The story of the Wildebeest

#KeWildlife – Story 9

Photo by – Natural Habitat Adventure

Every year, between May and July, the plains of Kenya are transformed in a wondrous way. We could credit this amazing phenomenon to our geographical location – we got lucky and the world travels to our country to experience this first hand.

Visualise a great herd, thousands moving together as one from the Serengeti plains in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara in Kenya.
The wildebeest is one of the antelope species, well known for their dark coat and odd humpbacked appearance.

Grassy Savanna’s and open plains are the every day habitat for this group. However, the prep to migrate is something the herd anticipates every year. Unlike most communities, the gnus – or wildebeests – migration is different. While people would roam in search of greener pasture every year in revered history, these animals only know of two locations: one for the first season and the other for the second season in their animal years. We imagine that before the season dawns, many are prepared to bolt and that could mean survival (for most), and demise for the unlucky. Either way, this is a tradition or instinct that has been followed through since time immemorial.

So when the time comes more than 1.5million wildebeest are in motion in an enormous loop. It’s a run as though being chased by imaginary danger yet danger lies in their path as when the animals cross the watery zones inhabited by Nile crocs.

But not all wildebeests that die fall to the fangs of these predators, the weakest of the group may slow down and thus be trampled on by the rest of the herd. The migration isn’t just a movement to a more relaxed land, it is survival of the fittest. Literally! The unlucky in the water zones contribute to the croc’s luck, serving as the carnivore’s meal of the day. This by far goes to show that although this movement is an anticipated one by the world, it also contributes to the animal kingdom’s food chain.

Speaking of the movement, the herd which includes other herbivores such as zebras, covers approximately 3000 kilometers during the migration. The herd will then move clockwise, back south to the Serengeti and so on.

The migration is a sight to behold and brings lovers of wildlife on safari to the Kenyan-Tanzanian plains. So each year, tourists, journalists, nature gurus and others that look forward to this natural event, journey with the wildebeests in fascination.