The Great Wildebeest Migration is one of the world’s most spectacular wildlife events. Often referred to as 'The Greatest Show on Earth' the Migration is a movement of approximately 1.5 million wildebeest and zebra throughout the Serengeti and Masai Mara ecosystems, and is a year round event with several highlights. And, yes, if you are in one of the relevant areas at the right time you are sure to see large numbers of Wildebeest, and no, there can be no guarantee that you will see the massed herds crossing the rivers with the stragglers being eaten by crocodiles. Those filmed images often involve the camera crews camping out on the river bank for many days and often weeks in order to have a chance of being in the right place at the right time!
One of the common misconceptions regarding the Migration is that people believe that the animals work to a timetable and will be in the same place at the same time every year. It is all very well to have a diagram that shows where the animals move but, in reality, it is something that it is completely impossible to predict for a number of reasons.
Firstly, the Migration is dependant on rain and the animals move back and forth following the rains. They therefore locate the best areas to feed off the new grass whilst also being close to a good water supply.
Secondly, the water supply, be it rain for the new grass or standing water to drink is never in the same place or at the same time and is quite often spread across different areas and will determine the concentrations and size of the herds.
Thirdly, and probably most importantly, they are animals and they cannot be predicted! When wildebeest number 1 thinks its best to go to the Western Corridor, half a million may follow him. Number 500001 however may well think it will be best elsewhere and take the remaining numbers with him.
What we are trying to say is that it is no good saying that we know where the animals will be. We know where they should be and, having studied their movements for the last ten years we do know roughly what to expect (although every year they surprise us).
To give you an approximate idea the Wildebeest’s travels may be summarized as follows:
In December to March the migration is in the Ndutu area in the southeast of the Serengeti - the highlight of this period is the calving season in January and February when up to half a million babies may be born.
From April to May the migration moves North into the plains of the central Serengeti; the size and concentration of the herds will depend on the weather and grazing as above but our Serengeti safari groups have had some wonderful sightings, even as early as end May.
From June to July the herds concentrate into larger groups which then usually split into two main groups, one heading West into the Western Corridor and the other heading straight up to the North of the Serengeti. This period is probably the second busiest of the year, starting with the rutting season in June, when there is much frantic activity, and ending with the crossings of the Grumeti and Mara rivers into the Masai Mara.
From August to October the migration is in the Masai Mara in Kenya where the wildebeest numbers are swollen by the local Kenyan herds from outside the Mara. During this period there are still large groups to be seen and much action to be observed with several river crossings within the Mara itself.
The end of this period is when the herds are most dispersed and their movement back into the Serengeti is governed by the advent of the “short rains” in November. It is often the case that some groups may cross and return several times, dependant as always on the availability of grazing and water - as explained above.
