Tarangire National Park is located 120 kilometers southeast of Manyara and covers an area of 2,600 square kilometers. The park is located south of the large, open grass plains that make up southern Masailand and contains large stretches of acacia woodland, and grassy savanna, accompanied by large baobab trees that shelter the wildlife and characterize the park. The best time to visit the park is during the dry season between June and October, when the wildlife population increases to make Tarangire the second largest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania. In the dry season, many species of animals come to the cool waters of the Tarangire River before moving on to better grazing areas when the rains arrive. These animals migrate from the Masai Mara. Visitors can stay at lodges and campsites in the park. Animals that can be spotted in the park include the eland, lesser kudu, Kongoni, impala, zebra, gazelle, buffalo, wildebeest, leopard, elephant, rhino, fringe eared oryx and the lion. The park is an ornithologist's paradise - there are wide varieties of birds including birds of prey. Visitors can organize walking safaris in the park. In recent times, the annual migration of animals has been threatened by increased agriculture around the park. However, the Tanzanian government appears to be well motivated to promote conservation ideas among the people of the region.
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