10 Facts About the Great Wildebeest Migration
10 Facts About the Great Wildebeest Migration
10 Facts About the Great Wildebeest Migration : The annual wildebeest migration often referred to as The Great Migration is a spectacular annual movement of millions of wildebeests accompanied by ten thousands of gazelles, elands and zebras. The migration is remarkable in terms of length of the journey and the sheer numbers of animals taking part, if you are a wildlife lover witnessing the migration never disappoints.
As a tourist, before you decided to go for wildebeest migration safari, as Petnah Africa Tours and Travel have put together the top 10 fascinating facts about the Great Wildebeest Migration which will guide you when booking your safari and also know what to expect.
- About Two Million Animals Travel Across the Serengeti
The Great Migration is famous for the sheer numbers of large land mammals participating in the annual movement across the Mara – Serengeti ecosystem comprising of Serengeti national park and Masai Mara national park.
About 1.5 million wildebeests, 200,000 zebras and 350,000 various kinds of antelopes such as eland, Thompson’s gazelles and impala.
The spectacular size of the large animals make the Great Migration the largest terrestrial animal migration in the world.
- A Group Intelligence Steers the Great Migration
Though the Great Migration looks utterly chaotic as the sheer numbers and movement of the individual wildebeests, zebras and antelopes appears completely aimless, careful study of behavior each year has shown that the herds as a whole possess a swarm intelligence which allows the entire to work out problems. And also to overcome hindrances encountered during the migration.
- A Large Number of Animals Don’t Survive the Migration
During the migration, the herds face a lot of obstacles along the way. The large herds in one place easily attracts predators like lions, cheetahs, leopards waiting along the river banks and crocodiles in the waters as the herds crosses the rivers (Mara and Grumeti) or when they stop to drink water.
Some of the animals do not survive the attacks from these predators, the predator action is not the only that reduces the number of wildebeests, zebras and antelopes in the Great migration. Thirst, hunger, exhaustion and drowning plays a great role in reducing the numbers.
The Great Migration is an extremely rough journey for the animals participating in it and their overall chance of survival is only increased by banding together into huge numbers.
During the Great Migration each year, approximately 250,000 wildebeests and about 30,000 zebras die along the way.
- The Great Migration Supports the Largest Lion Population in Africa
Due to the huge numbers of the wildebeests, zebras and antelopes moving through Serengeti national park and Maasai Mara national reserve (Mara – Serengeti ecosystem) each year, there is enough meat to support the largest numbers of lions across the African continent.
Currently there are over 3,000 lions living in the Mara – Serengeti ecosystem that follows the migrating herds, when you visit Serengeti national park and Masai Mara national reserve to witness the Great Migration expect to spot these majestic big cat roaming around.
- An Epic 500-mile Journey
The Great Migration is not a casual walk in the countryside that is considered The Great Migration for a reason, the migrating animals “wildebeests, gazelles, elands and zebras” travel roughly 500 miles each year across the Mara – Serengeti ecosystem which is equivalent of walking from Paris to Berlin.
Although the migration occurs in a clockwise cycle between Tanzania’s Serengeti national park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Loliondo Game Controlled Area, and Grumeti Reserve and Kenya’s Maasai Mara national reserve.
- Wildebeest and Zebra Don’t Fight Over Food
It is common to wonder why two great herbivorous species “wildebeests and zebras” aren’t fighting over food yet they move together for a full year, well this is because they both eat different parts of the same grass they encounter along the route.
If this wasn’t the case, the competition between the species would make the Great Migration look very different indeed.
- Smaller Herds Split off from the Main Herd
Unlike other wildlife species like lions and mountain gorillas, wildebeests have no natural leader and because of this many smaller herds break away for the main mega- herd as they make their way across the Mara – Serengeti ecosystem. This means the overall ground gets covered by these fascinating beasts and also means that they are very easy to see them (wildebeests, zebras, gazelles and predators such as lions) as you do not have to find the main herd to encounter some of the incredible action.
- The Great Migration Actually Occurs All Year Round
Though many people think of the dramatic river crossings when referring to The Great Migration, fact is this spectacular phenomenon is an endless cycle and can be seen year – around. To witness the migration depends on what you wish to see.
- If you would like to witness the calving season in the Southern Serengeti– the best time is between January and March
- If you would like to witness the River crossing the Northern part of Serengeti and south of Masai Mara at Mara river – the best time is between August and October
- The rest of the year, the herds can also be seen but they are usually a bit more scattered.
- The Mara – Serengeti Ecosystem “Serengeti National Park and Maasai Mara National Reserve” Makes the Great Migration Possible
As we admire the sheer scale and majesty of the mega herd of different species migrating across Tanzania and Kenya, it is important to recognize that it wouldn’t be possible without the Mara – Serengeti ecosystem made up of Serengeti national park and Maasai Mara national reserve.
The vast Mara – Serengeti Ecosystem has remained unchanged for centuries and is a wholly intact, functional ecosystem with rich resources to support such as a huge population of large animals.
- February’s Calving Season Greatly Boosts the Great Migration’s Numbers
The Great Migration is so great partly because of the calving seasons which happens between January and March, in the calving roughly half a million wildebeest calves are born in the Serengeti each year thus greatly increasing the numbers of the overall herd.
February is the month with the highest calving rate with around 8,000 wildebeests born each day, on top of witnessing the large herds of newly born calves when you visit in the calving season. You are allowed to go – off road in the Southern Part of Serengeti national park, witnessing the calving season is more exciting than seeing the river crossing in dry season, however it depends on the visitor.
Inquire with us and we will help you plan your migration safari
