Conservationists at the revered Masai Mara Game Reserve are yet to come to terms with the loss of over 300 wildebeests that drowned at the Mara River on Sunday afternoon.
The incident was caused by a stampede which has now left carcasses littering the river and building a strong bout of rottenness in the park.
Eddy Nkoitoi, the Deputy Chief game warden in Maasai Mara told the Nation that the stampede came about when the wildebeests picked a section of the river with swollen waters to cross.
What followed was a chaotic scene as those already inside the water tried to swim away but were overwhelmed and drowned to death.
“So all the wildebeests that came from the back stepped on the first ones down and so on, hundreds died, giving hundreds of crocodiles and vultures more than they can chew,” he said.
He said that this year, the fortunes for the wildebeests have changed with about 10, 000 of them dying since May when the Great Migration kicked off.
He attributed the high deaths to forces of nature, predation, accidents and stampedes but noted that this number is way too high for a single migration.
Usually, he stated, wildebeest death is normal but in low and insignificant numbers unlike on Sunday where more than 300 wildebeest died.
I have lived in the Mara for the past ten years and this is by far the worst I have ever seen. It is very distressing for people who have been working to prevent poaching to see such large numbers of animals wiped out in a matter of days.
Kenya and Tanzania are the only countries in the world that experience the wildebeest migration, which is considered the eighth wonder of the world.
Most of the movement takes place in Tanzania which covers Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Loliondo Game Controlled Area and Grumeti Reserve. In Kenya, the migration stretches to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, bordering Serengeti National Park in the north.
Crossing the crocodile-infested Mara River is considered by many the most enchanting part of the migration. It is not an easy affair as mean-looking crocodiles lay in wait for their next meal.
Read more:
Wildebeest Migration; The Right Time To Visit Kenya And Tanzania
