SERENGETI MIGRATION UPDATE
24th July 2008
The Migration herds are all in the Northern Serengeti area but still spread out, from Ikorongo area through to Bolagonja. Clients started seeing the first crossings of the Mara River about a week ago. While some of the wildebeest will head into the Maasai Mara for the dry season, others will equally stay on the Tanzanian side of the border and others will cross back and forth. The wildebeest are not interested in the politics but just where the grazing and water are. Again this has started early this year as we would normally expect the crossings from early August but this is a good three weeks early repeating the pattern of the season.
10th July 2008
The dry in the Serengeti has meant a quick change in the Wildebeest movements over the last week or so. Seven days ago, there were still substantial numbers in the Western corridor while the front runners had moved off. Suddenly, within a couple of days, the Corridor emptied and the mass of herds moved out. They are now spread out on the northern Serengeti area, along the border area, with some of the herds already crossed into Kenya.
There has been some rain up in the northern area, unlike further south, so it is a bit early to tell where the majority of the herds will spend the dry season. Obviously their priority is the best type of grazing and standing water to drink. The Western corridor is dry but there is still excellent action to be seen. A pride of lion stalked a giraffe yesterday and would have achieved their kill had it not been for a herd of elephants that chased them away.
Sadly there are still many fires throughout the park, which is a cause for concern in a drought where all grazing is precious. Some areas are so dry that they are now burning very hot and do not leave much edible grass behind.
1st July 2008
Following on from the very sparse rains in the Serengeti over the last few months, the park is drying up fast. At the end of June, we would expect the Grumeti River to be flowing still but the pools are already forming. For the last two weeks there has been plenty of migration activity throughout the Western corridor area, but there are real signs now that they are moving northwards, earlier than usual, which means heading up through Western Serengeti and Ikorongo and moving across up towards Lobo and Bolagonja. The front runners are already in the Tagora Plains area.
The game is still good in the Western/Central part of the park and the northern areas have received more rain than further south.
24th May 2008
The rains have been very unpredictable across the country. Some areas have been hit by serious flooding and crop damage while others look as if they might be heading for a drought.
The Crater Highlands are the balance in this weather pattern. East of the range there has been lots of rain but the Western side has not been so lucky. The Serengeti plains are drying out early and the Parks have started their early burning. However, in many places, the grass is already well dried.
The Wildebeest are likely to move off before the norm. Currently there are scattered groups across a wide area and even some still high up towards the crater where there is good grazing and water. However, they have all moved from the short grass plain areas and are focussed more on central Serengeti.
28th March 2008
Easter came early for many this year. The spring hares and African hares were plentiful and the weather decided to join in the fun. Over the last two weeks, there have been dramatic skies, thunder and lightening and heavy showers all over the northern circuit. For the last few years, the long rains at the end of the green season have not broken until mid-April but this year was different.
The rains were very welcome in the Serengeti where a long dry patch during late Feb and early March had meant that the wildebeest had dispersed and moved out of the short grass plains and south into the Macau, Maswa and Simyu areas. As soon as the heavens opened, the long lines of wildebeest headed straight back to the Ndutu area arriving in force over the Easter weekend.
The weather predications for the next week still indicate more rain to come but it might ease off in intensity towards the end of the coming week.
This rain is especially welcome as the general rainfall figures over the last 3 months have been low which can then cause a problem later on as the dry season sets in.
26th February 2008
The rains have carried on in their unenthusiastic way, this season. Some heavy showers but mostly localised and not sustained. Consequently the main Migration herds are quick to move where the best options for food and water are. In the last two weeks, they have spent time in the Loliondo, Gol and Sanjan area but as soon as it started drying up, they moved south and west, passing through Ndutu onto the mid grass plains the other side.
Since the Migration does not move as one, there are still pockets of wildebeest to be found all over this area but the main concentrations are in the south and west. The forecast shows light showers towards at the end of the week, though these are unpredictable. The calving season is also nearing an end with the majority of the babies already here. Despite this, the other game remains excellent throughout the whole south and eastern areas of the eco-system, with plenty of cheetah and lion sightings.
5th January 2008
The first showers arrived in good time this year. They were neither early nor late, not too heavy nor light. In mid month, the plains started greening up so that for Christmas, there was a bright green down all across the short grass plains. The Wildebeest responded by moving en masse to the richer pastures. The first groups arrived in mid Dec and larger herds arriving in time for Christmas dinner and the New year Celebrations. The Migration viewing has been excellent all across the southern Serengeti from Moru & Kusini though to Ndutu & Naibardat area as well as north to Barafu and Gol.
With the Migration, comes the attendant predators, the Nomads and the residents. The Eurasian Migrant birds are also here in full force. Large flocks of Adim’s storks were a feature of the month. With the short green grass, it is much easier to spot.
There has not been much more rain since the first showers, so even though it is green, the dust has made a quick reappearance. In order for the Migration to stay in this area and for the grass, we would like to see some more substantial showers. There has been some build up over this last week, and we hope there will be some showers coming up over the ‘no moon’ period.
Serengeti Safari Camp is now located in Ndutu, in the southern Serengeti.
26th November 9007
The main herds still seem to be straddling the border, the perfect ambassadors for the East African Community. Many are in the Lemai Wedge, north of the Mara River, where the grazing is still good. The floods of late Sept/early Oct in Kenya have completely receded and the level of the river is again low.
There have been light showers in the north West area of the Serengeti, though little elsewhere in the eco-system and therefore it seems unlikely that they will head south for a bit. While the Wildebeest often start moving off before we realise there is a hint of the rains coming, they won’t go until they are sure they will get enough sustenance. In the last few years, the date of their return to the rich southern short grass plains has varied from mid November to the end of January. Though in almost all years, by mid Dec, they are in the central plains of the Serengeti, if not further towards Ndutu.
31st October 2007
The focus of the main migration herds is still up in the North Western Serengeti, along the Mara River and the grazing grounds in the area. The heavier than expected showers of a few weeks ago mean that there is plenty of grazing around much of the northern Serengeti and general game remains very good as well. There has been no rain recently but there are indications that it might be building up.
As there have been no major large bush fires this year, and the grass remains nutritious and plentiful, both game and Maasai cattle are doing well compared to this time last year, when the country was still struggling with bad drought conditions.
Last month for a few days, the heavy rains in the Mau Hills, and the headwaters of the Mara River flooded many areas in southern Kenya. The impact was felt by the younger yearlings who struggled to cross the rapid flowing waters during this period. There were many more drownings reported than usual at this specific time.
More information on the Migration in the Serengeti and Mara eco-systems can be found on the ATTA website at www.atta.co.uk.
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