Wildebeest Migration in Kenya & Tanzania
When it comes to the wildebeest migration it’s hard to conceive the scale of the event. This underrated wildlife species shows its true tenacity, and a will to survive against all odds, during this annual ritual.
It is much more than just the river crossings that challenge these animals’ constant battle for survival on the great trek, the meanderings across the plains count just as much.
The annual migration heads south during the rainy season. The heat haze distorts the view as the sun pounds the earth. A growing number of wildebeest and zebras flood the plains. It is a time of relative calm for the herds. But not for long: in the south of the Serengeti everything is about to change.
What Triggers the Migration?
No one knows what triggers the migration. Is it the rain, or is it some instinctive call only the wildebeest can hear? The rains appear to be the obvious answer, but naturalists and scientists alike have not been able to conclusively uncover this mystery. Perhaps part of the magic is that we cannot know the answer; it is lost on us. But what we do know is that the call must be stronger than the dangers the wildebeest know so well, for they risk the journey year-on-year.
How the Migration Occurs
When the two million-strong herds make their way across the plains, they appear oblivious to the tourists hovering on the edges, marveling at the spectacle as these shaggy creatures take center stage for the greatest show on earth. Whether it is true grit or pure instinct that drives them, the wildebeests’ commitment to the journey is unwavering as they make their way to the river crossings that form part of the circular route they will be traversing.
The herds move in a clockwise direction from the south of the Serengeti, through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Grumeti Reserve into the north of the Serengeti.
They then leave Tanzania briefly to spend time in the Masai Mara in Kenya, which borders Serengeti National Park in the north, before heading back south to start the journey again.
Most of the migration takes place in the far larger Serengeti than in the Maasai Mara.
Tragically for the herds, much of the route is fraught with danger; for the predators, the migration signals a feast. The rivers are teeming with crocodiles; lions and other big cats stalk the plains. And the hyenas are no laughing matter either.
As the wildebeest head across the Serengeti, they are joined by great herds of gazelle and zebra. Their strength lies in their numbers for it is much harder for a predator to launch an attack on a mass stampede of animals. Together they will walk and run over a 1000 km in the coming months, and twice cross the border between two countries. Starvation, disease and exhaustion cause many deaths along the route, providing a veritable feast for opportunistic creatures such as vultures and hyenas.
It is important to note that not all the animals of the savannah are migratory, and devoting some time to spotting lion, elephant, giraffe and the primates the bush has to offer is deeply rewarding too. In fact, there is a trick in moving counterclockwise to the migration which both allows you less crowds, and more affordable travel. The magnificence of the Serengeti goes beyond the migration, and there is always more to discover. But this does not mean you have to miss out on the river crossings.
The wildebeest regroup at the rivers and the streams, instinctively aware that the river crossings provide the most serious challenge. The banks are steep and the water level often low, and even a stampeding herd doesn’t’ always deter the crocodiles. The powerful reptiles simply wait for a straggler to be separated from the herd, often from the ranks of the elderly beasts or the newborn, which are easily disorientated in the chaos. These creatures are the most vulnerable, an easy meal for the river-dwellers. And the herd doesn’t wait for those who get lost or are tired; Mother Nature created an unsympathetic camaraderie to ensure the survival of the toughest, at the expense of the weak and the frail. The African bush is a beautiful but harsh environment for those who dwell in it.
The wildebeest always follow the same pattern: the females of the herd carry calves as they make their way to the birthing plains, and when they reach their destination, up to 8000 calves are born a day. On wobbly legs the new arrivals find their feet; not getting trampled by the herd is the first challenge they face. And a mother wildebeest will do her utmost to protect her young from predators, fending them off with her horns.
