Tanzania Safari and travel to East Africa
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Tanzania Safari and travel to East Africa
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| The Wildebeest Migration - April to June | ||||||||||||||||||||
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In April the wildebeest migration is usually spread out across the plains of the northern Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the southern Serengeti. There are thousands of young wildebeest calves on the plains - along with predators waiting for easy pickings.
In May, the rains stop, the land dries up and the wildebeest mow the grazing to stubble. The herds are forced to start moving. The great journey starts in a rather disorderly manner. A few of the 1.5 million individuals decide it's time to go and start off towards Lake Victoria and the Western Serengeti; the others eventually follow. Individuals and small groups gradually merge into vast herds on the march. Given the fact that the exact timing of the wildebeests' departure from the plains is completely dependent upon when the rains end in May, it is a good idea to try several different locations if you are on safari at this time of year. The migration could reach the Western Serengeti anytime from early May to early June, depending on when the southern plains dry up. Late May to early June is also when the wildebeest breed. The wildebeest rut depends on the availability of food and the animals' condition, but, whenever it happens, all the mature animals come into |
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breeding condition at the same time. Breeding males bellow and grunt to advertise their presence, see off rivals and round up females to keep them from walking away, and the calves and females constantly call to each other so they don't get separated in all the confusion. The resulting cacophony is quite something! By June, the migration should be in full swing as the herds make their way from the plains to their transitional range located in the Western Serengeti. The mass movements of the migration, combined with the wildebeest rut at the beginning of June makes this an exciting time for a safari in the Serengeti.
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