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Updated October 25th, 2021 at 20:05 IST

Climate change puts Maasai Mara's wildebeest migration, food chain at risk

Wildlife in Tanzania and Kenya is under threat due to climate change, according to a local conservationist group that observes the migration of wild animals.

Reported by: Ajeet Kumar
Kenya
IMAGE: PIXABAY | Image:self
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The great national reserve Maasai Mara in Kenya is under threat due to climate change, said a local conservationist group that observes the migration of wild animals for the last two decades. According to the observers, the migration of wildebeests has always been a highlight for researchers. However, this year, less rainfall has raised grave concerns as it causes the ground to drier and less likely to grow fresh grass, resulting in a drastic decrease in the number of wildebeests. According to researcher Saitoti Silantoi, the water levels of the river in the reserve are also unusually low. He said that the sights of thousands of wildebeests migrating are severely toned down this year. 

"It is usually an endless mass of black you know, but over the last few years it has been very irregular," Silantoi told to the Associated Press (AP).  And just like a domino effect, it's an entire food chain that is at risk. "The annual wildebeest migration serves a very vital role in the Maasai Mara because, you know, they bring that bulk food that predators need. So if you cut out this main source of food, then basically, the predators would not make it you know especially the lions and the hyenas," Silantoi added. The urgency is water for all animals, he noted.

Villagers also highlighted the imbalance of the food chain for their cattle

Villager Jackson Rakwa, has been regular at the site for his cattle highlighted the current situation of the area. He said the less rainfall has devastated their life as the villagers are more or less dependent on their cattle. "If there's no rain, soon we are going to lose a big, big number of cows, which is a problem to us and there's nothing we can do about it. So we are just praying so hard for the rain to come," Rakwa said. Further, Rakwa stressed that the food chain would be destabilised due to a lack of food and added animals might be more inclined to venture out of their usual areas. According to him, this would potentially create animal-human interactions and conflicts.

With inputs from AP

IMAGE: PIXABAY

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Published October 25th, 2021 at 20:05 IST

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