Editor's Den
Raghul Patteri
Editor
Imagine a child’s reaction to her favorite doughnut which is missing the mandatory topping of sprinkles, that in a nutshell is the plains of east Africa to you, if the wildebeests were to vanish from there. Among the most numerous animals to roam the African plains, the wildebeests are famous for the most defining image of the Serengeti – Mara ecosystem, The great migration. Every year hundreds of thousands of wildebeest along with zebra and gazelles migrate from Tanzania’s Serengeti to Kenya’s Masai Mara in search of lush grass. This is the biggest migration of mammals in the world and when they encounter the Mara river on the way, they are forced to take the plunge into the dangerous crocodile-infested waters.
The ecological significance of the wildebeest is hard to ignore. They are one of the most reliable sources of food for the big cats and other predators of the African savanna. The annual migration plays an important part in sustaining the ecology of the Mara river. The thousands of animals that drown or fall prey, contribute critical biomass to the river and its inhabitants.
In this edition of PT Aware, join Dr. Peter Hudson to learn more about these ungulates. Read about the threats they face and actions for conservation. Conserving the wildebeest population is important to the survival of the entire ecosystem of the region and it is imperative that solid measures are taken to ensure their survival.
PT Aware brings you interesting facts about different species and conservation issues from around the world. We associate with brilliant scientific minds and gifted photographers to bring you the best of both worlds, the latest scientific perspective, and spectacular photographs. Thanks to all the wonderful photographers who shared their wildebeest images for this edition. Our next edition will focus on the Serval cat, so prepare to upload your photographs of these secretive animals. Selected photographs will be published to portray the story of these mysterious cats.
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