Great Wildebeest Migration
Every year, the Maasai Mara/Serengeti wildebeest migration offers this amazing natural spectacle. The sheer numbers are astounding: up to two million animals, including gazelles, zebras, and wildebeest, travel in a clockwise direction throughout this vast ecosystem in search of fresh water and grazing.
The Great Migration, the continuous circular migration of more than a million animals throughout the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, is one of the most sought-after experiences for wildlife and nature lovers. In search of water and grazing, the constantly shifting columns of wildebeest, accompanied by numerous companions, travel along an ancient path. They travel across the Masai Mara plains in Kenya, all the way south into Tanzania, through the Serengeti to the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater, and then make a clockwise circuit up and around. As thousands of animals are taken by predators and thousands more are born to replenish the population and maintain the circle of life, there is constant high drama along the way.
It’s a drama on a truly epic scale: the migrating herds face numerous obstacles and hardships as they travel from one area to another, and they are continuously attacked by predators, none more so than Africa’s big cats and the infamously enormous crocodiles that wait at different river crossing locations. Large numbers of zebras and smaller numbers of Grant’s gazelle, Thomson’s gazelle, eland, and impala accompany the great Serengeti wildebeest migration. These follow a fairly predictable yearly pattern. They move all year long in search of new grazing and, it is now believed, higher-quality water.
How the Great Migration moves throughout the year
The migration is always moving throughout the year, whether the wildebeest are dropping calves or trying to cross rivers while dodging predators. Continue reading to find out where the Great Migration typically occurs at various times of the year.
January, February, and March Migration
Every year around January, the migration completes a journey southward, passing through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and along the eastern edge of the Serengeti. The plains in this area are abundant in nutrient-rich grass, giving the herds the ideal environment for rearing their young calves.
It seems reasonable to refer to the wildebeests’ birthing season as the beginning of the migration, despite the fact that this migratory circuit has no true beginning or end other than birth and death. The herds move into the short-grass plains surrounding Olduvai Gorge and the lower northern slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater highlands in late January or early February. In two to three weeks, about 400,000 calves—nearly 8,000 new calves every day—are born here.
Due to the sheer number of wildebeest, the surrounding predators are able to hunt with ease as a result of the abundance of vulnerable young calves. Olakira, Kimondo, and Ubuntu are Asilia’s migration camps in the southern Serengeti that offer direct access for those who want to see calving and the drama of big cats on the hunt.
April and May Migration
Thousands of zebras and smaller groups of antelope are drawn to the wildebeest herds as they drift northwest toward the fresher grass of the central Serengeti in April after giving birth to their young in February and March. By May, columns of wildebeest begin to gather near the Moru Kopjes, near Dunia Camp, one of the few camps in the Serengeti that provides migration viewing during this time of year. The columns stretch for several kilometers. Male wildebeests engage in head-to-head combat during mating season, which starts around the end of May. The wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle continue their leisurely journey through “the rut,” grazing along the way.
The wildebeest begin to congregate in the Western Corridor of the Serengeti as the movement gradually gains momentum. The Ubuntu Migration Camp will have moved at this time of year in order to track the migration and give visitors a chance to see the wildebeest cross the Grumeti River. Along the river’s pools and channels, which they must cross in order to continue their journey, the herds gather in enormous numbers. There are still enough wildebeest to give the Grumeti crocs a veritable feast, even though this isn’t as spectacular as the well-known Mara crossings. It is important to remember that May is Ubuntu’s off-peak month. At this time of year, safaris are very affordable because there aren’t many visitors to the Serengeti, but the wildlife viewing is still very good.
Migration in June and July
Large numbers of wildebeest can be found in the Western Serengeti and on the southern banks of the Grumeti River in June, when the dry season begins. Crossing the crocodile-infested river is the first of many difficult and stressful river encounters that each migrating animal must endure.
The hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra continue to travel north along the western edge of the park as June turns into July, heading toward the Mara River in the northern Serengeti, an even more dangerous barrier. One of the most thrilling wildlife events on Earth is undoubtedly these river crossings. Although the timing varies depending on the weather, they typically start in July at the start of the peak season.
In July, the herds are usually found in the northern Serengeti. The animals that have successfully crossed the Mara River will also be found in the Masai Mara later in July. Rekero Camp visitors can witness river crossings directly from the camp’s main deck while on a Kenyan safari. Daily river crossings at the Mara and Talek rivers, which are frequently at the center of amazing scenes, are visible at this time.
August, September, and October Migration
By August, the herds had struggled to cross the Mara River and were dispersed throughout the northern Masai Mara, with many of them still in the northern Serengeti. The panic and confusion at the crossings, coupled with waiting predators and surging currents, can result in a significant death toll during years when the river is at full flow. In addition to the lions and other large predators that patrol the banks, ready to ambush any wildebeest that manages to cross over, the crocs take a toll even in years of gently flowing water. There isn’t just one crossing; in some places, there are only a few people, while in others, a large number of animals are moving nonstop for hours.
The main chaos had subsided by September or October, and the migrating columns had progressively shifted eastward. But as they get ready to cross the Mara River once more on their way back south, the wildebeest will have to deal with its heavy waters once more.
November and December Migration
The wildebeest migrate from Kenya into the eastern boundaries of the Serengeti, past Namiri Plains, an area renowned for exceptional cheetah sightings, following the East African short rains in late October and early November. They are dispersed throughout the eastern and southern regions by December.
In the deep south of the Serengeti, the grasses are lush with rain in the early months of the new year. This draws hundreds of thousands of zebras and other plains animals, as well as herds of wildebeest. As the calving season resumes, the cycle continues.
GREAT MIGRATION FACTS
- More than 1.35 million western white-bearded wildebeest eat about 4,800 tons of grass every day.
- Every year, more than 250,000 calves are born. Four-fifths of them are born during a short calving period of just a few weeks on the short grass plains in mid-February, when there are 8,000 to 12,000 births per day. About 70,000 of these calves will die each year from being eaten, drowning, being separated from their mother, and other things. About half of them will live to be adults.
- The calves can move around in 3 to 7 minutes and can keep up with the herd soon after.
- During the rut, when bulls fight each other for territory, about 300,000 female wildebeest get pregnant in less than a month.
- The short grass plains between Nabi Gate and the Ngorongoro highlands are very good for wildebeest to give birth because of the volcanic ash that fell there thousands of years ago. These grasses pull calcium, sodium, nitrogen, and phosphorus from the shallow soil, which is good for cows that are pregnant and then later nursing.
- The Serengeti–Mara–Ngorongoro ecosystem needs about 1.6 million animals (wildebeest and zebra) to migrate every year to stay healthy and strong.
- The wildebeest is a “keystone species” because it eats more than 1.7 million tons of grass each year, which changes the environment it lives in. It opens up a lot of pasture for other animals, like zebras, hartebeests, and gazelles. In other words, it is an important “cog” that helps make the Serengeti’s grasslands varied and useful. The migration alone puts 3500 tons of dung into the ecosystem every day (about 70 train car loads!), which is good food for plants and about 100 different kinds of dung beetles.
- The Mara River is the only water source in the Serengeti that can support the great migration during the dry season. If dams and cutting down trees upstream dry up the river, it will be a huge disaster. About 500,000 wildebeest would probably die in the first year.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
The migration occurs year-round, but different seasons offer different highlights. From January to March, visitors can witness the calving season in the southern plains of Serengeti National Park. From July to October, the herds move north where travelers have the best chance of seeing the famous Mara River crossings.
Most travelers see the migration in Serengeti National Park, one of Africa’s most famous wildlife destinations in Tanzania. Depending on the time of year, the herds move through the southern, central, western, and northern Serengeti.
Most travelers spend between 5 and 8 days on a migration safari. This allows enough time to explore different parts of the Serengeti ecosystem and often includes visits to other iconic destinations like Ngorongoro Crater or Tarangire National Park.
The river crossing is one of the most dramatic moments of the migration when thousands of wildebeest attempt to cross the Mara River while facing strong currents and crocodiles. These crossings usually occur between July and October in northern Serengeti National Park.
Yes, the Great Migration is widely considered one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on Earth. Seeing massive herds stretching across the plains and witnessing predator interactions in the wild makes it one of the most unforgettable safari experiences in Tanzania.
Travelers can choose from luxury lodges, tented camps, and mobile camps located in strategic areas of the Serengeti National Park. Many migration camps move seasonally to follow the herds and provide the best wildlife viewing opportunities.
