Africa’s Serengeti Migration may just be the greatest show on earth! Over a million wildebeest participate in the migration as well as hundreds of thousands of Zebras and Thompson’s gazelles. Relentlessly tracked by Africa’s great predators, these animals migrate in a clockwise fashion over 1,800 miles of the Serengeti ecosystem each year in search of greener grasses. There is no real beginning or end to the pilgrimage for these animals – it is an endless journey in search of food and water that climaxes in a new generation of baby calves born on the southern plains in the early green season.

Many of our guests on safari this month witnessed wildebeest calves at the moment of birth. This never ceases to impress people as new life replenishes the plains in such vast numbers. The saying “there is safety in numbers” is exceedingly true during wildebeest calving. Instinctually, females join together from different directions to form huge living barricades providing added protection at their most vulnerable time – birth. One of the reasons the females gather on the short-grass plains is to be able to have the best view of approaching predators as there is little vegetation to hide their presence. The other reason is the mineral content of the short grasses, rich in magnesium and calcium which is critical to good lactation.

We witnessed several different female groups giving birth this year (it is typical for the male and female wildebeest herds to range separately during the calving season with the males located further to the north inside the borders of the Serengeti National Park while the female herds tend to distance themselves deep in the southern extremes of the ecosystem). One group ranging about a 1-hour drive south of Ndutu deep within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the Matiti Plains area had its birth spike from about 10-Feb to 16-Feb. The largest female calving herd seen this year ranging about a 30-minute drive southwest of Ndutu had its birth spike from about 15-Feb to 22-Feb. We still have reports over the last few days of additional calving including a few on the eastern plains from Gol Kopjes through to Lemuta Hill. It seems the calving is trailing off now. The resident wildebeest herds in the Ngorongoro Crater usually calve earlier then their Serengeti counter parts. This year the herds in the Crater started calving towards the end of January into early February.

It is always a guessing game as to when and where the great wildebeest herds will drop their calves. Entirely dependent upon rainfall and grazing conditions, female wildebeest can hold off birthing for quite some time. In the most extreme dry years, we have seen the wildebeest calving being in early March in the Central Serengeti woodlands. More often then not though, the plains to the south of Ndutu and to the east of Lemuta Hill seem to be the preferred calving ground in February during ideal conditions.

In out last posting, the rains had been quite heavy towards the middle and end of December which finally drew the migration south onto the Serengeti Plains. In January and through the beginning of February we saw a general drying out trend which scattered all the migratory animals far and wide to seek the last patches of green grass and standing water. All of us here at Africa Dream Safaris were beginning to worry about the game viewing conditions (remember the old Serengeti adage that rain means game). Then, during the 2nd week of February thunder showers fell consistently all throughout the ecosystem. The rains continued during the 3rd week of February and intensified quite heavily on the 17th and 18th. The end result is the Serengeti Plains are a brilliant shade of green at the moment and game viewing is absolutely outstanding.

With the onset of the rains in February, we are now seeing large herds of wildebeest and gazelles beginning to shift from the southern plains to the eastern plains. There still remains heavy concentrations of migratory animals in the southern plains around Ndutu and Naabi but we are seeing more and more wildebeest, gazelle and zebra streaming to the eastern plains to Lemuta Hill, Nasera Rock and the Salei Plains. The Gol Kopjes at the beginning of the eastern plains are packed full of wildebeest at the moment.

The calving and the migration in general tends to steal the show in February but game viewing remains great for many other species in the Serengeti. Retina Hippo Pool in the Central Serengeti is quite full at the moment and guests have been getting some great pictures of hippos and crocodiles. The eastern game circuit from Seronera to Sametu Kopjes and further east to the Barafu Gorge and Kopjes has been rewarding with lots of good lion, cheetah and spotted hyena action. The scenery along this road is absolutely stunning, as well. Barafu Gorge has several large pools of water at the moment and has been a magnet for game throughout February.

Further to south there has been quite a lot of action on the plains between Kusini and Ndutu with plenty of lion, cheetah and hyena kills being reported. The Ndutu pride (we counted 16 total members including cubs) has been hanging around the big marsh as the wildebeest have been easy pickings when they come to the marsh to drink. There is lots of cover here for the lions to make a successful hunt. The Gol Kopjes area remains one of the best areas in the Serengeti for cheetah viewing and the Gol Kopjes lion pride has been spotted fairly frequently out on the kopjes.

We have had some very unusual sightings this February including an aardwolf on the road between Naabi Hill and Ndutu, a ratel (honey badger) on the Kusini Plains and wild dogs at Ndutu, which is something truly extraordinary. Wild dogs are rarely sighted within the Serengeti National Park though there is a small population in the Loliondo Game Reserve, which is adjacent to the Serengeti along its eastern border. Lastly, approximately 30 black rhinos (flown from South Africa) are scheduled to be released in the Serengeti over the course of 2010. The first rhinos are scheduled for release in the Lobo Valley of the Northern Serengeti in May. Currently, the Serengeti is home to only a dozen black rhinos, which are vigorously protected in the Moru Kopjes complex in the Central Serengeti. Hopefully, these magnificent animals can repopulate the Serengeti and once again roam the Serengeti.

Wildebeest Calving - Matiti Plains - February 2010

What a green season this is already shaping up to be! All of us here at Africa Dream Safaris are just ecstatic over the return of the migration to the plains. Watching the first large columns of wildebeest and zebra thunder back onto the Serengeti plains is arguably THE defining moment of the entire migration! Sure, wildebeest plunging into the crocodile-infested waters of the Mara River in the dry season is pretty impressive, the synchronized mass-birthing of wildebeest during the mid green season is a sight to behold, and even the frenzied rut of wildebeest during their northward migration is pretty remarkable! But, being witness to the first large herd of wildebeest as they pour out of the northern woodlands and back onto the southern plains at the beginning of the green season is such an incredible and awe-inspiring experience that it might just be the most brilliant highlight of the entire cycle. This is a definitive moment for the wildebeest in their annual migration; for a wildebeest to finally reach the verdant Serengeti plains at the beginning of the green season is akin to a marathon racer when he or she finally crosses that finish line.

In our last posting at the end of November, the rains had finally begun in earnest and had triggered the great herds of wildebeest, zebra, gazelle and eland to begin their southward migration. However, these rain showers diminished quickly at the beginning of December stalling the largest herds of wildebeest in the Central Serengeti, though a few smaller groupings had already made it to the plains. Then, towards the middle of December, the rains began to fall again. The ample moisture from this renewed rainfall transformed the southern and eastern Serengeti plains into an herbivore’s paradise of new grass and fresh water. The great migratory herds were not far behind! By the last week of December the remaining wildebeest herds that had temporarily taken refuge in the Central Serengeti in early December had finally flooded onto the plains and crossed that finish line.

What a splendid holiday period this has been for our guests out on safari! The end of December is always one of the busiest times of year here at Africa Dream Safaris with almost all our guides and vehicles out ‘in the bush’ so it was perfect timing to provide so many of our guests with the opportunity to welcome the great herds of wildebeest back home to their ancestral calving grounds on the short grass plains of the Serengeti.

As of today, the migration is dispersed throughout both the southern and eastern Serengeti. Uncountable numbers of migratory wildebeest, zebra, gazelle and eland, along with all the attendant predators (lion, cheetah and spotted hyena), can be seen ranging from Kusini and Ndutu on the Southern Plains to Lemuta Hill and Nasera Rock on the Eastern Plains. If the rains continue, we expect the wildebeest to head further south past Ndutu and Kusini towards the Matiti Plains and further east of Lemuta Hill to the extreme short grass, volcanic plains called the Salei Plains. The female wildebeest herds in particular seem called to these remote plains to drop their newborn calves as long as the rains continue to generate fresh green grass and potable water. These remote plains, lying deep within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, are closest to the extinct volcanoes that border this region. Because of the thick volcanic ash that settled over this area millions of years ago, the soil here produces the most nutrient rich grasses of the entire ecosystem.

Wildebeest Migration - South Serengeti - January 2010

Over the last 10 days, thundershowers have been falling throughout the Serengeti ecosystem including the far southern plains around Ndutu. Over the last week we have seen long columns of wildebeest marching south through the Central Serengeti woodlands and flooding onto the plains. This is the southward migration in full glory!

The wildebeest have just edged onto the beginning of the plains with the onset of the rains. Massive herds can be found all throughout the Central Serengeti with the main concentrations at Moru Kopjes and Maasai Kopjes. These herds stretch as far south as Simba Kopjes but they have not made it (just yet) to the far southern and eastern plains around Ndutu and Gol Kopjes, respectively. If the rains continue, we have doubt that the wildebeest will continue their southward migration and move further south down the ecosystem to Ndutu and Gol by December.

In any event, large herds of both wildebeest and zebra along with their attendant predators can easily be seen at the moment in the central areas of the park. Game viewing is incredible at the moment with these large concentrations of herbivores filling the predator rich Seronera Valley of the Central Serengeti. Needless to say the large lion prides of the Seronera area are extremely content. Much of the prides have come together in this time of plenty and almost the entire Sametu pride (over 30 members) was seen all together including its 4 resident males names by the Serengeti Lion project the Greek Gods. What a sight

Please see below for 2 pictures just submitted from our very own Dawn Anderson and Sharon Lyon who just returned from safari. The first picture is of a herd of wildebeest with the beautiful Maasai Kopjes projecting out in the background. Look how green it is! The second picture is of a group of cubs from the large Sametu lion pride taken nearby the Sametu Kopjes (the center of this lion prides territory).

Its been an extremely dry year in Northern Serengeti and the Mara River is at its lowest in recent history. The mega herds were located north of the Mara River while I was there but small groups of wildebeest were crossing (ie. walking) back and forth across the not-so-mighty Mara.

The river was so low in fact even the giraffes were attempting to cross the Mara this year.

The dry weather didnt seem to hinder ostrich romance, the males booming calls could be heard from miles away and we were an audience to one showy wing waving, head shaking dance performance which impressed a female.

We experienced a great leopard sighting around Lobo, a large male had recently killed a young zebra and was quietly feeding in the trees. In the Western Corridor rains had recently fallen enough to attract sizable wildebeest herds along the Grumeti to Kirawira. Around the Kirawira ranger post, we came upon three lions peacefully resting under a tree after a large wildebeest meal only to be rudely awakened and chased away by a group of trumpeting elephants.

Central Serengeti did not disappoint for large cats. The dry conditions around Seronera Valley only enhanced sightings of the large cats hunting during the day at predictable watering holes. Lions, cheetahs and leopards were seen daily.

Ngorongoro Crater floor was extremely hot, dusty and windy the day that we were there. Despite the temperature, we were able to spot a black rhino snoozing in the tall grass. A couple of other exciting sightings were a cheetah giving chase to a hare and a pair of falcons hunting birds at the hippo pool.

Tarangire also did not disappoint for large cats. Lions, cheetah and leopards were all seen in one day. Kudus were also spotted around Swala Camp. My personal highlight at Tarangire was witnessing a juvenile martial eagle hunt a baby impala. A herd of impalas were spread out grazing in the open when all of a sudden a martial eagle swooped down and grabbed a baby impala, lifted it 10 feet up into the air, lost its grip and dropped it. The impalas immediately grouped together, snorting and stomping and looking up into the sky for further danger, then as a group moved towards the brush for cover. The baby impala survived. It all unfolded so quickly and unexpectedly, we werent able to take any photographs. It was heart pounding to watch.

Each day we were on safari, dark clouds were slowly gathering in the east showing promise of rains to come, perhaps by now the much needed life-giving short rains have started heralding the southward migration.

Recent sporadic thunder showers have been falling throughout the Northern, Western and Central areas of the Serengeti (the Southern and Eastern Serengeti remain very dry). Though the sporadic showers have remained small (about 1 inch over the past month), they have been just enough to pull the great herds of migratory wildebeest and zebra south to areas we usually don’t see the migration occupying until well into October.

As of today, we estimate that at least 80% of the migration is currently ranging south of the Mara River given that the Lamai Triangle in the Serengeti and Masai Mara in Kenya (both watershed areas north of the Mara River) retain only scattered herds at the moment. Our guides are reporting seeing large herds throughout the North Serengeti with the largest concentrations of accessible wildebeest for tourists being located in the Wogakuria Plains. We also have reports from our scouts of massive concentrations of wildebeest ranging in the Ikorongo Game Reserve, which is adjacent to the Northern Serengeti along its western flank. There also a few scattered herds in the Western Serengeti (see lodge map of Serengeti) near Kirawira Tented Lodge though the lodge closest to herds at the moment remains Lemala Serengeti Camp, which is just south of the Mara River near the concentrations of wildebeest at Wogakuria.

The other three migratory species (zebra, gazelle and eland) that make up the migration are on completely different trajectories so to speak. Zebras traditionally move both south and north first. With the southward migration beginning, the zebra herds are (as predicted) much further south of the wildebeest with significant concentrations at Lobo Valley in the North Serengeti, Ruwana Plains in the West Serengeti and we are even seeing are first zebra herds in the Seronera Valley of the Central Serengeti. As for the large herds of gazelles that never do migrate very far off the plains in the dry season, we are seeing large concentrations in the Central Serengeti (especially at Simba Kopjes). By no coincidence our guests and guides have been reporting the majority of their cheetah sightings in these central areas, as well.

We anticipate that the southward migration will be well under way as long as the scattered showers continue to attract the great herds south. It should be a great October and November in the Seronera Valley of the Central Serengeti as the migration (both the wildebeest and zebra herds) tend to stall here during these months before making their final southward leap to the plains in December. As with all migration predictions, they are completely dependent upon rainfall patterns. If the scattered rains stop, the migration could very well march back up north and recross the Mara River this month! And, that is certainly what keeps all of us at ADS on our toes out here in the unpredictable environment of the Serengeti.

Big cat viewing remains superb with especially good leopard sightings being reported in the North Serengeti and cheetah sightings in the Central Serengeti. Lions, as described in detail in our last posting, continue to dominate the Serengeti. We had a couple rare sightings last month of black rhinos in the Moru Kopjes area. Moru is a good place to be at the moment even if you are not lucky enough to see the rhinos as we have had tremendous elephant and giraffe sightings (very large family groups) at Moru Kopjes along with some other interesting species including serval cats, bat eared foxes, plenty of waterbuck and even an elusive caracal. But, it’s tough to beat seeing the Moru lion pride lounging on one the of the those beautiful kopjes that adorn the Moru area. They do seem to pose intentionally for our photography groups!

A special thanks to Mark Deutch who recently sent in this great shot of a stream of wildebeest threading through one of the isolated plains that make up the Wogakuria area. The Wogakuria plains are truly remote and it’s quite special to see a herd of wildebeest traversing this isolated and beautiful area.

Wogakuria - North Serengeti - September 2009

Lions, lions and more lions! That just about sums up the month of August here in the Serengeti. It would seem that on just about every game drive in the Lobo Valley of the North Serengeti or in the Seronera Valley of the Central Serengeti, our guests are being overwhelmed with incredible lion action. One returning group reported seeing 142 different lions over the course of their 10 day safari (8 actual nights in the bush). Way to go Monica LaRose family. That has to be some sort of Africa Dream Safaris record!

Where do we start summarizing the lion action for August? How about Dawn Moss and her family who saw a double lion kill by the Seronera River. Dawn and her family watched a pride of 5 lioness successfully hunt 2 different Thomson’s Gazelles. The lions ambushed the gazelles as they came to drink from the Seronera River and showed exactly why lions are so successful in the Serengeti by demonstrating their cooperative hunting skills.

Then, there were Brad and Stacy Robertson who patiently waited (at the urging of their guide) near Lobo Springs in the North Serengeti for over 3 hours until a pride of 8 lioness and 2 male lions successfully overcame a loan bull buffalo. We heard it was quite an epic battle! And, how about Sharon and Matt Ebright who had an interesting experience watching a male baboon attempt to scavenge from a lion kill. Unfortunately, for the baboon there were lions hiding in the tall grass who sprang upon the baboon and quickly overpowered it.

Lastly and on a more sobering note, we had guests witness a seldom seen occurrence of lion infanticide in the North Serengeti where incoming males taking over a new pride kill all the young cubs. In doing this, the new males get rid of all the offspring that do not carry their genes and the act triggers the females to quickly enter estrous. As a result, the new pride males have a better chance of quickly raising their offspring to maturity before the next team of male rivals knocks them from power. In the competitive world of the Serengeti, male lions usually hold their tenure as pride leaders for only 2 - 4 years before being ousted. The larger the male coalition the longer the tenure. There is inherent strength in numbers and hence in the Serengeti where lion densities are so high, it is not unusual to see lion prides with coalitions of up to six males. And, what an awe inspiring sight it is to see a large coalition of males in the prime of their life roaring in unison to claim their territory (surely this is one of the most impressive experiences one can have in the Serengeti).

On the wildebeest migration front, the herds are currently splintered into 3 main groups with one group ranging from the Western Corridor into the Grumeti Game Reserve, another (the largest) is ranging from Wogakuria in the North Serengeti into the Lamai Triangle and a 3rd group is scattered throughout the Mara watershed area of the Masai Mara in Kenya. The Mara River crossings (though not as dramatic as last year due to the low water levels) have been taking place periodically throughout the entire month of August. We have seen increased crossings over the last 1 - 2 weeks as quite a few large herds of wildebeest keep crossing and recrossing both northbound and southbound (perhaps chasing the scattered thundershowers we have been receiving throughout the northern extension of the Serengeti). In any event, migration sightings of all 4 migratory herbivores in the Serengeti (wildebeest, zebra, eland and Thomson’s gazelle) remain good with the best sightings taking place at the northern tip of the Serengeti near Wogakuria and the Lamai Triangle.

In the Serengeti it’s easy to focus on the large animals especially on one’s first safari. The big cats and large herbivores (elephant, giraffe, hippo, etc.) and the famed migration tend to steal the show here in the Serengeti (and rightfully so as there is no where else in Africa where one can see this diversity of wildlife so predictably and in such a pristine setting). But, sometimes it’s the ‘little things’ that are the most rewarding. Everyone has heard of the Big 5 (elephant, leopard, buffalo, lion and rhino) but the little 5 (elephant shrew, leopard tortoise, buffalo weaver, ant lion and rhinoceros beetle) and the many other little creatures that make the Serengeti Ecosystem such an amazing place can be equally as rewarding. Perhaps the most elusive of the little 5 so to speak is the mystical pangolin. This is perhaps the rarest animal inhabiting the Serengeti (only spoken about in hush tones). As you can imagine, what a delight it was that our very own client here at Africa Dream Safaris was able to spot one. We had to see the picture with our very own eyes to believe it! In keeping with the little creatures of the Serengeti, we would like to give a special thanks to Dale and Eileen Podoll who sent in this fabulous photo of a lilac breasted roller. Here’s to the little 5! Make sure to double click on the photo to expand to full screen.

Lilac Breasted Roller - Serengeti National Park

We have some exciting news from the bush today! The first sizeable herds of wildebeest were seen crossing the Mara River yesterday in the North Serengeti a few miles from the Kogatende ranger post. A few of our lucky clients out on safari were absolutely delighted and we hear the crocodiles were equally thrilled. It’s always a magical moment every year when the first big herd of wildebeest launch themselves into the Mara River. There is no doubt now that we are in for an exciting and extended period of river crossings over the next several months as the bulk of the migration is still 60 miles to the southwest in the Western Serengeti and Grumeti Game Reserve as described in our postings below on July 20th and July 13th.

The wildebeest migration continues to be dispersed in 3 main groups. The two smaller groups are located in the Northern Serengeti (specifically with one group just north of Bologonja Springs and the other in the Lamai Triangle). The third and largest group is still stagnated in the Western Serengeti (mainly north of the Grumeti River from the Ruwana Plains into the Grumeti Game Reserve). Our colleagues in the Masai Mara are reporting only a few widely scattered herds of wildebeest. Our guides reported in today that the Western Serengeti is beginning to dry out while the Northern Serengeti has received a few thundershowers and is relatively green. Accordingly, we anticipate this large and final herd that has stalled in the Western Corridor of the park to begin moving north again towards the Mara River and the Lamai Triangle. Meanwhile our guests out on safari so far in July have been enjoying river crossings of both the Grumeti River in the West Serengeti and the Mara River in the North Serengeti, which is a very unusual phenomenon.