Banagi

Captain Arundell is first Game Warden of the [Serengeti] sanctuary. He built the headquarters at Banagi.

became Game Warden of the [Serengeti] sanctuary, following a Captain Arundell who built the headquarters at Banagi.

I recall that in the case of the 1940 eruption the ash was so heavy on the Salei plains, and the mountains to the west, that the grazing became inedible and the Masai of that part had to migrate. The fallout, which is carried westward by the prevailing wind, extended as far west as Banagai, and affected wildlife as well as domestic stock.

Banagi was always a good place to visit. It was the residence of the game ranger responsible for the east lake region including the Serengeti, probably one of the finest wildlife regions in the whole of East Africa. The Banagi lion had been made famous by Monty Moore, a pre-war ranger who had half-tamed a number of lions by feeding them on carcasses towed behind a truck. A number of wealthy, mainly American, big game aficionados had thus been attracted to the area.

John Blower was ranger at Banagi during my first year in Musoma, but when he left, his place was not filled at once, and the station was left in charge of a few game scouts

Bramwall was a Kenyan, and had been at Banagi for about a year, during which time he had completed the first phase of the construction of what was to become the Seronera game lodge for tourists. This first stage consisted of only a few concrete rondavels, with thatched roofs, and a water collection system from a nearby rocky kopje.

I [John Cooke] was to be assisted [at a census of Masai cattle] by Peter Bramwall, who was game ranger at Banagi, and Peter Venter, a stock theft prevention officer from Arusha.

Bramwall was a Kenyan, and had been at Banagi for about a year, during which time he had completed the first phase of the construction of what was to become the Seronera game lodge for tourists. This first stage consisted of only a few concrete rondavels, with thatched roofs, and a water collection system from a nearby rocky kopje.

He was a trifle eccentric, and his method of travel across the Serengeti plains was, for example, highly original. The dust was atrocious, and Peter used to travel in a completely open landrover, clad only in an old army greatcoat. On arrival at his destination he simply removed this, shook it violently to detach much of the accumulated dust, and then got dressed in clean clothes.

appointed Warden in Charge of Western Section of Serengeti, based at Banagi

In 1956 there were ten staff in the Serengeti [Banagi]: one mason, one carpenter, five Rangers, one driver and two porters. Our transport consisted of one Land-Rover and one five-ton Bedford lorry.

We began with 25 people at Banagi in 1956.....

I had just arrived at Banagi in November 1956 ....

One of my first safaris was to accompany the Professor [Pearsall] on his surveys in the Western Corridor. His safari was conducted by Don Ker, the well-known professional Hunter, and always one of the Serengeti's most ardent supporters. Also on this safari were Hugh Elliott (later Sir Hugh), Dr. P.J Greenway the eminent East African botanical expert, and G.H. Swynnerton, Chief Game Warden of Tanganyika.

The Grzimeks camped near Banagi throughout 1958, living in considerable discomfort in a metal uniport hut near the Mgungu River. Together we carried out the first aerial census of the Serengeti Wildebeest, and made many anti-poaching reconnaissance flights.

as a result of these changes [resulting from the Committee of Enquiry] we moved to Seronera, the new headquarters of the Serengeti. After nearly three decades of use Banagi was virtually abandoned and allowed to fall into disrepair.

Money subscribed by his [Michael Grzimek] many friends to a memorial fund was spent on a small research laboratory at Managi [sic], near Seronera on the Serengeti. Six biologists are at work there under the direction of a distinguished Belgian, Dr. Jacques Verschuren, until recently chief biologist to the Parc National Albert in the Congo.

The Serengeti Research Project was established in 1961 and centred around the Michael Grzimek Memorial Laboratory at Banagi. Two scientists arrived to study wildebeest and zebra respectively. At this stage in the development of the Serengeti, the balance between research and management was maintained. But this was not to last.

In the middle of December 1961, in preparation for the Duke of Edinburgh's visit to Seronera after the Independence Day celebrations in Dar Es Salaam, my father and I went out towards Banagi where dad shot six topi, one of which was immediately set upon by lion. We had to drive up to them in the little Land Rover to get them off the carcass.

We took the topi back to Seronera that afternoon and spending what was left of the day and early next morning before the Duke arrived, locating three or four different prides of lion. Each pride was fed with a dead topi, ready for the Royal game drive.

Needless to say, the lion had eaten topi that morning and by the time the Duke arrived they were fast asleep" but at least they were easily found. On departure from Seronera the Duke's aircraft of the Queen's Flight got stuck on the airfield after a lot of rain. We had to use Tanganyika jacks to raise it so that we could put kindling and stones under the wheels" hasn�t changed much has it" just busier.

Research Centre

Dr Hans Klingel, a German scientist at Banagi, has discovered that, just as no two human finger-prints are identical, so are no two zebra alike in their marking

That afternoon, on my way back north, I stopped at Banagi, the original Grzimek camp, and still a subcenter of the institute. There I met Tony Sinclair, and Englishman just starting buffalo research; George Schaller, the American author of Year of the Gorilla, now working on lions; and Hubert Braun, a Dutch grass expert.