Lake Manyara National Park

About half a kilometer after crossing the Marera River bridge you will come to a fork in the road. Turn left in the direction of Mahali pa Nyati, which means "place of the buffalo," and continue through the remaining forest until you come to a large, open, grassy area. The predominant trees are wild mangos, and many animals eat their fruits. Although buffaloes live in this area, they are rarely seen from the road because they keep to the inaccessible edge of the Simba River. You are likely to see herds of impala, zebras and a few wildebeest.

One of the most graceful of East Africa's antelopes is the impala. It has a rufous coat, which is dark above and blends into fawn with a black stripe bordering the white rump patches. Only males have horns. Both sexes have scent glands concealed in tufts of black wiry hair just above the heels. There are also sebaceous glands in the forehead with which adult males scent-mark bushes and trees by rubbing their heads against them. Impala stand about one meter at the shoulder and males weigh about 70 kilograms (154 pounds) while females weigh about 50 kilograms (110 pounds).

Impala are seen either in breeding herds of females and young, each shepherded by a territorial male, or in all-male groups of from 10 to 50 animals. The male groups are composed of immature males that have yet to gain a territory and prime males that have lost one. Only if a male possesses a territory does he have the opportunity to breed. Bachelor herds are typically found close to the breeding herds and may even graze with the females.

The territorial male can be identified by his herding of females and frequent vigorous chasing of bachelors away from the females. From time to time top-ranking bachelors challenge territorial males, leading to serious fights. If the territory owner loses, he forfeits his place and he then becomes one of the bachelor males. The competition for females is so intense that few impala manage to hold a territory for more than three months at a time.

Being browsers as well as grazers, impala are seldom far from cover. They are constantly on the alert as they are a favorite prey for many of the large predators, particularly leopards. Alarmed impala seem to explode in all directions, in great soaring bounds, making it hard for a cat to single out a victim.

Another species that lives in groups is the Burchell's zebra. Although zebras are usually associated with open plains country, they are found in Manyara wherever there is a stretch of open grassland. Zebras live in either family units containing up to a dozen females and young, or bachelor herds of mainly immature males. Each family is controlled by a stallion, which defends it both against potential rivals and against predators. Foals are born in all months except the dry season.

The stripe pattern of every zebra is different, making individual recognition comparatively easy. Zebras are very conspicuous in broad daylight, but at night, dawn and dusk—the hours when most predation occurs—the stripes seem to blend together and zebras become as hard to see as grey or tan animals.

As you drive through the open grassy area you will pass through glades of doum palms, wild date palms and fever trees. The track to your left will lead you to the hippo pool.