Migration Archives - Love Nature PhiX

Peculiar Serengeti Lions

November 17, 2019November 17, 2019
by Annica

The Great Migration of Serengeti

We planned our visit to witness the great migration – it was March 2011.

It was in the middle of calving season, but rains were late. Serengeti was gripped with a severe drought. There was only one, muddy drinking spot for kilometres around, and all the animals were forced to pass through it.

The heat of the day started slowly to subside. We thought to make a last drive-around before heading back to the camp but found four lionesses. They were positioned a few hundred meters from the waterhole, and fast asleep. Or so they seemed to be.

We anticipated an action,

seeing it was the only waterhole in the area. After positioning ourselves closeby, we waited patiently. There was a possibility that nothing will happen, but we were prepared to take the chance that something could unfold. In nature, there is always that venture of luck, chance, intuition, and ‘reading’ the situation. We waited, getting crisp in the sun, while other tourist vehicles came and went.

There was a slight flicking of the ear … it could have been the chacing off a fly. But then the dominant female’s ear flicked again, she peeked with one eye but remained motionless. Soon after that, we noticed on the horizon a herd of wildebeest approaching the waterhole. They must have sensed the lions and suddenly stopped. We waited. After a while, because of their thirst, they threw caution to the wind and approached the water.

Like a flash, the lionesses perked up.

The chase was on!

Before we even realized, with blistering speed, the dominant lioness was amongst the herd. While running, with one mighty smack of her paw, she sent the newborn calf flying; then jumped onto the mother. The lioness brought the wildebeest down with a firm grip on her throat.

We watched the kill nearby with mixed emotions of sorrow, anguish and yet also adrenaline rush that did not allow us to put down our cameras.

But what we witnessed next was even more surprising.

The lioness moved to start sucking on the lactating udder of the killed female wildebeest.
The milk was visibly flowing over the flank and hindquarters as she was drinking and nibbling.
When finished drinking, she left the wildebeest uneaten and went to the dead calf to feast on it.

Meanwhile, the other three lionesses kept on hunting and brought down two additional wildebeest.

Witnessing four kills in one pursuit, we left the sighting in awe but humbled.

Stories through the lens

The Great Migration

August 12, 2019August 17, 2019
by Annica

THE GREAT CIRCLE
The migration never stops until …

Witnessing the migration from A-2-B or the mass river crossings might seem like a chaotic frenzy at first.
It is estimated at 1.4 million Wildebeest and 200 000 Zebras, migrating from Masai Mara in Kenya to Serengeti in Tanzania throughout the year, following the rains.

Large herd, seemingly 400 or more, gathering on the bank of the Mara river, you could hear the ‘gnu’s and rustle as they move toward the crossing. However, none of us knew when it might happen, not even Wildebeest themselves. We gripped our camera in anticipation, ready for action and … nothing happens, – they turn back again.
This anticipation could last for hours and hours, building up an incredible power of energy in the air amongst the trampling of the hooves and low humming of ‘gnu’s.

We waited for four hours under the heat of the dust and baking sun,
but as any photographer knows, patience pays off.
It happened so quickly, without warning, when suddenly one brave Wildebeest decided to take the Superman-style leap and rest of the desperate, adrenaline-fueled herd followed to cross the river. The hustle, splashes, even louder calls of ‘Gnu’s’ and suddenly appearing Crocodiles for their share. We tried to capture the moments with our cameras, but mainly It was an experience hard to be able to describe.

It is a fascinating circle of life that I hope is here to stay uninterrupted by human hand for generations to experience this spectacular wonder of nature.

East Africa’s migratory wildebeest are currently found in five ecosystems
Serengeti-Mara –
Greater Amboseli –
Mara-Loita –
Athi-Kaputiei –
Tarangire-Manyara –
Four of five migrations are critically threatened and on the verge of collapse.

Migratory wildebeest populations in East Africa decline with an alarming rate.

As often the case, the main drivers behind many critical wildlife and nature challenges are human population increase and with this appear numerous other human-wildlife conflicts.
The leading causes of the decrease in numbers of migratory wildlife in East Africa are the expansion of agriculture, settlements, urban development and with its roads and infrastructures.
Contributing to the problem is the failure of government wildlife policies, badly planned agricultural expansions and lack of law enforcement for illegal hunting.

Wildebeest migrations in East Africa are facing extinction if humans act too late.

Photography by Love Nature Phix – Johan and Annica Van Rensburg