subject: The Wildebeest Migration Spectacle [print this page] The wildebeest migration in East Africa is probably the greatest show on earth. The wildebeest migrate in a clockwise fashion for about 1,800 miles from the open Serengeti plains in Tanzania to the Masai Mara game reserve each year in search of green pastures and water. However, there is no beginning or end of wildebeest journey due to the fact that the animals have to graze and drink water each day of their life forcing the them to constantly move ahead day by day and month by month in order to survive. Another factor contributing to this spectacular wildebeest migration is the coming of rains. Rains come at different times in the Serengeti and the Masai Mara and during the dry season, animals will move to the park where ripened grass is available.
Between January and March is the time when about 500,000 calves are born in a six week period each year in the eastern Serengeti. During this time, there is plenty of rain ripened grass and water to drink. Labor usually takes between 30-60 minutes and the mother must lick and spend the first two days with the calf in order for the calf to get implemented on her. In this part of the Serengeti, there are less predators and many calves will survive. Again, when many calves are born at the same time and they are to catch up with their mothers, the less the risk from predators. However, since all mothers and newborn calves stay together, migration sometimes cause mix-ups and some calves isolate from their mothers leading to death due to starvation. A mother can only suck it's own calf. This is a time when there is plenty for all as the predators on the other hand take advantage of the young ones who are very easy to catch and kill.
Between the month of July to October, the big herd of zebras ,antelopes and other wildebeest migrate to the Masai Mara in Kenya to eat the ripened grass. The migration journey to the Masai Mara is too long that leaving the old and weak animals to die due to exhaustion, starvation and thirst. More wildebeest die when crossing the Mara river where the hugest Nile crocodiles of Africa dangerously attack them as the predators feed on the dead drowned animals. However, this hardly affect the wildebeest population since there are about 400,000-500,000 new calves each year. Many calves die as they re-cross the river several times searching for their mothers.
Watching the wildebeest as they cross the Mara river is the most spectacular experience in your safari. The way these animals gather hesitantly in huge numbers on the river banks not sure when to cross is amazing. The animals jump into the water all at once scaring even the huge crocodiles. This is the perfect time for photographing when you are on your safari to the Masai Mara. Over 2 million wildebeest graze on the savannah grassland of the Masai Mara until November when the short rain begin in the Serengeti. They begin their journey crossing the Mara river again and when they arrive in the eastern Serengeti in February, the migration cycle is completed and calving for the next migration begins. As the wildebeest migration is at it's peak in the Masai Mara between July and October, people from all parts of the world come in large numbers to witness this event. It's therefore important to book your safari early to avoid missing a space in the lodges and camps available at the Masai Mara.
