THE WILDBEEST MIGRATION

The Wildbeest migration is a dramatic story that is still the world's greatest wildlife spectacle where over a million wildbeest and zebra migrate from the Serengeti plains to Maasai Mara in search of greener pastures.

 

A panel of experts (including an oceanographer, a tour expert, a range and wildlife management expert) and a major American television channel declared the annual Wildebeest migration one of the seven new wonders of the world , during its breakfast show "Good Morning America" broadcasted live from the Masai Mara to millions of American homes.

The Maasai Mara, Serengeti and the wildebeest migration were selected as one of the new wonders for what the experts termed as "uniqueness of the area and the preservation it provides to the many species living in harmony".

Predators follow the Wildebeest migration closely waiting for a chance to prey on the weak animals the precise timing of the Wildebeest Migration changes annually. The calving season takes place in the Serengeti between the months of January and mid-March before the Wildebeest Migration begins heading towards the Western Serengeti in June. By the end of May, the wildebeest have exhausted the Western Corridor's best pasture and they must move further north. The migration from west and north moves from the short grass plains of the southern Serengeti to the long grass plains and woodland of the Serengeti's western corridor, almost to Lake Victoria.

The best time to see the migration is usually between June and August when the wildebeest congregate and prepare to cross the famous Grumeti river.

By July, large herds of wildebeest have amassed along the swollen Mara river and thousands of wildebeest drown while trying to cross hence giving the crocodiles a chance to prey on them.

The wildebeest reside in the Mara between July and October and between December and January they begin their migration back towards the Serengeti and early in the year they once again give birth and the cycle begins all over again.