One of the most thrilling events of nature will be for everyone to witness, as the Serengeti wildebeest are live streamed during migration for all to see through Twitter’s Periscope and Google’s YouTube.
- Every year, millions of herbivores travel from the Serengeti to Maasai Mara
- It’s a 700 mile long journey, that implies crossing the Mara river
- The stream is currently live until October 5th
- There will be two broadcasts daily, one in the morning and one at night, to last between 10-20 minutes
- The stream can be viewed through Periscope or YouTube
It’s one of Africa’s ‘Seven Natural Wonders’, and it’s truly a spectacular display of nature travelling through the circle of life. Tourists pay and travel for the purpose of seeing this exciting event, when millions of animals go through their yearly venture of running, swimming and battling predators.
Around 1 million wildebeest, half a million gazelle, 200,000 zebras, eland and impala are making their way right now from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the greener lands and waters of the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.
A team from HerdTracker will be broadcasting between 10 and 20 minutes of live footage, twice per day, through Periscope and YouTube, how millions of herbivores mark their 700 mile-long journey. From September 29th to October 5th, the live stream will be available on all devices, be it phones, computers or tablets.
The feed will be accompanied by commentary from experts, who will also answer questions on the spot addressed by viewers.
It’s an exquisite opportunity that, according to HerdTracker founder Carel Verhoef, no one has an excuse to miss. He has claimed to have witnessed the natural event for the past 10 to 12 years, and it’s still “exciting and exhilarating every time”.
It’s truly a marvel of nature, that is always filled with dramatic interactions. The large herd stampedes across everything in their path, and have to cross the crocodile-filled Mara river. It’s the home to thousands of the aquatic reptiles, hungrily waiting for this yearly event to catch prey, along with other predators.
Even after they successfully pass through the Serengeti and beyond Mara river, the wildebeests have the world’s largest concentration of carnivores to face in the Maasai Mara. Lions and other predators will provide with a bloody spectacle once the herd advances through their journey.
According to Karim Hirji, professor and former director of the Serengeti Wildlife Research, this is quite literally the circle of life. Without the migration, nothing in the Serengeti and Mara ecosystems would be the same. It’s the key factor of survival for both predators and vegetation, a beautiful display when nature goes full circle.
It’s now available for anyone to view by registering on the Herdtracker website, and then witnessing one of Africa’s wonders online as it happens.
Image source: federicoveronesi.com
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