How many wildebeest in a herd

There are more than 3, lions currently living in the Serengeti ecosystem that follow the migratory herds across the reserve. For a more detailed description of the great wildebeest migration, including a detailed month-by-month diary, read The Great Migration Explained. If you are not yet a member, see how to JOIN below this story.

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Natural history , Opinion Editorial. Natural history. Submit Privacy Policy. Get Weekly Updates. Download Trip Details. Please send me a free page catalog of the World's Greatest Nature Journeys.

Thank You! Click here to see your trip details PDF. You should also receive it by email momentarily. Get the Catalog. Together, Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Fund have teamed up to arrange nearly a hundred nature travel experiences around the globe, while helping to protect the spectacular places we visit and their wild inhabitants.

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View Our Digital Catalog. Help us save paper! If you'd prefer a mailed copy, please provide your contact details here. To view our digital catalog, please enter your info below. Send Us a Message. Use the form below to send us a comment or question. Refer a Friend. Earn rewards for referring your friends! Refer Friend Privacy Policy. Wildebeests measure between 5 and 8 feet in length and have a tail length of 14 to 22 inches. Wildebeests have a long, rectangular-shaped head.

Both males and females possess lengthy horns that spring outward from the base of their head and form curved semicircles, pointing slightly backward. In adult males, the horns are heavily embossed. The different subspecies of the wildebeest vary in color, ranging from slate gray to dark brown, with males darker than females. All wildebeests have short hair covering their bodies, with black vertical stripes of longer hair on their back.

The Great Migration can be enjoyed year round. The first few months of the year offer exceptional predator encounters in Tanzania's Serengeti as this is the calving season for the wildebeest and newborns make for easier targets.

By July, the herds are heading north into the central Serengeti where the wildebeest make their first river crossing, and take their chances against the waiting crocodiles. You can read more here about what to expect from the migration each month as well as which of our camps are best positioned to enjoy this spectacle at those times of year. Throughout every year in East Africa, wildebeest along with zebra, gazelle and other animals, migrate in spectacular herds comprising millions of animals altogether across Kenya and Tanzania.

This is known as the Great Migration. Read more here for the best safari camps to stay at during a Great Migration vacation. Kenya Safari Kenya is the original African safari destination and still one of the best. Tanzania With almost a third of its land protected for wildlife viewing and some of the best game parks on the continent, safari is a way of life in Tanzania. Ngorongoro Home of the Ngorongoro Crater, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area has a high concentration of wildlife and staggering volcanic scenery.

Great Wildebeest Migration. Asilia Adventures. The Great Wildebeest Migration One of the most sought-after experiences for wildlife and nature enthusiasts, the Great Migration is the ever-moving circular migration of over a million animals across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. What is the Great Migration. How the Great Migration moves throughout the year Whether the wildebeest are dropping calves or attempting to cross rivers while avoiding predators, the migration is constantly on the move throughout the year.

The Great Migration in January, February and March Around January each year, the migration will be finishing a southward trek, moving along the eastern edge of the Serengeti and into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The Great Migration in April and May After bearing their young in February and March, around April the wildebeest herds begin to drift northwest toward the fresher grass of the central Serengeti, drawing with them thousands of zebra and smaller groups of antelope.

The Great Migration in August, September and October By August, the herds have faced the challenge of crossing the Mara River and are spread throughout the Masai Mara's northern region, with many remaining in the northern Serengeti. The Great Migration in November and December After the East African short rains in late October and early November, the wildebeest move down from Kenya and into the eastern limits of the Serengeti past Namiri Plains , an area known for outstanding cheetah sightings.

Ready to plan a Great Migration safari? Featured Great Migration Itineraries. More about the Great Wildebeest Migration. Tourism Created with Sketch. Called the Great Migr…. Frequently asked questions about the Great Migration. What is the Great Wildebeest Migration? Predators feast on newborns and you'll likely witness action-packed scenes of calves being run down by cheetah or snatched by lions. The pressure of predators is one of the reasons why nearly half a million wildebeest are born so close together.

It's nature's numbers game. While many become the prey that sustains lion prides, enough survive to secure the future of the great herds. If you aren't prepared to witness baby animals getting killed by predators, consider going on a Wildebeest Migration safari during another time of the year. It's an ever-moving journey with various other events that occur throughout the year.

If you are comfortable with real-life National Geographic scenes, this is a great time to go on safari. Wobbly young calves learn to run, and moms and babies across the plains spend time bonding.

Of course, predator action is guaranteed during calving season and involves heart-stopping chases. But the predators don't always 'win': zebras can deliver a kick powerful enough to crack a lioness's jaw, and wildebeest can out-run their hunters. Where the predators do succeed, you can look forward to scavenger action: it's a great time to see vultures out in force as they perform their critical job of wilderness housekeeping. Yes, about two million wildebeest and zebra follow the rains on a 3 kilometre 1 mile journey, but they don't travel all together all the time.

Half of them would starve if they did! They split into what are known as 'mega-herds', which consist of thousands and thousands of individuals travelling on slightly different routes in more or less the same direction. After the rut mating season from about April to May, those that did not mate often break away from the others and form their own herds that travel through the central Serengeti.

The animals form huge columns — sometimes up to 40 kilometres 25 miles in length — that can be seen across the plains. Members of mega-herds can be quite spread out, with the forerunners arriving at a new place sometimes a day or two ahead of the stragglers — kind of an 'early warning system' for safari guides.

Being in the right place at the right time often depends on what exactly you want to see. Here's a guideline with approximate dates of events:.

Most people think that the Migration only takes place between July and October, but that's not the case. It's actually a fluid, year-round movement with various but equally exciting events. The popular river crossings usually coincide with safari's high season June to October , hence the perception that this is the only time of the year to see the Wildebeest Migration.

Although the river crossings are absolutely riveting, they're only a small part of this epic journey.