DSC_3091. Taken in the wild in Masai Mara, Kenya.
Migration of Wildebeest near Lookout Hill at Masai Mara (1).
This was one of the reasons to visit Masai Mara. I wanted to see the spectacle of the migration and crossing of the river! No guarantees as no-one can predict if, when and where they will cross and also no-one knows what numbers will be crossing!
While observing the wildebeest at the other side of the river we saw the numbers rapidly increase and soon their "play" of moving forward to the edge and then moving back and grazing at some distance started. Sometimes you could expect that the crossing was imminent yet (disappointment) followed by another withdrawing!
That play finally ended when balloons approached with very loud people landing near the river, "forcing" the wildebeest to move on to this location near Lookout hill. About 10,000 wildebeest and some zebra gathering in a forest near the edge of a very steep wall. Just imagine! An unbelievable sight and spectacle to watch! Awesome but also awful!
At our side of the river about 40 cars waiting at some distance for the final move and when the first one crossed all those cars moving in with high speed to get the best position for their clients! Another "spectacle" to watch!
More to follow!
Copyright: Robert Kok 2014.
Please do not use my photos on websites, blogs or in any other media without my explicit permission.
Tags: Africa Wildebeest Gnoe Wildlife in the wild migration migratie crossing oversteek water beesten Nikon D800 Nikkon 70-300VR Jambo53 Robert Kok Kenya Masai Mara spectacle spectaculair Outlook hill spectators toeschouwers safari steep wall savannah Blue Wildebeest
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DSC_3304. Taken in the wild in Masai Mara, Kenya.
Wildebeest crossing the Marek river! (2)
Copyright: Robert Kok 2014.
Please do not use my photos on websites, blogs or in any other media without my explicit permission.
Tags: Masai Mara jump sprong Wildebeest Gnoe oversteek crossing river water safari in the wild wildlife Jambo53 Robert Kok Nikon D800 Nikkor 70-300 beesten Kenya Blue Wildebeest savannah
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DSC_3309. Taken in the wild in Masai Mara, Kenya.
Copyright: Robert Kok 2014.
Please do not use my photos on websites, blogs or in any other media without my explicit permission.
Tags: Blue Wildebeest
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DSC_3092. Copyright: Robert Kok 2014.
One of the reasons to travel to Masai Mara was to witness the crossing of Wildebeest. Something extraordinary to watch and high on my short list!
In this period of year Wildebeest and zebra tend to migrate from Tanzania to Kenya or at least cross the river to find fresh grass. A period also with regular rains.
We spend a whole day watching a gathering of Wildebeest near our bush camp while lions waited at our side for the crossing. Although they moved in and out a couple of times, at the end of the day we left with a great experience but without the crossing!
In the days thereafter we witnessed a great build up of Wildebeest and the crossing of approximately 7,000/10,000 Wildebeest at a point of the Mara river with extremely steep banks.
Being pushed forward by so many other Wildebeest we saw many of them descending in a more or less save manner while other Wildebeest "jumped" from the edge breaking legs when landing on the ground. Awesome became awful!
Lucky enough they quickly found several other ways to come down in a more or less save way enabling them to safely cross the river. A river surprisingly without waiting crocodiles! We just saw one at distance taking a wildebeest down under water!
Please do not use my photos on websites, blogs or in any other media without my explicit permission.
Tags: Lookout hill Marek river migrations oversteek crossing Kenya Jambo53 Robert Kok East Africa Oost Afrika safari wildlife in the wild Wildebeest Nikon D800 Nikkor 70-300 rivier river dramatic
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DSC_3211. Taken in the wild at Masai Mara, Kenya.
Copyright: Robert Kok 2014.
Please do not use my photos on websites, blogs or in any other media without my explicit permission.
Tags: Masai Mara Kenya East Africa Oost Afrika safari Robert Kok Jambo53 wildlife migration oversteek wildebeest gnoe jumping springen nature park river rivier in the wild Nikon D800 Nikkor 70-300
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