Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari Tanzania

Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari Tanzania

Serengeti National Park plays a host to one of Africa’s greatest wildlife spectacles in the entire animal kingdom, the wildlife migration referred to as “The Great Wildebeest migration”, is even made extraordinary by the supporting cast of predators including lions, leopards, hyenas, and cheetah. The Serengeti’s southern plains host the highest concentration of predators in Africa during the wildebeest calving season (January-March). The peak of the migration is the epic and spectacular Mara River crossing stage in the northern Serengeti with the raging Mara River the largest obstacle to the migration’s progress (July-September/ October depending on the rains). With millions of Hooves tormenting the ground a thunder-like Noise is hard with the dusty cloud as the herds bunch up on the riverbank before taking the plunge; The Nile Crocodiles wait for the drama as the ambitious wildebeest struggle to reach fresh grazing plains in the Masai Mara. Little do they know; the infamous Mara lions form an intimidating viciously waiting across the plains.

Wildlife during the Serengeti annual Wildebeest Migration

Over 1.6 million wildebeest will lead the way as the rains approach in the Serengeti in late October or November and this is accompanied by 400,000 Thomson’s gazelle, 300,000 Zebra, and 12,000 Eland. These are the main migrators and they cross the ranges of over a quarter of a million other resident herbivores and, of course, carnivores. The lions, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, and lesser predators will always follow the migration and this will be evident as more numbers of predators are seen following the wildebeest migration at the beginning of the circle.

What to expect during the Serengeti Wildebeest Migration

The great migration usually takes place in an area of about 40, 000 square kilometers pretty much defined by the dominant migration routes of the white-bearded wildebeest in what is regarded o as the Masai Mara and Serengeti ecosystem which is divided by the Mara River so being at the right time at the right place is all that it takes to witness the River crossing as the Wildebeest do not have defined crossing points, the crossing points change time to time depending on the obstacles faced as the wildebeest trek from southern Serengeti through the western corridor crossing Lakes and Rivers.

Predators during the Serengeti wildebeest migration

Some of the common predators during the Annual Wildebeest migration are Lions, cheetahs, Hyenas, leopards, and jackals will follow along together with vultures.