Support WildlifeDirect:
buy branded merchandise

Bad news: Tourism not doing so well. Good news: The Wildebeest are here. Well, almost.

Category: An Urgent Appeal, Great Migration | Date: Jul 03 2008 | By: William

Wildebeest gathering in Serengeti

Wildebeest on the opposite hill in Serengeti.

Tourist projection for the month of July and August is 50% occupancy.  For the rest of the year it is expected to fall back to 20% like it has been up until now. This means that our situation will remain dire until 2009, however this is not an appeal for money (although if you have some it will help a lot) but instead we need ideas on how to fundraise for the long term. We thought that things would improve, which they have slightly, but unfortunately not as much as we had hoped.

I went out with Kimojino this morning to see the wildebeest massing on the Serengeti side. I have yet to see the great migration and only saw the ends of it when I was here setting up the Mara Triangle blog in November last year. There were just a few hundred of the wildebeest left in the Triangle, leaving in long lines like trails of smoke from an extinguished fire.

Today we left before dawn and carried out an anti-animal harassment patrol from Serena to Mara Bridge. Naitoi and Kimojino have handed out a few fines these past couple of weeks and it was impressive to see the drivers now behaving. In fact they were polite and courteous, which unfortunately was not often the case. We will continue to build on our relationship with the drivers, and we are pleased that the Travel Foundation have started a Most Responsible Safari Guide 2008 Award.

Most Responsible Safari Guide 2008

Kimojino and I will be putting up the posters at park gates and also in the staff canteens of the surrounding lodges.

This morning as we approached Mara Bridge we could see large amounts of wildebeest massing in the Serengeti (see photo above), and crossed over into Narok side to where they were also gathering at the Sand River.

Wildebeest at Sand River

Wildebeest and Zebra taking water at Sand River.

We were quite far away so these pictures are at the end of a zoom, but we also managed to take a video - click here to see it.

It’s quite an incredible sight; the whole hill opposite was covered in wildebeest and the noise was, well, much more melodic than the zebras who were coming in from the North the other week.

So it looks like the Song of the Wildebeest will be crossing into the Mara soon. When it does, we’ll be sure to let you all know.

Share This

8 Responses to “Bad news: Tourism not doing so well. Good news: The Wildebeest are here. Well, almost.”

Paula, on 03 Jul 2008

Hi Will, …. ideas, well we have the fund raising event at the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden hosted by Richard Leakey. There’s also an opportunity to sell video footage on A24 Media - that could bring in a steady stream of funds. Maina will circulate information if you are interested. Consider the Rwanda model - they raise millions from gorilla naming ceremony - what about having an annual fund raiser to put money in to a pot. You could name lions! I think you have a better chance than any other park in Africa to tap into the visitors to the Mara for continuous support by offering them to return again and again in a virtual way to see the amazing migration (pay per view webcam of the migration?)

Fair Trade, on 03 Jul 2008

I’ve talked to the person who deals with our advertising - he’ll be in touch…

Jo Anne , Florida, on 03 Jul 2008

The sound was great! just hearing the wildebeast is making me want to get there sooner, I do hope there will be some left when we arrive September 10th. I love their melodic sound and especally when you are sleeping in the tent. The picture was really good even though it was very far away, You guys are getting very good at Wildlife Photography!

scienceguy288, on 03 Jul 2008

The great migration is an honor which I hope to soon behold.

Annie, on 03 Jul 2008

Awesome Joseph! Thanks for sharing……..such a beautiful sight!

William, on 04 Jul 2008

Hello Paula, I’m going to post soon about the fund raiser - spoke to Bonnie yesterday she sounds very enthusiastic and is full of support - thank you for setting this up. You are right about the need to think big, we are in the process of coming up with an annual event that could raise money to prevent future crises like this.

Fair Trade - thank you for thinking of us, I look forward to receiving your man’s email.

Kimojino has just told me that the wildebeest are now crossing Sand River. Where we were yesterday is now full of animals, and it may be just a couple of days until they cross Mara River into the Mara Triangle. Rangers also went out early this morning to patrol this area for snares and poachers.

kimojino, on 04 Jul 2008

Yeah many activities in the mara are showing up. The wildebeests migration has started with the first groups crossing the Sand river into masai mara.
The number of tourists visiting the mara now are few, compared to last year and may rise by next month probably, to see the wildebeest crossing the mara river.
This particular season of the year means alot to the Mara Conservany in terms of revenue expenditure, to meet all the basic operations.The anti-poaching and de-snaring patrols, anti-animal harassement and constant monitoring of wildebeest crossings are all to run on a daily basis, and are very costly, but a must and unavoidable.
We seriously still need your support to go about all these activities.Please donate to help us save the Mara Triangle and its beautiful animals.

How come there are so many beds in the Mara and yet I sleep on the floor? | Mara Triangle, on 12 Jul 2008

[…] the lodges and camps who are in or use the Mara Triangle yesterday delivering the posters for the Most Responsible Guide 2008 Award. There were some very nice camps indeed which would have looked lovely with guests in […]

Trackback URI | Comments RSS

Leave a Reply