A massive herd of wildebeest are making this year's migration spectacle in the famous Maasai Mara reserve a feast, not just for the crocodiles lying in wait but also for the tourists who pay thousands of dollars to witness the event.
The migration, which was named seventh "New Wonder" of the world by a US TV network and newspaper in 2006, happens at about the same time every year and is said to be one of the last great ungulate migrations left on earth.
Attracted by the scent of fresh grass following seasonal rains across the plains, the animals undertake a 2,000 kilometre journey across the Maasai plains to southern Kenya, crossing crocodile infested rivers and dodging other predators like lions and leopards in their path, all the way from Tanzania's vast Serengeti plains. The migration to Kenya usually starts in July and ends with the beasts returning in October.
But plans by Tanzania to build a 260-mile highway between Arusha, near Mount Kilimanjaro and Musoma, on Lake Victoria could cut-off the animals' migration corridor, causing environmental activists in the region to call for a review of the plans. Some have called the 2010 spectacle, the "last migration".
Construction of the road, which starts in 2012, will cut through the northern Serengeti. Tanzanian authorities argue that it is needed to connect the country's west to the eastern Indian ocean coast.
Every year, thousands of tourists flock to the Serengeti and Masai Mara reserves to witness the spectacle. Some end up staying longer to observe the action as the wildebeest come face to face with massive crocodiles lying in wait.
"I come very often in August and September to see the migration on the Mara river; but you must be very lucky to see some crossing. I have been sometimes on the other side waiting up to 3 or 4 hours and nothing happened. All the groups returned but two days ago and today we were very lucky to see some crossing we have even seen some dramatic scenes," said Reinhardt, a tourist from Germany.
This year, the herds of wildebeests, which are also accompanied by thousands of zebra and gazelle, are bigger than ever, according to Samson Lenjjirr, a warden with the conservancy group, Mara Triangle.
"The migration this year has been so fantastic, and as someone who has been here for many years I will ascertain that really this is one of the best migrations for many years. People argue that the population is 1.3 million… 1.2 million…1.5 million but anyway because I do not have the real statistics I believe that we are close to 2 million this time round," said Samson Lenjjirr, Chief Warden, Mara Triangle.
Lejjirr argues that while the planned road may not actually prevent animals from moving to new grazing, it is very likely to affect wildlife in one of the world's last untouched wilderness areas, in other ways.
"People should talk really about the increase in poaching not the prevention in the wildebeest migration. The Mara River with its crocodiles there cannot stop the wildebeest migration; the water flows. Even if the Mara River is full today can not stop the wildebeest migration. I too believe that the road that will cut the northern part of the Serengeti will not stop the migration of the wildebeest. Probably what it will do is an increase of the vehicle movement and that could probably increase poaching activities not the migration patterns."
Human-animal conflict is hardly a new threat to wildlife in the region. Kenya does not fence its larger parks and indigenous populations are allowed to continue with animal and crop production within park boundaries. A report released by researchers in Kenya in 2009 found the growing human population in the Masai Mara had dramatically reduced wild animal numbers.
While some conservationists are calling for the highway project to be moved to the south of the Serengeti where it will not interfere with the migratory route, Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete has said the road project will go ahead, albeit as a murram rather than a paved, road.
Reuters