GREAT WILDEBEEST MIGRATION

The big herds of wildebeest, teaming up with other wildlife buddies, embark on an ancient journey. Their quest? Finding fields to graze and water to drink. After having their babies in the southern part of Tanzania’s Serengeti near the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, they take a clockwise route through the Serengeti, heading towards the Masai Mara in Kenya. And when the year takes a turn towards its end, they circle back to where they started. Along this trail, the real safari adventure unfolds. Many are hunted down by cunning predators, but nature evens the score by bringing new life into the herd. This survival game replenishes the stocks, keeping the circle of life going.

The Great Migration, the most colossal animal migration on our planet, can even be viewed from outer space due to the massive crowds of wildebeest, each kilometre square teeming with close to 1,000 animals.

This phenomenal journey involves mind-boggling numbers: about 1.2 million wildebeest, 300,000 zebra combined with topi and other species of gazelle who tirelessly follow the path of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. Their goal is to find lush grasslands and watering holes. Fueled by primal instincts of survival, each wildebeest paves its path, covering a considerable 800 to 1,000 km, abiding by the ancient migration trails. Predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, crocs, and wild dogs take advantage of this journey to prey on them, thereby ensuring only the fittest wildebeest survive this extraordinary spectacle often termed as the ‘the greatest show on Earth.’

Their challenging journey commences from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, excluding the Crater itself, located in southern part of Serengeti in Tanzania. From there, they navigate through vast stretches of the Serengeti, crossing over into Masai Mara in Kenya, and finally circle back once again. This odyssey is fraught with threats; the young ones fall victim to swift predators, the slower individuals are ambushed by lion prides, the more audacious ones get injured trying to navigate steep riversides, crocodiles manage to devour a few of the strays, and the weakened or fatigued ones often succumb to the powerful currents of the river.

Around January every year, the Great Migration wraps up its journey southward. The herds move along the Serengeti’s eastern boundary and head into the nutritious fields of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This area, rich in nutritious grass, serves as the perfect nursery for the herds to raise their newborn calves.

Though there’s no exact starting or ending point to this massive movement – except for the birth and demise of wildebeest – it makes sense to call their birthing season as the start of the migration. By the end of January or beginning of February, the herds settle on the short-grass plains covering the lower northern parts of the Ngorongoro Crater highlands and around Olduvai Gorge. Here, a whopping 400,000 calves are born within just two to three weeks, meaning around 8,000 new births daily.

This surplus of defenseless baby calves triggers a hunting frenzy among nearby predators who easily exploit the impressive numbers of wildebeest.

Upon the birth of their offspring in the months of February and March, the wildebeest herds commence their journey to the northwest in April. Their objective is to reach the greener pastures in the central Serengeti. This journey is not undertaken in isolation, as a multitude of zebras and small antelope groups join them.

By May, an astonishing spectacle unfolds as the wildebeest gather near the Moru Kopjes in the Serengeti, creating an extended trail of migrating wildlife for several kilometers. Towards the end of May, the mating season, also known as ‘the rut,’ kicks off. It is characterized by male wildebeest engaging in bouts of power struggle; however, this doesn’t affect the migration’s leisurely pace as the zebras, gazelles, and wildebeest graze slowly en route.

As the migration amasses momentum, the wildebeest begin their congregation in the Serengeti’s Western Corridor. Their migration pattern conveniently aligns with a camp that moves alongside, offering an intimate view of the wildebeest’s crucial river crossing. This crossing, despite its lack of high drama compared to other wildlife crossings, turns out to be a bountiful feast for the local crocodile population.

It’s noteworthy that May is the camp’s low season. This allows for safari enthusiasts to indulge in a cost-effective experience with less tourist traffic in the Serengeti, yet with ample opportunities for diverse wildlife viewing.

As we venture into June, we find ourselves in the dry spell with the Western Serengeti teeming with wildebeest. They are lined up by the southern banks of the Grumeti River, each one bracing to cross the treacherous crocodile-filled waters – a test of courage and the inaugural intense river experience.

As we transition from June to July, a striking spectacle unfolds at the Mara River situated at the north of Serengeti. Zebras and wildebeests, now in the hundreds of thousands, cautiously tread along the park’s western fringe, inching closer to this risky obstacle. The thrill and anxiety around these river crossings arguably make it one of the globe’s most captivating wildlife encounters. The exact timing, however, is subject to nature’s discretion and usually occurs at July’s peak season.

By July, the wildebeest herds are typically traceable to the Northern Serengeti. It is easily accessible by migration lodges and Camps. By the month’s end, successful navigators of the Mara River also make their presence known in the Masai Mara. At this juncture, it is common to spot daily river crossings at the Mara and Talek rivers, forming the backdrop to some truly extraordinary scenes.

As we approach August, the herds have conquered the intimidating Mara River and scattered throughout the northern areas of the Masai Mara. Many still linger within the confines of the northern Serengeti. During certain years, the river flows at high levels, reasoning panic and tumult at the crossings, and resulting in significant loss due to lurking predators and the fierce currents. Yet, even in those years where the river’s flow is gentler, the merciless crocodiles are a persistent threat, to say nothing of the lions and other large predators who patrol the banks, ready to pounce on any wildebeest that makes it ashore. There isn’t just one crossing point, some areas have only a handful of individuals while others are jam-packed with animals, ceaselessly moving for hours.

Transitioning into September and October, the mass confusion subsides, and the migrating troops steadily move eastwards. Nonetheless, the wildebeest are set to encounter the daunting waters of the Mara River once more as they gear up to cross again, heading southwards on their return journey.

After the brief late-year showers in Eastern Africa around October and November, there is a remarkable shift in the wildebeest’s behavior. Taking this rain as their signal, they begin their descent from Kenya and embark on a trek towards the eastern boundaries of the Serengeti. Crucially, their route takes them through the cheetah-dense terrain of the Namiri Plains. Fast forward to December, their hordes have effortlessly integrated into the eastern and southern territories of the Serengeti.

With the dawn of the new year, the southern peripheries of the Serengeti undergo a radical transformation due to the heavy rainfall. It morphs into a lush Eden, teeming with fresh and juicy grasses. Consequently, these grasslands act as an irresistible draw for the roving wildebeest herds and the hundreds of thousands of zebras and other inhabitants of the plains. As the cycle of life perseveres, another chapter unfolds with the onset of the calving season once again.