When a volcano dies, its collapse can take place either suddenly or over time. From the physical evidence, the volcano that is now Ngorongoro Crater slammed to a stop all at once. This shock caused the entire top of the volcano to fall back into itself, flattening what had been a cone into a plateau 125 miles square. The resulting dormant volcanic vent, or caldera, features high protective walls and many water sources. What had been an uninhabitable furnace is now a singular paradise for wildlife.

Ngorongoro Crater contains one of the densest lion populations in Africa. Its lush grass, caused by the crater's annual flood, attracts most every kind of animal upon which lions prey. Lions do not bother venturing outside the crater; beyond its walls, there is little to eat but the cattle that belong to the Masai tribe, whose members are very protective of their herds and known for their deftness with spears.

By the same token, outside lions rarely penetrate the crater, preferring not to spar over territory with resident lions.

The edge of Ngorongoro Crater.

Denied new blood, the crater's lion population has stagnated over the years, leading to the problems with inbreeding that Dr. Craig Packer has discovered in his research.

Ngorongoro Crater was first set aside for protection in the 1920s, when hunting parties had begun to decimate the local wildlife, especially lions. The crater's location in Tanzania -- near the national parks of Kenya, beneath Mount Kilimanjaro, and at the edge of Serengeti plains -- has made it an essential stop on any trip to Africa, attracting thousands of tourists every year. The Serengeti region is now a national park, and the Ngorongoro crater is a conservation area.

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