Maasai Mara: Origins & History

The words ‘Maasai Mara’ come from ‘Maasai’ and ‘Mara’ in the Maa language, meaning ‘spotted,’ referring to the dotted savanna landscape.

Established in 1961, the Maasai Mara National Reserve covers about 1,510 km² of ancestral Maasai land in southwestern Kenya. It forms part of the greater Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, hosting the world-famous Great Wildebeest Migration.

The Great Wildebeest Migration

Every year, over 1.5 million wildebeests travel in a massive loop between Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and Kenya’s Mara Game Reserve. Along the way, they face predators like lions and crocodiles and cross rivers such as the Mara River.

History Timeline

Late 19th - Early 20th Century: European colonists claim Maasai lands, restricting their movements.

Early 1900s: British government establishes game reserves, often displacing local Maasai communities.

1948: Mara Triangle designated as a game sanctuary.

1961: Maasai Mara National Reserve formally established; management later transferred to Narok County Council.

1971-1972: Black rhino population monitored; area designated as National Reserve.

1984-1985: Poaching crisis reduces black rhino population to 18; anti-poaching measures begin.

1994-1995: Mismanagement leads to creation of Mara Conservancy (2000), which manages the Mara Triangle from 2001.

2006-2016: Expansion of community conservancies protects wildlife corridors. Enarau Conservancy established in 2022.

By the way, did you watch African Cats (2011)? It was set in the Maasai Mara and is on Netflix! African Cats Documentary

This Disney Nature documentary, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, follows Mara (lion cub), Layla (lioness), Sita (mother cheetah), and Fang (male lion) as they navigate survival and family life on the savanna.