Change in the migration pattern

After posting my update on  the migration last week, things have changed in regard to wildebeests movement. The wildebeest have made another dramatic come back. Over the last few days, the concentration in the south of the reserve swelled to an enormous number. Most of the herds as per our previous update have made a complete cycle in the past two weeks. They moved from the eastern part of the river, crossed west onto the Mara Triangle, then south into northern Serengeti and east from there before re-entering the Mara, crossing the Sand river south of look out hill. Looking down into northern Serengeti, just beyond the border, one can see thousands of animals on the plains heading north into the Mara. There is now a high concentration of wildebeests south of the Mara triangle. These are now crossing the Mara river east to Lookout hill.

I can only say of the present activities, the migration has started again. There is a higher concentration around lookout hill and east to the central plains. For the past three days, our guests have witnessed many animals crossing below lookout hill. The animals are crossing east onto the central plains. In the triangle the concentration is around Oldoinyo Olkineji and south to the border of Serengeti.

While all these are going on in the south, the northern section of the park seems to have slipped into a brief quite period. The area around Musiara gate/marsh has only a handful of wildebeest whereas earlier in the month, this area was all covered with wildebeests. On the triangle as well, the northern section is still empty. We expect huge crossings at paradise in the coming week when the animals will start crossing the river east to paradise plains. 

 Map showing concentraion

 wildebeests at cul de sac earlier

Wildebeests crosses the river at cul de sac

Migration 2013 update 2

The migration took a dramatic change at the end of the past week. All the excitement at the crossing died out when most of the herds from the eastern side of the Mara River crossed west. Once on the Mara triangle (The western side of the park) most herds headed south into northern Serengeti. This was a quick exit, since they were expected to stay in the Mara till November as is always the case. Our observation shows that the change in the rain pattern played a role in this change of events. Driving along the border shows that the herds have settled on the northern side of Serengeti. 

Most of the central Mara is now almost empty except for some isolated herds to the north around between Rhino ridge and Topi plain and to the south just below look out hill. All is not lost because the movement of the herds inside Serengeti shows they are bound for the Mara again.

  

From experience, as was the case in 1998, 2005 and 2009, when wildebeests disappeared only to return shortly, the herds will be on their way into the Mara again. However the change in the rain patterns and the prolonged dry spell in the Mara is believed to be the cause of the changes in the concentration and duration of stay in the Mara. There is however plenty to see  even when the wildebeests are gone. the lions are being seen daily and so are cheetahs.

Map of the Mara showing the location of the wildebeests currently

 Wildebeests migrate south into Northern Serengeti