OtterKnow Kids EncyclopediaThe Serengeti is a huge grassland in Tanzania, a country in East Africa. The name Serengeti means “endless plains” in the Maasai language. The park covers about 5,700 square miles, which is bigger than the state of Connecticut.
Every year, about 1.5 million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras travel across the Serengeti looking for fresh grass and water. This is called the Great Migration, and it is one of the biggest animal journeys on Earth. Lions, cheetahs, and hyenas follow the herds.
- The Serengeti is also home to elephants, giraffes, hippos, and over 500 types of birds.
- Tall termite mounds dot the grasslands, some standing over 10 feet high!
- The Maasai people have lived near the Serengeti for hundreds of years, herding cattle alongside the wild animals.
