Track the Trek

wildebeest crossing the Mara River                                                                       © Burrard-Lucas

The ants may go marching two by two, but the wildebeests, zebras, and antelopes of Africa accept no such subtlety. When they're on the move, they do it up big, as in the largest migration of land animals on the planet, happening now and streaming live for a couple more days. They're traveling north from the Serengeti Plains of Tanzania to the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya in what is actually a circular migration pattern. At this time of year, September through November, they are on the lush Mara plains (story, video): http://www.care2.com/causes/now-we-can-watch-africas-epic-wildlife-migration-live-from-anywhere.html
   Some interesting facts, courtesy of about.com:

• Wildebeest are also called Gnu because of the grunts they make which sound like "gnu gnu."
• Wildebeest young are almost all born during a three week period (an estimated 400,000 each year). This overwhelming supply of potential food for predators means more of them survive.
• Wildebeest are born to run. They can run alongside their mothers just minutes after they are born.
• Zebra and wildebeest graze in harmony because each animal prefers a different part of the same grass.
• No two zebra look exactly the same.
• It is estimated that around 250,000 wildebeest die while on the migration circuit.
• The migration is a natural phenomenon that only started in the 1960's.