Simulating the East African wildebeest migration patterns using GIS and remote sensing

Abstract

Abstract The Serengeti–Mara ecosystem in East Africa is a spectacular natural heritage endowed with diverse fauna and flora. The presence of the seasonally migrating wildebeest ( Connochaetes taurinus ) is a major boost for tourism. This migration however has enormous impacts to the ecosystem. Consequently efforts at monitoring the herd's migration trends and patterns remain a challenge to wildlife managers and ecologists in the region. In this paper, the relative influence of vegetation (normalized difference vegetation index), landscape and relief on herds migration routes are investigated and the migration routes simulated using GIS and remote sensing techniques. The results are compared with the annual mean route taken by the herds, as determined by radio tracking over the 1995–1997 period. Green vegetation availability is shown to be the major criterion in route choice. It is also shown that during the dry season phases of the migration (western trek, western corridor), the herd endures complex relief (complexity quantified based on slope and inter‐visibility) in the search for greener grass. During the season of abundance (southern trek), relief becomes critical in making route choices, with herds avoiding difficult terrain, notwithstanding their relatively more abundant vegetation. The method proposed in this paper is viable for rapid prediction of approximate routes for the migrating wildebeest in different climatic conditions.