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Maasai Mara, sometimes also spelt Masai Mara and locally known simply as The Mara, is a large national game reserve in Narok County, Kenya, contiguous with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. It is named in honour of the Maasai people, the ancestral inhabitants of the area, who migrated to the area from the Nile Basin. Their description of the area when looked at from afar: "Mara" means "spotted" in the Maasai language because of the short bushy trees which dot the landscape.
Maasai Mara is one of the wildlife conservation and wilderness areas in Africa, with its populations of , , and African bush elephants. It also hosts the Great Migration, which secured it as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, and as one of the ten Wonders of the World.
The Great Migration usually happens in July depending on weather as the wildebeest moves in large numbers crossing the Mara River from Tanzania.
The Greater Mara ecosystem encompasses areas known as the Maasai Mara National Reserve, the Mara Triangle, several Maasai group ranches, and Maasai Mara conservancies.
The Maasai people make up a community that spans northern, central and southern Kenya and northern parts of Tanzania. The Maasai rely on their lands to sustain their cattle, as well as themselves and their families. Before the reserve's establishment, the Maasai were forced to move out of their native lands. Some of this was due to smallpox outbreaks among the people as well as rinderpest outbreaks among the cattle.
Tradition continues to play a major role in the lives of modern-day Maasai people, who are known for their tall stature, patterned shukas and beadwork. In 2008, an estimated half a million individuals spoke the Maa languages. This number includes not only the Maasai but also Samburu people and Ilchamus people in Kenya.
It is the northernmost section of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, which covers around in Tanzania and Kenya. Maasai pastoral ranches are to the north, east and west. To the south is the Serengeti National Park, the Siria/Oloololo escarpment is to the west. The Mara River, along with its tributaries the Sand and Talek rivers, are the major rivers draining the reserve. Shrubs and trees run along most drainage lines and cover the hills.
The terrain of the reserve is primarily open grassland with seasonal riverlets. In the south-east region are clumps of the distinctive acacia tree. The western border is the Esoit (Siria) Escarpment of the East African Rift, which is a system of rifts some long, from Ethiopia's Red Sea through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and into Mozambique. Wildlife tends to be most concentrated here, as the swampy ground means that access to water is always good, while tourist disruption is minimal. The easternmost border is from Nairobi, and hence it is the eastern regions which are most visited by tourists.
It has a semi-arid climate with biannual rains and two distinct rainy seasons. The 'long rains' last around six to eight weeks in April and May and the 'short rains', in November and December, last around four weeks. There is a significant rainfall gradient: around per year in the east to /year in the west.
Elevation: ; Rainfall: /month; Temperature range:
"Big Five" – lions, [[African leopard]]s, African bush elephants, [[African buffalo]]es and black rhinoceros – are found all year round.
The Maasai Mara is the only protected area in Kenya with an indigenous black rhino population unaffected by translocations. Due to its size, the Mara can support one of the largest populations in Africa. The population of black rhinos was fairly numerous until 1960, but it was severely depleted by poaching in the 1970s and early 1980s, dropping to a low of 15 individuals. Numbers have been slowly increasing, but the population was still only up to an estimated 23 in 1999. The Mara Conservancy, one of the managing bodies of the reserve, reported 120 black rhinos in 1971 and 18 in 1984. They claimed one black rhino in 2001 when they began management and a stable 25-30 in 2023.
and are found in large groups in the Mara and Talek rivers. The plains between the Mara River and the Esoit Siria Escarpment are probably the best area for game viewing, in particular regarding lion and cheetah.
Large carnivores are found in the reserve. Lions are the most dominant and are found here in large numbers. are another abundant carnivore, and will often compete with lions for food. Leopards are found anywhere in the reserve where there are trees for them to escape to. East African cheetahs are also found in high numbers on the open savanna, hunting gazelle and wildebeest. African wild dogs are quite rare here due to the widespread transmission of diseases like canine distemper and the heavy competition they face with lions, who can often ravage their populations. Their packs also roam and travel far distances throughout the plains, making it hard to track them. Smaller carnivores that don't directly compete with the latter include African wolf, black-backed jackals, African striped weasels, , , , aardwolf, , side-striped jackals, , , , genets, several mongoose species, and African clawless otters.
Antelopes can be found, including Grant's gazelles, , and Coke's hartebeests. The plains are also home to the distinctive Masai giraffe. The large roan antelope and the nocturnal bat-eared fox, rarely present elsewhere in Kenya, can be seen within the reserve borders.
The area has been named an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. More than 500 species of birds have been identified in the park, many of which are migrants, with almost 60 species being raptors. It is an important area for the threatened birds that call this area home for at least part of the year. These include: , , , , Balearica, , long-crested eagles, African pygmy-falcons and the lilac-breasted roller, which is the national bird of Kenya. The resident Martial eagle is endangered.
The outer areas were administered by ranches of the Maasai community. The land was then subdivided, though some members received greater benefits than the majority of landowners. This weakened regulatory system threatens sustainable management of the Mara.
A flow assessment and trans-boundary river basin management plan between Kenya and Tanzania was completed for the river to sustain the ecosystem and the basic needs of 1 million people who depend on its water.
The rise of local populations in areas neighbouring the reserve has led to the formation of conservation organisations such as the Mara Elephant Project. The project aims to ensure the peaceful and prosperous co-existence of humans alongside wildlife. According to the project, human wildlife conflict is seen as a leading threat to the reserve as the population continues to grow. Tourism has increased exponentially. Less than 10 lodges were in the area in the late 1970s. The end of the moratorium saw facilities increase to 140 in 2008, and nearly 200 in 2016.
The growth in population creates a demand for land and resources leading to unplanned infrastructure growth. The weak cash economy creates a need to further subdivide the outlying ranch areas. These new owners have converted some land away from traditional grazing fields, negatively affecting wildlife migration. A rise in fencing exacerbates the restriction in free movement for migration, and grazing opportunities are diminished.
The Mara Conservancy encourages conservation efforts in the Reserve and has accomplished several of their goals since taking stewardship. According to their website, as of 2022 they have arrested 4,500 poachers, vaccinated 100,000 dogs against rabies and distemper, improved access roads, and provided security for the local community and tourist facilities.
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