Tour Guide, Nairobi, Kenya
| 2 mins read
A fact about the wildebeest migration is that every year, about 1.5 million wildebeest, zebra and several species of antelope uniformly make a circular tour between the Serengeti in Tanzania and Maasai Mara in Kenya, in search of greener pastures. This mass exodus is not only noted as a wonder of the world, but is always a great opportunity for people to witness nature at its best. You can witness the drama unfold as predators lurk in the bushes and prey scamper for safety in what has since been dubbed 'survival for the fittest'.
The most notorious among the predators is the lion and the Nile crocodile.
The lion perfectly chooses its arena - the grassy Mara plains. In the plains, the lion is shrouded in thick grass cover and gets a strategic hiding spot to attack unsuspecting wildebeest and zebras. During the peak of the migration, vultures circle the air and hyenas laugh in the shadows; an indication of the innumerable wildebeest and zebra that have fallen under the claw of the mighty African lion.
The Nile crocodile however takes the medal as the deadliest predator. It comes in at the climax of the Mara migration - the crossing of the Mara River! This avid killer shapes the events that take place during the crossing of the Mara River. From the splashing waters and floating wildebeest bodies, it is the matchmaker.
Crocodiles are known to kill by drowning. When it spots a potential victim, it clutches the prey in its strong jaws and pulls it beneath the water surface. In the process, it ferociously twists and turns its head. This shreds its prey into pieces and suffocates the life out of it.