch its breath before it can eat.
Hippopotamus skin is extremely sensitive to sunlight. For this reason, they spend practically all daylight hours in the water. At night, they come out of the water to feed and often walk more than 10 kilometers per night. In Serengeti National Park, it is common to see large groups of hippos.
A lion in the Masai Mara. It is uncommon to see an adult lion without any scars.
A giraffe shaking off rainwater next to the Seronera campsite in the center of Serengeti National Park.
Dik-dik (Madoqua kirkii), the small inhabitant of Samburu National Reserve, captured in all its grace and beauty.
A spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) feeding on a Thomson’s gazelle. The belief that hyenas are solely scavengers is false. They are opportunistic animals and whenever possible, they hunt Thomson’s gazelles, zebras, or wildebeests, among others.
A solitary elephant amidst the vastness of the Masai Mara savanna.
Play among young lions is key to developing their hunting and defensive skills (Masai Mara).
An impala (Aepyceros melampus) in Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya.
A leopard (Panthera pardus) resting in the shade of some bushes in the Masai Mara. The leopard is one of the most elusive felines in the African savanna.
An endangered black rhinoceros in the Ngorongoro Crater.
A cheetah in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania. This conservation area, along with Serengeti National Park and Maasai Mara National Reserve, forms one of the most extensive and wild African savanna ecosystems.
A lion in the rain in the Masai Mara. A wound in the mouth can be deadly for this feline, especially if it hinders its ability to hunt or defend itself from other lions.
A group of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) illuminated by the light of the sunrise in Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. These animals are among the most dangerous in Africa.