The Serengeti Great Migration, also known as Serengeti wildebeests migration is an annual movement that comprise of around 1.7 million wildebeests, hundreds of thousands of zebras and thousands of gazelles. The Serengeti Migration moves clockwise and can be predicted by months as they migrate throughout the year.
It starts from the southern Serengeti plain and northern Ngorongoro conservation Area then head west of Serengeti national park. They then leave Tanzania and enter Kenya,Masai Mara game reserve for at most 2 months then head back to Serengeti park in Tanzania. The whole circulation is meant to search for green pasture.
In the months of January, February and March, the migration spread on the whole Southern Serengeti Plain, giving birth to calves, after a gestation period of 8.5 – 9 months. It is estimated, nearly 500,000 calves are born in February, some being attacked by lions, cheetahs and hyenas.
In May, they start heading north west in long huge lines with some diverting to central Serengeti; Seronera.
In June and July they are at the western corridor in Serengeti
In August, September and October, the graze in the northern Serengeti in bunches. The river crossing can be observed here in Mara River. Head to Kenya in late October.
In December, they come back into Tanzania through Loliondo game reserve to south Serengeti plain.
The whole Serengeti migration distance is estimated to be around 800km. Thousands of wildebeests die from being attacked by predators, thirst and exhaustion.