WHICH ARE BIG FIVE ANIMAL?.WHY ARE THEY CALLED SO

Which are the big five African animals and why are they called such? If you have never had answers to this question then this article is perfect for you because it has all the facts and information about these so-called Big 5 animals (also referred to as the big five games). Surprisingly, there are only 11 countries in the world that harbor all these animals and all of them are African with Uganda also slotting up on the list. Among these big 5 safari animals are the African Elephant, Rhinoceros, Lion, Leopard and the Cape Buffalo. These animals were named the big five because they are not only among the most poached animals, most difficult to hunt on foot but are also the most dangerous. The phrase “Big Five” was crafted by hunters to refer to these animals that are difficult to poach on foot and has since then been used regularly in talks regarding African wildlife safaris.

A lot of people ask why these animals were chosen, as mentioned above they were extremely dangerous to pursue on foot and many hunters lost their lives while trying to get that prestigious trophy – primarily because they hunt back!

WHEN SHOULD I COME FOR GREAT MIGRATION SAFARI

Serengeti wildebeest migration
The great Serengeti wildebeest migration is the movement of vast numbers of the Serengeti's wildebeest, accompanied by large numbers of zebra, and smaller numbers of Grant's gazelle, Thomson's gazelle, eland and impala. These move in an annual pattern which is fairly predictable. They migrating throughout the year, constantly seeking fresh grazing and, it's now thought, better quality water. The precise timing of the Serengeti wildebeest migration is entirely dependent upon the rainfall patterns each year – here we explain how the broad pattern works.

This migration, month by month, is shown on the map on the right side of this page – the moving red represents the main herds. For more information on the Serengeti migration area and the wildebeest migration, see also:

Month by month: the Serengeti wildebeest migration

The short rains begin around early November. A little after this, in late November and December, the herds of the wildebeest migration arrive on the short-grass plains of the Serengeti. These are south and east of Seronera, around Ndutu and include the north of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Dispersed across these plains, wildebeest and zebra are everywhere – feeding on the fresh, nutritious grasses. They stay here through January, February and March, with most wildebeest calves born in a short window around February. Gradually they spread west across these plains, then around April they start their great migration north.

By May the Serengeti's wildebeest all seem to be moving north, migrating to seek fresh grazing and water. The area around Moru Kopjes and west of Seronera is then hectic with a series of moving columns, often containing hundreds of thousands of animals – joined by many zebra, and a scattering of Thomson's and Grant's gazelles.

Some of the migration then head due north of Seronera, but most are usually further west. Around June the wildebeest migration is often halted on the south side of the Grumeti River, which has some channels which block or slow their migration north. The wildebeest then congregate there, in the Western Corridor, often building up to a high density before crossing the river. The river here is normally a series of pools and channels, but it's not continuous – and so whilst they always represent an annual feast for the Grumeti River's large crocodiles, these aren't usually quite as spectacular as the crossings of the Mara River, further north.

The wildebeest migration continues moving northwards during July and August, often spreading out across a broad front: some heading through Grumeti Reserve and Ikorongo, others north through the heart of the Serengeti National Park.

September sees the herds spread out across the northern Serengeti, where the Mara River provides the migration with its most serious obstacle. This river gushes through the northern Serengeti from Kenya's adjacent Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Watching the frantic herds of the wildebeest migration crossing the Mara River can be very spectacular; there are often scenes of great panic and confusion. It's common to see herds cross the Mara River north on one day, and then back south a few days later.

By October the wildebeest herds are migrating again with more accord: all are heading south, through western Loliondo and the Serengeti National Park's Lobo area, returning to the green shoots which follow the rains on the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti in November.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO CLIMB MOUNTAIN KILIMANJARO

KILIMANJARO MOUNTAIN IS THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN AFRICA.
5895METERS YOU WILL NEED TO BE PREPARED AND KNOW WHAT IS THE BEST TIME FOR YOU TO CLIMB.BELOW ARE THE BEST TIME FOR YOU TO HIKE AND ALSO THE BAD TIME


1. BEST TIME TO CLIMB
September
October

i REASON WHY IS THE BEST TIME
Cheaper Flights
Best Weather


2. GOOD TIME TO CLIMB
June
July
August

iREASON WHY IS THE GOOD TIME
Expensive Flights
Coldest Season
Less Crowded


3. BETTER TIME TO CLIMB
January
February
December

i REASON WHY IS THE BETTER TIME
Decent Weather
Lodges May Cost More
Airfare is reasonable


4. BAD TIME TO CLIMB
March
April
May
November

i. REASON WHY IS THE BAD TIME
Rainy Season
Only go if you are an skilled backpacker


FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT KILIMANJARO HIKING PLEASE VISIT.www@jambokilitours.com.OR SEND AS MESSAGE TO info@jambokilitours.com

FACT ABOUT LION
The lion (Panthera leo) is a species in the family Felidae; it is a muscular, deep-chested cat with a short, rounded head, a reduced neck and round ears, and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. The lion is sexually dimorphic; males are larger than females with a typical weight range of 150 to 250 kg (330 to 550 lb) for males and 120 to 182 kg (265 to 400 lb) for females. Male lions have a prominent mane, which is the most recognisable feature of the species. A lion pride consists of a few adult males, related females and cubs. Groups of female lions typically hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. The species is an apex and keystone predator, although they scavenge when opportunities occur. Some lions have been known to hunt humans, although the species typically does not.

Typically, the lion inhabits grasslands and savannas but is absent in dense forests. It is usually more diurnal than other big cats, but when persecuted it adapts to being active at night and at twilight. In the Pleistocene, the lion ranged throughout Eurasia, Africa and North America but today it has been reduced to fragmented populations in Sub-Saharan Africa and one critically endangered population in western India. It has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1996 because populations in African countries have declined by about 43% since the early 1990s. Lion populations are untenable outside designated protected areas. Although the cause of the decline is not fully understood, habitat loss and conflicts with humans are the greatest causes for concern.

One of the most widely recognised animal symbols in human culture, the lion has been extensively depicted in sculptures and paintings, on national flags, and in contemporary films and literature. Lions have been kept in menageries since the time of the Roman Empire and have been a key species sought for exhibition in zoological gardens across the world since the late 18th century. Cultural depictions of lions were prominent in the Upper Paleolithic period; carvings and paintings from the Lascaux and Chauvet Caves in France have been dated to 17,000 years ago, and depictions have occurred in virtually all ancient and medieval cultures that coincided with the lion's former and current ranges.
Contentshe earliest fossils recognisible as lions are found at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania and dated from 1.4 to 1.2 million years ago. From East Africa, lions would spread throughout the continent and into the Holarctic and the Indian subcontinent with the expansions of open habitats.

The earliest fossil record in Europe was found near Pakefield in the United Kingdom and is about 680,000 years old. Fossil remains found in the Cromer Forest Bed suggest that it was of a gigantic size and represented a lineage that was genetically isolated and highly distinct from lions in Africa and Asia.[32] It was distributed throughout Europe, across Siberia and into western Alaska via the Beringian landmass. The gradual formation of dense forest likely caused the decline of its geographic range near the end of the Late Pleistocene. Lion bones are frequently encountered in cave deposits from Eemian times, suggesting the cave lion survived in the Balkans and Asia Minor. There was probably a continuous population extending into India. Fossil lion remains were found in Pleistocene deposits in West Bengal.

The American lion arose when a population of Beringian lions became isolated south of the North American continental ice sheet about 370,000 years ago. This lion spread throughout North America, but was absent from the northeast, perhaps due to the presence of dense boreal forests in the region.It was formerly believed to have colonised northwestern South America as part of the Great American Interchange. However, the fossil remains found in the tar pits of Talara, Peru were later identified as unusually large jaguars. On the other hand, fossils of a large felid from late Pleistocene localities in southern Patagonia traditionally identified as an extinct subspecies of jaguar, Panthera onca mesembrina, have been reported to be remains of a lion. Eurasian cave lions and American lions both became extinct at the end of the last glacial period without mitochondrial descendants on other continents.
The maximal range of lion species in the late Pleistocene: red indicates Panthera spelaea, blue P. atrox, and green P. leo

Extant lion populations appear to have descended from refugium populations in East and Southern Africa 324,000–169,000 years ago and migrated to other parts of Africa and into Asia around 100,000 years ago.[23] It seems that lions went extinct in North, West and Central Africa 40,000–18,000 years ago due increases in arid climates and when these regions became more humid 15,000–11,000 years ago, they were recolonised by refugium populations from the Middle East.[25][22]
Hybrids

MOUNT KILIMANJARO HIKING TOURS

KILIMANJARO mountais is the highest mountain in Africa with 5895meters above the sealevel Kilimanjaro mountain found in eastern Africa intanzania
from kilimanjaro hiking.with us jambokilitours one of the senior company in africa there different route that found there around seven different routes and they have got also different taste the name of those routes are
.MACHAME ROUTE/WHISKE ROUTE
.UMBWE ROUTE/WHISKE
.RONGAI ROUTE/COKACOLA ROUTE
.MARANGU ROUTE/COKACOLA
LEMOSHO ROUTE
.LONDOROSI ROUTE
.MWEKA ROUTE
as the route mentioned above they also have different taste as explained below.
MACHAME ROUTE

The Machame route, also referred to as the Whiskey route, is one of the most popular routes on Kilimanjaro and a favorite for us. Machame route is one of the highest summit success rates given the topography and nature of the route. This route climbers to “trek high & sleep low”, thus making it a more favorable route for acclimatization. This climb offers some of the most spectacular scenery while on the mountain. The Machame route starts in the south west side of the mountain and proceeds steeply north, traversing the Shira plateau and eventually joining the Shira and Lemosho routes just after the Shira cave camp. The Machame route can be done in minimum 6 days, but a 7-day trek is recommended. This allows climbers to be well rested and acclimatized before making the final ascent to the summit.

RONGAI ROUTE


The Rongai route is the only route that approaches Kilimanjaro from the north, close to the Kenyan border.Although gaining in popularity, the Rongai route has low traffic. It is the preferred route for those looking for an alternative to the crowded Marangu route. It also lends itself to a more remote hike and for those climbing during the rainy season, the north receives less precipitation. The minimum number of days required for this route is six and seven is recommended. The scenery is not as varied as the western routes, but you will be passing through true wilderness areas before joining the Marangu route at Kibo camp. Rongai is a moderately difficult route and is recommended for those with less backpacking experience.

LEMOSHO ROUTE

The Lemosho Route is the most scenic trail on Kilimanjaro, offering panoramic vistas from multiple sides of the mountain. Due to the ideal balance of limited trekkers, beautiful scenery and a high summit success rate,this is our preferred route. You will begin with a drive from Moshi to the Londorossi Gate, which approaches the mountain from the west. The first two days of your trek you will cross the Shira Plateau from west to east, which is a relatively flat hike. As you approach Lava Tower, this route joins the Machame route. You will traverse underneath Kilimanjaro’s Southern Ice Field on a path known as the Southern Circuit and will begin your summit climb from the Barafu Camp. The descent will be via the Mweka Route.

MARANGU ROUTE


The Marangu route is also known as the ‘Coca Cola” or tourist route. This is the only route on Kilimanjaro with the comforts of solar-powered communal sleeping huts and comfortable beds of sponge mattresses and pillows at every camp. As well, bathrooms and running water are available at the two lower huts, with men’s and women’s latrines at the last camp. The dining huts provide you the opportunity to share meals with other climbing groups, giving you the opportunity to learn from other world-wide climbers and to share your experiences.

This route can be completed in either five or six days. The six-day climb will give you a better opportunity to acclimatize by resting at Horombo Camp or climbing to Kibo’s basecamp.
UMBWE ROUTE



The Umbwe route has a well-deserved reputation of being the most challenging route on Mount Kilimanjaro. Due to the fast ascent to high altitude, this route does not provide the necessary stages for acclimatization. Although the number of people on this trail is very low, the chances of success are also low. Umbwe is considered to be very difficult, taxing route – one that should only be attempted by strong hikers who are confident in their ability to acclimatize quickly to altitude.Approaching from the south, the Umbwe route is a short, steep and direct climb. After reaching Barranco Camp, the trail turns east and traverses underneath Kilimanjaro’s Southern Ice Field on a path known as the Southern Circuit before summiting from Barafu. Descent is made via the Mweka route.

above routes as it explained above shows the different taste but from the different routes you reach to one summit which is uhuru peak.if you need any advice or any booking do not instate to contract jambokili tours and they will advice you and also planning anda choose you a good guide who will take you to the top.
visit the website www@jambokilitours.com