Serengeti Wildebeest migration
Serengeti Wildebeest migration : Wildebeest migration is one of the highlights of Serengeti national park safari. This is the largest animal migration recorded on earth. Its one of the seven natural wonders of the world that occurs annually in various sectors of Serengeti national park. The most well-known wildebeest migration is the one that which happens trans boundary between Tanzania’s Serengeti and Kenya’s Maasai Mara national reserve via the Mara River east of Grumeti River through Lobo.
These annual event is well-known in the tourism and hospitality industries around the world. Infact it is one of the greatest tourist attraction that attracts millions of visitors who come to see the world cup of animals at the Mara River stadium. The survival of the fittest with crocodiles serving as referees and issuing red cards to players by preying on millions of wildebeest. The lions and other onland predators awaits them on crossing as welcoming agents to the promised land. The wildebeest migration is circular moving with no leader but following clock wise direction. This means that the entry point is different from the exit route. The area of entry has the highest number of cheetahs in Serengeti national park near the Gol mountains at the edge of the Northern part of Ngorongoro conservation area. This is where the wildebeest migration returns back to Serengeti as they exit Masai Mara national Reserve. The exit point of Serengeti is on the North where thousands of Zebras crossing the Mara river to the Maasai Mara national reserve.
Its true that nature is unpredictable but though to the vast wildlife experience, our team has on several occations managed to time well the wildebeest migration. Guests can see thousands of animals all year in the Serengeti National Park, particularly in areas like Seronera, Grumeti River, and Ndutu.
The wildebeest migration in Serengeti Park takes place in five sectors or regions of the park, each occurring at a different time of year, making Serengeti Park one of Africa’s best destinations. Our team of experts advise our guests on the calendar of the migration according to their wish time to have a safari in Serengeti. The wildebeest calendar programs listed below will assist you in planning and catching them.
Southern Serengeti wildebeest Migration
The Southern Serengeti wildebeest Migration begins in late December and peaks in January, before the wildebeest begin to migrate back to the Serengeti’s central region in March. The calving season is also known as the southern wildebeest migration. In the Ndutu region is where the Southern Serengeti wildebeest migration happens. The southern Serengeti is located adjacent to the northern section of the Ngorongoro conservation area.
Along the Maswa Game Reserve, the wildebeest will graze in the territories of Serengeti Park’s Kusini and Ngorongoro Conservation Area around Ndutu sector. This is sometimes referred as the wildebeest labour ward. Thousands of the little ones are born daily in this sector. This is the first settlement of the wildebeests after crossing back from Masai mara national reserve. They settle hear to prepare for their calving season. Due to high birth rate with the little ones being week during birth, most of the predators especially Cheetahs, leopards, and lions live in the Kusini Kopjes. They conceal and attack grazing wildebeest, particularly those that stray a little distance from the herd. The Cheetahs target the newly born weak calves as their prey.
The wildebeest, along with zebras, kobs, and other grazers, congregate in the Ndutu plains to regain strength after giving birth to their young. It is estimated that over a thousand young are born every day, attracting more predators that take advantage of the newly weak born animals.
The wildebeest spend one month of February in this open grassland in Ndutu which is rich in food values and fresh for the young ones to eat before beginning their migration back to Serengeti national park through Kusini. This is where the survival of the fittest continues with various predator ambushes along the way. In the Acacia woodlands and Kopjes act as hiding places for the predators
When they move on, the area is still rich with wildlife especially faunas depending on the protective microclimates of kopjes. These Kopjes are water collecting basin-like rocks and predators like lions, leopards and jackals keep vigil from above to see what prey will come to drink. Aardvark and pangolin are strange creatures that eat termite mounds. Hedgehogs, hares, and voles from Africa dart about the rocks, while colourful lizards scurry across them.
The dry season pasture provided by the Southern Serengeti particularly around the Maswa Game Reserve attracts more animals to the area even if it is not for calving.
Western Serengeti Wildebeest Migration
This is some times called the Grumeti wildebeest migration because it takes place across the Grumeti River. The Western wildebeest migration takes place in Western part of Serengeti National Park during the rainy season, which lasts from April to June. Large herds of grazers, led by Wildebeest and followed by grazing partners such as Elands, Zebras, Gazelles, and others, mill around the Serengeti’s Western Corridors south of the Grumeti River.
This is one of the deadliest Serengeti migrations due to a high concentration of predators both on land and on water in the Grumeti River including giant crocodiles but hundreds of people die during this migration compared to any other Serengeti migration. Western Serengeti safaris transport you beneath an unending sky of the Serengeti’s vast plains where you may witness the present drama unfold. The seasonal Mbalageti River which dries during the dry season but feeds more animals in the area before that has some permanent residents of wildebeest population who do not migrate but always live around.
Around the Grumeti River gorgeous and unusual animals such as the black and white colobus monkey, patas monkey, olive baboon, impala, topi, waterbuck, wildebeest, antelopes, and others can be found.
Northern Serengeti Wildebeest migration
The Northern Serengeti migration is the most well-known and is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It takes place in the far north of Serengeti National Park in the Lamai Triangle. It is the world’s largest and most massive wildebeest migration.
The wildebeest migrate from July to September crossing the Mara River and traveling through the Serengeti Maasai Mara habitat on their way to Kenya’s Maasai Mara national reserve.
The Northern wildebeest migration is more spectacular with wildebeest and other grazers throwing themselves into water in the presence of larger Nile crocodiles. It’s fascinating that while humans cannot predict the exact date of migration other animals particularly predators can camp out in advance waiting for the perfect moment to begin.
The river takes a huge toll on the exhausted and terrified wildebeest who rush through its torrential flow with some drowning helplessly others foundering in narrow defiles. Floundering in mud falling prey to crocodiles staggering exhausted to dry land and often in confusion of returning to the same scene of their ordeal, allowing the cycle to repeat itself.
In conclusion, every wildebeest wishes to cross and survive but crocodiles rely on the animals for their meal and lunch complicating matters.
