No, you can’t get to see Tigers in Serengeti anymore. It is believed that a huge pride of Tigers migrated towards Asia long years back and never returned to Africa.
However, there is no justified reason for this migration. But many speculations suggest that the main reason was the climate conditions and dense forests in Asia, which these 700 lbs species find suitable to hide in and hunt easily. By the way, it is the justice of Mother Nature, that these kings of the jungle, Tiger and Lion, do not share the same dynasty.
Serengeti is one of the greatest wilderness areas in the world; it supports the abundance of animals. This amazing place is often considered as a haven for wildlife. You can expect excellent sighting of predators like lion, cheetah, and leopards most of the time. Other predators include wild dogs & spotted hyenas, crocodiles, many felines and canine species, also give you the raw taste of nature.
What are the animals you get to see?
You can see abundant wildlife in Serengeti National Park as it supports a magnificent diversity. The ecosystem of Serengeti is vast and has two major vegetations, Woodland and Grassland.
Apart from the big cats like Lions, Cheetahs & Leopards, you can also get to see various wild cats like Serval, caracal, African golden cat along some ruthless canines like hyenas and African wild dogs, etc.
The spectacular great wildebeest migration is also a major highlight of Serengeti. The other herbivore includes zebra, Gazelle, Elephant, Buffalo, Rhino, Giraffe, Hippos, Dik Dik and many more antelope Species are definitely a treat to watch over here.
Apart from this the park also has its Nile crocodiles which are one of the apex predators. The variety of primates will make your visit completely fun-filled.
The major predators in Serengeti
Serengeti is home for almost all the predators of wild except the biggest cat species. The main predators which replace tigers in Serengeti are Lion, Cheetah, and Leopard. Apart from these big guns there some small-sized predators who mostly hunt in groups or pack. The major predators feed on the herbivores and small predators mostly feed on the cubs and smaller animals. You can also get to see many predator & scavenger birds like secretary birds, Marabou stork, Martial eagle, white-headed vultures and many more. The sighting of apex predator reptiles is also great fun to catch-up with.
Can tigers really survive in the Grasslands?
There are many speculations which suggest that tigers will find it difficult to survive in Africa. However, you can find some in the zoo. The main things which will not help for tigers in Serengeti are their black stripes. They may find it difficult to get blend in the grass completely which their rivals do with ease. It becomes more essential to get escape from the eyes of the prey, as the stealth hunting technique is a kind of bread & butter for any cat.
Moreover, the tigers are solitary hunters and Lions are pride hunters. This makes a big difference in hunting techniques. The tigers may not be able to win the Lions and as they both hunt for the same food, it would have been difficult for tigers in Serengeti to survive. In this context, we can say that the lion can save its cubs from other predators as they are in pride and the tiger being a solitary hunter, may not be able to save their cubs.
Another point suggests that the tigers found the Asian climate more suitable for them. The dense forest in Asia made it easy for tigers to hide and hunt. But remember these all are speculations, which may or may not have a valid point.
In the year 2003, two tiger cubs were introduced to South Africa by an ex-fashion executive from Beijing and her husband. They were the founders of Save China’s Tigers Foundation. These founders purchased large hectares of land in South Africa for the breeding project to re-wild them in the continent before leaving for China. But, they were criticized as several of the cubs died.
Asia and Africa have completely different eco-system. Hence we may never know if the Tigers in Africa can survive for a longer time or not. However, you can find few tigers in African zoos and other protected areas. But certainly, there are no tigers in Tanzania.
