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Serengeti Migration update - August 10, 2009

Migration Update - Monday 10th August

The migratory herds are quite spread out, with some still in the central area; a few are around Lobo/Bolagonja, a few around Koga with bigger groups still on their way up in Ikorongo. The river is very low which means that there is concern for a drought. Some wildebeest have already crossed the river into the Maasai Mara. Nomad guides are reporting large numbers milling around our Serengeti Safari Camp, currently in Wogakuria, and current guest feedback has included the fabulous games sightings.

MIGRATION UPDATE - 2nd July 2009

The rains have eased off for a while and the temperatures are high in the western corridor. There is still a fair bit of green grass around and much of it is quite long. The herds will trample it down as they go through. This does mean there will be grass and reliable water for the Wildebeest and Zebras for a bit. A large part of the migration is still in the western corridor Musabi areas all the way to Grumeti. Large groups of wildebeest are also up in Lobo area. We would expect the herds to remain spread out as above until it dries out further.

MIGRATION UPDATE - 20th May 2009

The last week has seem some rains coming to the Serengeti Loliondo and southern Kenya area. Ideally, we need them to carry on for some time as there is not enough ground cover to last out the dry months but already the effects are obvious. The southern short grass plains are green with plenty of game around including the Migration. Other wildlife are much more visible as they have pulled away from the permanent water sources. The cattle which had been grazing brought from drought stricken areas are now returning home as there is sustenance. This relieves the pressure not only on the local herds but also on the wildlife.

MIGRATION UPDATE - 14th April 2009

Finally the rains have arrived with the full Easter moon. For those on safari at this time, the dark storm clouds flying over the Serengeti and Loliondo were a truly dramatic sight. Much of the rain has been falling at night, leaving the days clear.

Not surprisingly there has been an instant change in the distribution of the game and the Migration has rushed back to the short grass plains around Ndutu, Gol and southern Loliondo. Since these have been heavy rains, we would expect them to stay around for a week or more and certainly longer if the showers continue.

The Maasai have been keeping their cattle in many of these game areas in order to benefit from the few remaining water sources and food. With this rain, hopefully they will be able to return to their more permanent homesteads and the game will be able to spread out. There is no doubt that where there are humans and cattle, the game becomes sparse and the predators nervous.

Nomad Tanzania provide the updates on the migration

MIGRATION UPDATE - 31st March 2009

The dry weather has continued, with scattered light showers still making an appearance at random intervals across the short grass plains.

The Migration is much as it was in the last report, around central areas of the Serengeti and in the woodland areas surrounding the plains, where the general game sightings remain very good. Looking at the forecast, there are more showers expecting in the next couple of days before another dry spell sets in. Once the rain falls, the immediate game picture changes with surprising speed with the herds heading to the short grass plains.

Migration updates provided by Nomad Tanzania

MIGRATION UPDATE - 6th March 2009

The rains are still not cooperating this year. There are cloud build ups and even thunder and lightening but we are not getting the rain that they promise. The Migration is now spreading out yet again, in search of more reliable food which means going south and west towards Maswa and Moru.

There is still some green grass around those parts and they have had more rain than the areas in the shadow of the crater. The weather for the next week looks dry and sunny, though despite this we have had reports of isolated showers around Naabi and Matiti.
The general game remains good around Ndutu and Loliondo, though the short grass plains around Nasera and Gol are sparse until the next rainfalls.

Migration updates provided by Nomad Tanzania

MIGRATION UPDATE - 21st February 2009

The last couple of weeks have been extremely good for game sightings and for the Migration throughout the short grass plains area. The regular scattered showers have kept the game in the area and encouraged the nutrient rich grass to grow up. The last few days have seen a general drying up but this is a standard, regular cycle throughout the green season. The weather forecast predicts some good showers in the early days of this coming week which should keep the main herds in the general area.

This has definitely not been a good green season so far, in terms of amount of rain needed and we are all concerned about the dry season, if the rains do not fulfil their promise by the time they peter out towards the end April/beginning of May.

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MIGRATION UPDATE - 3rd February 2009

There have been heavy showers across the short and medium grass plains area over the last 10 days that have changed the Migration picture quite considerably. The weather forecast shows the rain easing off in the next three days but returning again at the weekend. It looks like the long drought period we have experienced since the unseasonal showers in Oct/Nov has now broken. This will provide much needed relief not just for the game but also for the communities surrounding the National Parks where competition for the small amount of grazing and water was intense. The Maasai have already lost many cattle in these months and will now be happy to move the herds back to their permanent homesteads near their villages

The game started moving back into the Ndutu/Gol/Loliondo areas with the first showers. It never takes long for the grass to green up and the first flush is very nutrient rich. The Migration has likewise moved back into its preferred short grass plain habitat. We would expect the Migration to stay around in this area until the next long dry spell.

Contact us for details on 'last minute' safaris to see the migration.

Migration updates supplied by Nomad Tanzania

MIGRATION UPDATE - 19th January 2009

The dry spell is continuing, though there are scattered, isolated showers in the
Ndutu area. This means the game is on the move continuously but it is still possible
to get excellent sightings, especially for cats. The bulk of the Migration is still in central southern Serengeti but is widely scattered. The open areas of the short grass plains are fairly dusty and windy but the woodland areas are still very rewarding.

MIGRATION UPDATE - 5th January 2009

There has been little rain in the last two weeks in much of the Southern Serengeti and the Migration herds have travelled west to the longer grass plains around Hidden Valley and Moru. The game was still good around Ndutu. It was drying up fast north of the Naabi road remained very dry with game spread out, mostly to be found in the woodland areas and not in the open. In the last two days, there have been some heavy showers around the whole short grass plain area, including southern Loliondo, with some more possible showers predicted for the next two days. So long as these are generous enough, the green grass will come through with amazing rapidity and the herds will be back as quickly as their hooves can carry them.

The short grass plain with its nutrient rich grass is where they need and want to be throughout this period of calving and beyond. The onset of the green season in Serengeti is often unpredictable with dry spells after the initial rain. It is too early to tell what kind of green season we will have. But after the generous rains we have had this last year. it does seem as if it will be drier this time around.

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