By Mercy Imali
The wildebeest migration kicked off earlier than usual this year. Conservationists and ecologists pointed at changes in weather patterns as the reason.
“Climate changes such as heavy rains in Tanzania as well as depletion of resources in one area are among the reasons we are having an early Wildebeest migration,’ said Shadrack Ngene, Head of Species Conservation and Management at the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
He said the last such occurrence happened six years ago when the wildebeests migrated in late May. The wildebeest migration spectacle normally begins from mid-June to September. This year, the long trek started at the end of May.
Herds have already been spotted in the western corridor/Grumeti reserves. By Saturday, the herd was located crossing the Sand River heading towards the Maasai Mara.
The wildebeest migration, described as one of the seven modern wonders of the world, involves mainly wildebeests and zebras crossing from the Serengeti National Park to Maasai Mara. They move from Tanzania to Kenya in mid-June for pasture and in September they move from Kenya to Tanzania to breed.
The early migration could force some rescheduling of calendars by tourists.