celebrating africa's giants: wildebeest
Tanzania's world-famous Serengeti-Ngorongoro and Tarangire-Manyara Ecosystems are defined by the large migratory ranges of the white-bearded wildebeests and plains zebras as these animals move across the landscape in their age-old search for water and food. Historically, the populations in Tarangire-Manyara Ecosystem migrated along 10 routes between their dry-season range in Tarangire National Park and their wet-season ranges outside the park, with annual distances traveled of up to 250 km. The wet-season range is critical because it provides nutrient-rich forage necessary for reproduction. However, recent research has discovered that only 2 of these migration routes remain – one north to the Gelai-Kitumbaine Plains, and one east to the Simanjiro Plains.
Northern Tanzania is also the heartland of the Maasai people. The Maasai are traditionally pastoralists, moving across the landscape in search of forage for their cattle. Traditional Maasai are friends of wildlife as their livelihood does not significantly alter wildlife habitat. In fact, wildlife benefit from Maasai burning practices, and Maasai benefit from wildlife maintenance of short-grass grazing swards. Like the Maasai, wildebeests are icons of a nomadic existence that has been lost in much of the rest of the world.
Northern Tanzania is also the heartland of the Maasai people. The Maasai are traditionally pastoralists, moving across the landscape in search of forage for their cattle. Traditional Maasai are friends of wildlife as their livelihood does not significantly alter wildlife habitat. In fact, wildlife benefit from Maasai burning practices, and Maasai benefit from wildlife maintenance of short-grass grazing swards. Like the Maasai, wildebeests are icons of a nomadic existence that has been lost in much of the rest of the world.
We developed migration-themed activities and high-quality, creative materials that meet educational needs while promoting biodiversity conservation. We provide educators with training on how to develop and implement innovative, effective conservation-oriented teaching strategies.
wildebeest environmental education library
We developed the following materials:
(1) Children's story book (The Amazing Migration of Lucky the Wildebeest)
Lucky is a baby wildebeest born on the plains of Gelai during the rainy breeding seasons. As the rains stop and the plains dry up, she travels south with her mother and best friend Love, a zebra. Along the way they see and learn about other animals that share their habitat, and face obstacles they must overcome before reaching Tarangire National Park, the critical source of drinking water during the dry season. The story of Lucky the Wildebeest teaches children ecological lessons about the wild animals that share their homeland, and how those animals can be an economic benefit through ecotourism. Children learn why animals must migrate, how the Maasai people are their friends, and how humans can help them along their amazing journey. The story also promotes literacy with all text side-by-side in Maasai, English, and Swahili, the national language of Tanzania.
Lucky is a baby wildebeest born on the plains of Gelai during the rainy breeding seasons. As the rains stop and the plains dry up, she travels south with her mother and best friend Love, a zebra. Along the way they see and learn about other animals that share their habitat, and face obstacles they must overcome before reaching Tarangire National Park, the critical source of drinking water during the dry season. The story of Lucky the Wildebeest teaches children ecological lessons about the wild animals that share their homeland, and how those animals can be an economic benefit through ecotourism. Children learn why animals must migrate, how the Maasai people are their friends, and how humans can help them along their amazing journey. The story also promotes literacy with all text side-by-side in Maasai, English, and Swahili, the national language of Tanzania.
(3) Migration activities - click to download
(4) Lucky the Wildebeest videobook
