Being able to witness the Great Migration while on a photography trip in Kenya or Tanzania is considered one of the top wildlife-watching opportunities on the planet. About 1.5 million wildebeest and half a million zebras and other antelope travel from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya annually between July and October. During the journey, wildebeest have to swim or wade through many rivers, where many drown or fall prey to crocodile attacks.
The potentially deadly river crossings along the Mara River in Kenya have become legendary. And the Great Migration safari offers wildlife photographers and tourists an up-close look at the life-or-death struggle.
A herd of wildebeest along the Mara River as a 14-foot crocodile lay in wait. Some noticed the crocodile and stepped back, but others (in the back of the photo) were rushing forward, seemingly unaware of the threat. Look out for the hooves of a dead wildebeest up ahead, likely drowned in a crossing attempt earlier in the day.
And then the crocodile attacked. I was taking pictures from another vantage point to get earlier shots, but our driver quickly realized what was coming and quickly took us to a better viewpoint. In that short distance, the crocodile attacked. Therese Iknoian, my business partner and wife, was in another vehicle, perfectly positioned to capture the first moment of the attack when the giant alligator popped out of the water and bit into it. back part of wildebeest.
There, in the deeper waters of the Mara River, it wrestled with the wildebeest around, pulling its head repeatedly under the water.
The wildebeest struggled and continued to fight to keep its head above the water.
But in the end the wildebeest escaped the most feared predator in the water.
Watch full video here: