The Greater Mara Ecosystem

The Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013 created the enabling conditions for conservation to become a viable land-use within the Greater Mara Ecosystem, thus creating one of the best-protected reserves on the African continent and one of the Earth’s top ten bio-diverse locations.

The Wildlife Act

This law is aimed at improving the protection, conservation, sustainable use and management of the country’s wildlife resources. The law was drafted with a view to addressing the loss of wildlife, which had exacerbated despite high profile conservation efforts, by various institutions. Consequently, “this Act shall apply to all wildlife resources on public, community and private land, and Kenya territorial waters”.

The Landscape

Maasai Mara is characterized by four different kinds of topography: sandy soil and small bushes to the east; the Siria Escarpment forming a spectacular plateau as the western boundary of the reserve; lush grasslands and woodlands around the Mara River; and the open plains with scattered bushes of the reserve. Maasai Mara is famous for its “spotted” vistas - amidst fields of golden grass are several varieties of acacia trees dotting the landscape.

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The Animals

The Mara Ecosystem is one of the most biodiverse areas of the world including the large mammals popularly referred to as the ‘Big Five’ - Lion, Elephant, black & white Rhino, Leopard and Cape Buffalo. Other large mammals include Giraffe, Cheetah, Hippo and Zebra. Wildebeest are the dominant inhabitants of The Mara, and every year over a million of these along with another million Zebras and Gazelles take part in The Great Migration.

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The Birds

The Mara Ecosystem is also home to the largest concentration of bird species in all of Africa, especially between October to February when migratory birds from North America and Europe flock to The Mara. However, the most significant resident bird of the Mara is the Ostrich.

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The Maasai People

The Maasai are a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting northern, central and southern Kenya and northern Tanzania and are traditionally nomadic pastoralists. They are known for their tall stature, patterned shukas and beadwork. It is estimated that there are approximately half a million Maasai people that speak the Maa language. The Maasai people play the most significant role in conserving this ecosystem due to their centuries old knowledge of this land.

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Conservancy Model

With a commitment to conserve The Greater Mara Ecosystem, through a network of protected areas (conservancies and conservation areas), Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association (MMWCA) was formed. These conservancies are on private land owned by Maasai families that have been set aside for wildlife conservation and tourism. The landowners lease their land to safari companies and lodges, who then pay monthly fees which go back into the community, funding education and other development initiatives.

The MMWCA is one of the 12 regional associations forming the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) as envisaged in the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013. Presently, about 70 percent of the wildlife found in the Greater Mara Ecosystem is living outside the gazetted conservation area - Maasai Mara National Reserve.