The lesser known Loita Migration
11 Oct 2013 6:28 PM GMT
The migration of over one million wildebeest, and thousands of eland, Thompson's gazelle and Burchell's zebra from the Serengeti Plains to the Masaai Mara is an annual phenomenon known to most passionate about wildlife. But the crowds, and booking of accommodation, months if not a year in advance make the dream of seeing this spectacle a rather difficult feat for most tourists.
But the thundering sound of herbivore hooves on the African Savannah while crossing rivers in search of greener pastures is not limited to the larger Masaai Mara National Reserve. The migration of between 300,000 and 500,000 zebra and wildebeest arrives in Ol Kinyei Conservancy home to Porini Mara Camp and the Gamewatchers Ol Kinyei Adventure Camp from the Loita Plains, which is located northeast of the Reserve, between June and July.
Naturally, this spectacle is determined by the availability of grazing land which is also dependent on rainfall. Typically, the wildebeests move north-west from the short grassy lands of the Serengeti and Grumeti River. This crossing is their first real test to get to the other side without being feasted upon by the crocs! The herds keep moving north, eventually reaching the Kenyan border in the Maasai Mara. Here again, our friends face a fate only be-known to those few, who know deep in their hearts, today may be their last day on earth.
The mass of the groaning beasts remain in the Mara grasslands until October or November. As the storms start to gather in the Serengeti, the herds return to their breeding grounds. By the time they calm their thumping hearts and slow their journey, the grounds are once again green and lush, and this is now a return to the beginning... in a few months, the parade across the East African borders will repeat in its never-ending cycle.
With predator populations within the Conservancy growing, guests are sure to have a true safari experience with fewer crowds and enjoy the breathtakingly beautiful landscapes that the conservancies of the Mara ecosystem have to offer.
Check out this amazing video (www.bit.ly/17RALEG) on the Wildebeest's struggle to remain alive.
The author is the marketing executive for Gamewatchers Safaris in Nairobi, Kenya (www.porini.com). She is a third generation Kenyan-Indian who, after considerable world travel, has made Kenya her home again. She has a passion for eco-tourism and wildlife conservation, two topics that regularly creep up in her newsletters. In her free time, Aleema is a keen photographer and enjoys fulfilling her New Year’s resolution that she made in the year 2000, to visit one new place every year. (aleema@gamewatchers.co.ke)
But the thundering sound of herbivore hooves on the African Savannah while crossing rivers in search of greener pastures is not limited to the larger Masaai Mara National Reserve. The migration of between 300,000 and 500,000 zebra and wildebeest arrives in Ol Kinyei Conservancy home to Porini Mara Camp and the Gamewatchers Ol Kinyei Adventure Camp from the Loita Plains, which is located northeast of the Reserve, between June and July.
Naturally, this spectacle is determined by the availability of grazing land which is also dependent on rainfall. Typically, the wildebeests move north-west from the short grassy lands of the Serengeti and Grumeti River. This crossing is their first real test to get to the other side without being feasted upon by the crocs! The herds keep moving north, eventually reaching the Kenyan border in the Maasai Mara. Here again, our friends face a fate only be-known to those few, who know deep in their hearts, today may be their last day on earth.
The mass of the groaning beasts remain in the Mara grasslands until October or November. As the storms start to gather in the Serengeti, the herds return to their breeding grounds. By the time they calm their thumping hearts and slow their journey, the grounds are once again green and lush, and this is now a return to the beginning... in a few months, the parade across the East African borders will repeat in its never-ending cycle.
With predator populations within the Conservancy growing, guests are sure to have a true safari experience with fewer crowds and enjoy the breathtakingly beautiful landscapes that the conservancies of the Mara ecosystem have to offer.
Check out this amazing video (www.bit.ly/17RALEG) on the Wildebeest's struggle to remain alive.
The author is the marketing executive for Gamewatchers Safaris in Nairobi, Kenya (www.porini.com). She is a third generation Kenyan-Indian who, after considerable world travel, has made Kenya her home again. She has a passion for eco-tourism and wildlife conservation, two topics that regularly creep up in her newsletters. In her free time, Aleema is a keen photographer and enjoys fulfilling her New Year’s resolution that she made in the year 2000, to visit one new place every year. (aleema@gamewatchers.co.ke)
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