The wildebeests slowly heading south

Over the last few days, the wildebeests seems to be in a general southward heading. All the crossings we witnessed last week was of animals crossing the rivers, Talek, Olare-orok and Mara were of animals in motion heading south. The light rain we experienced int eh Mara and north Serengeti may have traceried this movement. Having, having just come from central Serengeti, i found it still dry, therefore the wildebeests might just make one more circle then back into the Mara before making final exit towards mid or end of next month

The migration peaks in Masai Mara

There is only one word to describe the situation in the Mara at the moment, ‘It is all wildebeest’. The concentration of the migrating herds is now almost spread out across the whole reserve. The Serengeti herds in the past week kept streaming in from the south with the leading herds pushing further north and others west wards into the Mara triangle. These kept crossing the River by look out hill over the week. We had some light rains recently int eh Mara and this made more herds head here. Many other herbivores on the greater Mara ecosystem have also joined the migrating herds. Most of the Mara plains are still teeming with a sea of over grown red oat grass. To most herbivores this is quite tough and rough for their digestive systems and this explains why the herds have just been rushing through the reserve when there is plenty of grass.

The have a heavy crossing activity at the paradise crossing point over the week as herds cross over to the west of the Mara River. These were mainly the Loita herds from the north east around Musiara gate. These have been moving en masse across Paradise plain to the River and crossing over west. Many have been dying from predation by crocodiles and others from trampling in the stampede in the river. It was a week full of excitement for the Mara visitors some of whom had to stay the whole day to witness this natural phenomenon.

THE PAST WEEK IN PICTURES