Wildlife

Wildebeest migration starts very early

Safari experts were astounded by the start of the wildebeest migration in the central areas of the Serengeti last week - three months ahead of schedule.

Usually the migration begins around June or July, but experts believe that unusually dry conditions in the south of the Serengeti has led to the migration starting much earlier than usual.

"It's one of the earliest sightings on record," Bradley Murray, general manager of Singita Faru Faru Lodge on the Grumeti River in Tanzania told The Telegraph.

"They started passing through the reserve unexpectedly on May 1 last year and we thought that was a big deal - but this is incredible."

Murray said that he thought the first wildebeest spotted were just some strays which had broken away from the main herd, but he was astounded when tens of thousands of wildebeest started appearing.

"All you can see is wildebeest at the moment. It is always an awe-inspiring sight but especially as it is so early this year," he said.

The wildebeest migration sees 1.5 million wildebeest and 200 000 zebras making the almost 2000-kilometre journey from the southern Serengeti to Kenya's Maasai Mara Game Reserve.