This time round, the wildebeest migration kicked off earlier than usual this year with conservationists and ecologists pointing at the change in weather patterns as the reason.
The wildebeest migration spectacle normally begins in mid-June and continues to September. But this year, the gnus started their long trek at the end of last month.
Head of Species Conservation and Management at the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Shadrack Ngene said the last such occurrence happened six years ago when the wildebeests migrated in late May.
“Climate changes such as heavy rains in Tanzania as well as depletion of resources in one area are among the reasons we are having an early Wildebeest migration,’ said Ngene.
Herds have already been spotted in the western corridor/Grumeti reserves. By Saturday the herd was located crossing the Sand River heading towards the Maasai Mara where they are predicted to have already arrived.
The wildebeest migration, described as one of the seven modern wonders of the world, involves mainly wildebeests and zebras crossing to and from the Serengeti National Park in neighboring Tanzania.
The gnus move from Tanzania to Kenya in mid-June for pasture and in September they move from Kenya to Tanzania to breed.
The gnus spend three months in the Maasai Mara and nine months in the Serengeti.
The movement attracts tourists from around the world. However, the early migration has drawn mixed reactions from park inhabitants.
“The early migration would have a minor effect on the tourism calendar,” noted Sam Munyi, a freelance tour guide. “We expect more tourists to reschedule their journeys for fear of missing the migration.”
Nearly 1,000 domestic tourists from Narok County took advantage of a waiver on the park fees for two days to access the Mara on June 1 and 2.
Sometimes back, the county government of Narok announced free entry into the world-renowned Maasai Mara Game Reserve on Madaraka Day.
The announcement was made by governor Samuel Tunai after a consultative meeting with leaders and national government officials. He said that the move was aimed at those who have never been to the Mara, to ”have a taste of it”.
“Those who have never had a chance of meeting a Maasai Moran in real life, apart from seeing photos in newspapers, will have an opportunity to interact with them one on one during that day,” he said.
Kenyans are normally charged Sh2,000 per person to enter the park while foreigners pay Sh8,000.
“Narok is home of the eighth wonder of the world, the annual Wildebeest migration to and from Mara and Serengeti in neighboring Tanzania,” said Mr. Tunai.“We have decided to waive park fees to celebrate Kenya’s attainment of self-rule and mark our (Maasai) culture.”
The governor further revealed that his government was in talks with hoteliers around the area to subsidize accommodation fees on the said date.
Maasai Mara’s move to waive entry fees follows in the footsteps of Nairobi National Park, which did the same last month.