During watching and photographing our very first river crossing in the Maasai Mara our group was witness to an amazing display of nature and it’s ever strange ways. For those who have never witnessed a crossing of Wildebeest during the annual migration through the Maasai Mara, all I can say is that it literally mesmerizes you. Crossings of Wildebeest can contain anywhere between 1,000 – 25,000 animals. This first crossing contained perhaps only 2 – 3,000 animals but was in no way any less enthralling than watching a crossing with huge numbers.
Assembling The Troops – Wildebeest gather on the banks of the Talek River deciding whether they are going to cross or not. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0342) – Click image for a larger view. |
Wildebeest start crossing the Talek River in Maasai Mara, Kenya and the madness begins. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0376) – Click image for a larger view. |
Wildebeest first mull around on the banks of the rivers and play a long, often drawn out, waiting and deciding game. This morning on the banks after the Talek river, after lapping up a bush coffee and breakfast, we were in luck as we did not have to wait for more than 20-30 minutes before the first Wildebeest hit the water and the crossing actually began.
It literally only takes one Wildebeest to “break the ice” and the rest will follow. Wildebeest may not be the most intelligent animals on the planet but centuries of genetic programming tell them that the river crossing is dangerous and lives will be lost, that much they do seem to know. The rest of the Wildebeest’s mindset seems to focus purely on one thing, namely that the grass is greener on the other side of the river.
Fury, fear and adrenaline surge through the veins of thousands of Wildebeest during a river crossing over the Talek River in the Maasai Mara in Kenya. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-S8415) – Click image for a larger view. |
During the heat of the crossing Wildebeest find any way possible to get to the water’s edge including jumping off high cliffs to their death or injury. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0455) – Click image for a larger view. |
From hundreds of years of river crossings, river banks have many eroded pathways that the Wildebeest and other crossing herds of animals have carved out. You would think that they would learn to use these paths carved out by their ancestors but often when the crossing is taking place the Wildebeest are in frenzy mode and they have one goal in mind and that is to get across to the other side. This mindset results in Wildebeest literally falling off the sides of the steep cliffs regardless that there is an easy path right behind them.
During this crossing our group witnessed this exact behaviour of Wildebeest using any available avenue to get down to the river side and cross. Two wildebeest in particular during their cliff side leaps of faith, fell hard and broke their backs. At the time of watching this through a lens I thought to myself, “that’s gotta hurt” and got a bit of a cold shiver through my body at seeing animals do this to themselves.
A wildebeest lands on and breaks it’s back during the chaos of a Maasai Mara river crossing. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0458) – Click image for a larger view. |
Another Wildebeest jumps to his ultimate death from the high banks of the Talek River. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0473) – Click image for a larger view. |
Regardless of casualties the Wildebeest continue crossing and will trample anything in their path including their fellow herd members. The crossing came to an end with a few Wildebeest on the other side of the river who changed their mind and started moving off further downstream to look for another spot to cross. The two Wildebeest who broke their backs were stuck in the river. One was huddled right on the bank of the river not moving but still alive, the other one was caught out in the middle of the river stuck in a rocky section of the river. This Wildebeest continued struggling to get to the other side using purely his front legs to try and dislodge himself out of the rocks as his back legs had been paralysed due to breaking his back but as much as he tried he just ended up moving around in circles in the strong river current.
Another Wildebeest breaks it’s back from falling off the high cliff and is later stuck in the river paralyzed due to it’s fall. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0477) – Click image for a larger view. |
The lonesome injured Wildebeest is left all alone as the herd has crossed and moved on, casualties of war as I like to call it. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0555) – Click image for a larger view. |
A few metres from this struggling Wildebeest sat about 10-15 Hippos wading in the deeper water. The injured Wildebeest grabbed the attention of these Hippos quite quickly and what ensued was an incredible thing to witness. Several of the Hippos slowly waded closer to the Wildebeest to see what was happening, they could clearly see something was not right with this poor injured animal. The Wildebeest would kick around furiously trying to free himself and this would cause the Hippos to keep backing off and then slowly start creeping closer again. This behavior went on for a good 15-20 minutes, yet each time the Hippos would draw a little closer to the Wildebeest.
Hippos wading in the river take great interest in the struggling injured Wildebeest. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0571) – Click image for a larger view.
Hippos as many people know are extremely unpredictable animals so we had no idea what type of encounter we were going to witness. After a bit of this approach and withdraw game, some of the Hippos would get right up next to the injured Wildebeest to get a real close look. Some of the older Hippos tried on several attempts to nudge the Wildebeest out of the rocks to help him along his way. Initially these approaches looked to us as if the Hippos were going to perhaps bite the Wildebeest but they were concerned about the peril of this injured animal.
A hippo moves close to inspect the injured Wildebeest to see if he can somehow help to free this animal and get him on his way. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0588) – Click image for a larger view.
The hippo tries to nudge the Wildebeest but alas the poor Wildebeest has broken its back and is unfortunately never getting to the other side. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0612) – Click image for a larger view.
The encounters between the hippos and wildebeest at one point look as if they are about to turn violent but the hippo was merely backing off when the wildebeest started thrashing around in the water. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0622) – Click image for a larger view.
Another curious hippo creeps closer to the Wildebeest for a sniff and a close look at what may be wrong. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0726) – Click image for a larger view.
The other hippos peek above the water and keep a close watch on the injured Wildebeest. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0808) – Click image for a larger view.
After a few minutes of this incredible behavior, eventually one of the older male Hippos walked right up the Wildebeest grabbed him by the back and dragged him over the rocks into the deeper gully section of the river. This Hippo then dragged the wildebeest under the water for a few seconds and then released him to let the strong river current take him away. The Wildebeest surfaced about 3 times for his last few breaths of air then disappeared under water and downstream. It was amazing to see a soft gentle side of a Hippo who essentially took this struggling animal and euthanized him putting him out of his misery.
Eventually an adult hippo realizes he has a job to do, grabs the injured wildebeest on his back and drags him out of the rocks into the river gully. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0862) – Click image for a larger view.
The wildebeest now freed from being stuck in the rocks is now caught in the river current. The hippos curiously look on as the injured animal starts to float downstream. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0870) – Click image for a larger view.
The wildebeest now properly caught in the river current keeps getting dragged under the water and pops up a few times with great difficulty to get air. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0875) – Click image for a larger view.
Alas, the wildebeest manages its very last breath and then disappears under the water and downstream where either crocodiles or vultures will do their work. (Stock or editorial enquiries to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF: MM-X0891) – Click image for a larger view.
As a photographer there is no time for emotion when things like this are happening, it’s a matter of document it now and think about it later. After writing this account I can say a whole lot of the feelings and thoughts that were in my mind at the time came rushing back to me. It certainly was an incredible interaction between animals unlike anything I have ever seen and it’s an experience I shall never forget.
This post was originally syndicated from
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Tags: hippo, hippopotamus, Kenya, Masai Mara, syndicated, wildebeest, wildlife photography
