The Migration Tales

The Prologue – Heading North Rapidly

I often joke with advisors and their clients that we have a tracking device on the head wildebeest and the lead zebra of the migratory herds in East Africa, and it always gets a good chuckle. We notify them by Morse code when to start converging and where to start crossing. It may be a joke; however, think about what we will witness in the coming months: the greatest show on Earth.  In what part of the world do this many living beings, not of the same species, behave in such a routine over and over, and in such concert? Where else can you find a symbiotic relationship such as that between the birds, the zebra, and the wildebeest with one common goal – preservation.

Knowing the movements of these herds is not a story of simply following a cycle, it is a science. For example, wildebeest travel 6 miles a day, every day, and can hit strides of up to 50 miles per hour in a burst. They are the true drivers of the herd movement; the others follow the wildebeest, relying on their scent and those annoying grunts and groans we hear as a form of communication regarding the path or dangers ahead. Step back and think about what we hear and what purpose those sounds serve.  With the position of their eyes, Zebra has some of the best peripheral vision one would want. Their ears can turn in directions and hear at octaves humans simply can’t comprehend. Imagine being able to see and hear better than anyone, and every footprint, every heartbeat, every sound. This truly is the Greatest Show on Earth, for all the reasons we see and so many we don’t.

The best part is that the communication lines with guides on the front line in the bush have never been better, so when we see their reports, it is like you have a tracking device on the head wildebeest.  We can pinpoint the exact spot the herds have reached with good proximity. In fact, I loved that just this morning, I was able to talk to one of my friends, who runs an amazing camp in Northern Serengeti. I told her the herds are due south of you, passing through the western corridor and approaching fast. “Are you ready ?” I asked. I started laughing when she told me that I may have been a zebra in my past life! We talked about all the rain in the Masai Mara and how a full river would impact the crossing. We even noticed that the herds were a few weeks behind their normal schedule, startled at how far they were from the crossing in the north, these amazing animals sensed what was happening and adjusted their pace.

So, get ready the show is about to begin!