The Great Migration Cycle
Considered by some to be part of the 7 Wonders of the World and also the Wildlife's World Cup, the Great Wildebeest Migration is one of those safaris that you really shouldn't miss. This is because, apart from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya, no other national park and/or reserve in Africa showcases this incredible, exciting and indescribable wonder. These parks are the only ones to show this immense movement and migration of wildebeest single handedly. Here more than 2 million animals travel from the Serengeti National Park to the Masai Mara National Reserve in the month of July to the month of October.
This great migration cuts through the Mara River in the Masai Mara area, which is widely known for its crocodiles that lurk in wait for these wildebeest. This moment is one of those most sought after by many. Larger animals await to stalk, hunt and feed on these animals as they cross over into the Maasai Mara. The Masai Mara National Reserve is also known for its high density of lions compared to the rest of the world. That's why the BBC Wildlife Channel has made its home here in the Big Cat Diary. The Great Migration usually begins around mid-June to mid-October. The big cats are usually seen from February to March, but the Christmas season is also a spectacular time.
ABOUT THE GREAT MIGRATION
Everything to do with migration takes place in the Serengeti ecosystem, which covers almost 40,000 km² and is characterized by the dominant routes of the Connochaetes Tuarinus Mearnsi (the white-bearded wildebeest). This area consists of some parts of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the southern part, the Maswa Game Reserve and the adjoining Serengeti National Park along with other restricted areas in the middle which are also in the western and eastern sectors while the Maasai Mara National Reserve is in the north part.
The main players are the wildebeest, whose numbers are said to have leveled off at under 1.7 million, along with other animals such as the Thompson's gazelle, which increase to around 400,000, while the zebras are around 300,000. The numerically smallest elands are only about 12,000. These animals play a key role in the migration process, but the least numerous predators such as the hyena, lion, cheetah and leopard also play a major role in this migration.
The truth is that there is no unified body like migration, because in this case the wildebeest can be seen as the migration itself, since for them the search for water and food is an endless journey and for them a relentless series of lives and Death in the Mara Serengeti ecosystem. Very little is predicted in terms of migration. So when questions are asked about when is the best time of year to visit and observe this migration, there are a number of different answers, drawn from different sources. Take Scott, for example, who said: “One could spend a lifetime in the Serengeti Mara waiting for the typical migration. The intricacies of herd movements are always different. It is a dynamic process that defies predictions:
The most important aspect of the environment for its population is probably the weather and the succession of 4 seasons annually, as it undoubtedly defines and influences migration. The seasons here are reasonably defined so from the month of December to February and sometimes to March is a typical 'short dry season' while the long dry season lasts from the month of June to September. Longer rains fall in a 6-week period from March to April and sometimes into May, while the short rains, which mostly fall in a 2-week period, occur from October to November. However, there are no guarantees about the given dates and times.
The Birth For
those who want to start the migration in a great place and time, the months of January and February when the young wildebeest are born is the perfect time for you. During this time over 300,000 calves are born in a period of 2 to 3 weeks after the 8.5 months mating season. This beginning (birth) takes place on the short, grassy plains scattered throughout the Olduvai Gorge, extending across the smaller northern slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater Highlands well south beyond the reach of the wildebeest.
The annual birthing season provides a platform for predators to feast on. For the tourists driving across the plain, it is easy to count the more than a dozen lions and more than a hundred hyenas scattered throughout. When the wildebeest give birth to a number of calves during this time, it seems as if the predators have the upper hand. The latter, however, are fully content during this period and cannot take more than their limit, which would not be the case if this birth occurred after a long period of time.
While it is amazing to watch any type of birth, there is nothing that beats the beauty and incredibleness of specifically observing the wildebeest during their calving season. A newborn calf acquires skills and coordination faster than any other ungulate. You can tell by the fact that it only takes 2-3 minutes for it to get up and running during delivery. These can only run after 5 minutes after birth and then sprint away from a lioness. Some of these young barely make it through their first year of life for reasons such as predation for the 1 percent of calves, fatigue, malnutrition and disease. Additionally, many of these young are separated from their mothers during panics that often occur when the herds attempt to cross barriers such as lakes and/or rivers. After that, the calves wail and cry incessantly for their mothers for days and only rarely do they succeed in their search. Since no female wildebeest is willing to adopt any calf, even if she loses her own in lactation, the lost young wildebeest are easily lost to spying predators such as jackals, lions and/or hyenas.
The beginning of the circle
The short, grassy plains in the southernmost part of the Serengeti begin to dry out during the month of March, marking the end of the short dry season. The wildebeest then continue their journey and make their way to the Western Woodlands. The question of how do they know which direction to go has come up a couple of times and there are only 2 credible answers that could answer that. The first is that these wildebeests seek out places of new grass and rain in response to weather patterns, and while there is no scientific evidence to the truth, Harvey Croze; An ecologist and behavioral scientist writes in his book The Great Migration about how they react to thunderstorms and lightning, and how shocking it is when the wildebeest ever miss these important signs of change.
The other tells how wildebeests imprinted some kind of instinctive, innate knowledge into their DNA a long time ago. So they can say which way to go. Over the years, wildebeest that moved away from the rest of the herd were lost to hunger and thirst before they could even reproduce, so only those who chose the right path were the ones who produced new generations of wildebeest.
There are 3 small lakes; Ndutu, Lagarja and Masek in the western plains in the Olduvai region, where the herds go to quench their thirst. By this time the herds were spreading all over the plain while still feeding and fattening on the short, healthy grass. They scatter not just in tens but in hundreds and thousands into the plains on the west side of Ndutu, although the reason why they scatter across the plains is still unknown. At the beginning of the long rains, these wildebeests sprint toward the distant thunderstorms, often returning almost two days later when the reality they foresaw was not certain.
The Rut
The herds move to the north-west side and past the rocky foothills of the Moru Koppies and Simba as the rain begins to pour towards Lake Victoria into the hill country forests on the west side of Seronera. This is the time when the annual rut, when part of the cows were mated during the month, as the herds merged on the plains and forests of the Serengeti's western corridor. The peak of this rut
The seemingly brutal fights between the territorial males take place in the mating season, however there is usually less actual violence and serious injury as the males have an easy say in the matter, even when they argue vigorously, as the females seek out a mate themselves.
The Crossing
The herds migrate to the north side after leaving the western Serengeti for Regen, entering Kenya's Masai Mara Game Reserve. Your journey will be interrupted a few times by different rivers such as the Grumeti and the Mbalangeti in the Serengeti and the Mara in Kenya. These rivers are fairly peaceful most of the year, but they do get violent at times as they react to the rain conditions in their various drainage basins.
The few remote lakes and rivers south of the Serengeti scare wildebeest not only because of their fear of the deep water, but also because of the hungry creatures that burrow deep in the waters. Another serious reason for their fear is the thickets and vegetation that grows around the water bodies, hiding other types of predators.
Even if it would be easier for these wildebeests to change course, their innate instinct keeps them stuck in a certain direction, regardless of the risks involved. An example is the southern lakes Lagarja, Ndutu and Masek, which are just over a kilometer long and can be easily crossed, but due to these wildebeest's instincts, they prefer to walk through the water.
Alan Root, a filmmaker, tells how he watches and when in his extraordinary migration documentary, The Year of the Wildebeest; When crossing Lake Lagarja, some calves are separated from their mothers, who after the crossing go back with the rest of the herd and swim through the water to find their young. They did this for seven days in the hope of being reunited with their young and only gave up when wildebeest numbers increased, so the movement had to continue. He says more than thousands of wildebeest have died that year, although this has really helped keep the wildebeest population from growing unchecked.
When the wildebeest reach the Mara River, they gather and wait to cross as their numbers continue to increase. Sometimes they move away from the water limits for no reason, but more often than not they choose a transition point - which varies annually. This sometimes doesn't go well because they seem to choose suicidal spots that, even with fewer predators, can easily drown their hundred wildebeest.
The Predators
When they reach the grasslands of the Maasai Mara, these wildebeests return to their fattening and feeding routine, taking advantage of the selective distribution of green pastures and inaccessible rainfall. Every aspect of these wildebeests' lives and behavior is designed to save time. This extends to on-the-go delivery and pairing.
Wildebeests migrate primarily to fill their stomachs, and their large numbers make it easier for them to outrun larger numbers of predators, which find it difficult to move long distances. This is because these predators are territorial and find it difficult for them to take over other territories, let alone give up their own. It is also quite difficult for the predators to get further away from their young, so they cannot follow these wildebeests when they move.
The End of the Circle
When the short rains of late October pour onto the short grassy plains of the Serengeti, seasonal waterholes fill and a growth spurt ensues. This is the time when the wildebeest are migrating back south. They migrate through the eastern forests of the Serengeti and with about 90 percent of the females being difficult with calves, they migrate through the wooded country in tight groups before dispersing and spreading out when they reach the open plains.
When the Great Migration Happens
The annual rains in the Serengeti fall from January to February, a time when the female wildebeests give birth, while the months of March and April are a time when the dry season sets in and most parts of this area have dried out and are abandoned . This is because most groups of animals have to travel north to Lake Victoria and this is when their mating season begins. Between June and July, many people travel to the Masai Mara to see the spectacle of more than a thousand animals running across the plains trying to cross the crocodile-infested Mara River.
Travelers most interested in river crossings should plan trips between the months of July through September, when animals migrate back and forth between the two areas. They remain in the Serengeti for good in September and only return to the Serengeti Plains, from where their journey began, at the end of the month.
There are two distinct seasons in Tanzania that are said to be the best time to witness this migration. The first is February to March when herds graze in immense numbers south of the Serengeti, while the second is July to September when river crossings are common in the northern Serengeti.
