Thursday, October 15, 2009

Wildebeest

Wildebeest, one of the animal you can see most in any episodes about Lion,Cheetah,Hyena,Leopards in Animal Planet channel. Because they are huge in number (around 1.4 million in Serengeti national park and Masai Mara game park itself). Wildebeest, one of my favorite animal but not for very right reason, If you watch Wildebeest in Animal planet, definitely you can see a chase by the Lion or Cheetah or Hyena or even by wild dogs in that episode! ;) .

I like chasing esp by the Cheetahs. Did you watch ever cheetahs chase in slow motion? in many directions? . Wow that would be great. k leave that.

now back to wildebeest.

Wildebeest are antelopes not bovine. Their great migration is one of the world's top ten natural wonder. Great migration occur every year between Serengeti National park and Masai Mara game park in October and return in April and May. That is one of the greatest wonder. In that migration around 2 million mammals participate. Among them 1.4 m are Wildebeest, 3-4 lakhs Thompson Gazelle and around 2 lakh Zebras. In that migration they cross Mara river.



In the migration every year around 2.5 lakhs Wildebeest alone die. Mostly by drowning in the river or by hunting by carnivores. In the land they are attacked by Lion,Hyena,Cheetah,Leopard. In the river attacked by the crocodiles. Crossing Mara river is the most important and most dangerous one because hungry crocodiles are waiting for them. They are migrating for fresh pasture.

Wildebeest ensures that carnivores get food. In Feb-March alone 5 lakh new wildebeest born. So, when you get chance to visit Tanzania or Kenya, don't forget to visit Serengeti or Masai Mara to watch great migration.

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