Abstract

Ungulate migrations in ecology encompass various aspects, including movement behavior and site fidelity among species. This study aimed to investigate whether the Loliondo/Pololeti and Laetoli/Kakesio wildebeest herds exhibited migratory behavior and site fidelity during both wet and dry seasons within the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem. Six female wildebeest were immobilized by a wildlife veterinarian and fitted with GPS collars from Savannah Wildlife Tracking Ltd., Kenya. The results indicated that the wildebeest herds utilizing the Loliondo Game Controlled Area (LGCA) were not a resident population but rather a migratory sub-population moving between Angata Kheri (Tanzania side) and Keekorok (Kenya side) of the plains. Both herds showed a high degree of site fidelity during the wet season, primarily within the Angata Kheri and Laetoli/Kakesio areas, indicating distinct herd behaviors. Based on these findings, the study concludes that the two herds exhibited different movement behaviors, with the Loliondo/Pololeti herd showing linear movements and the Laetoli/Kakesio herd displaying circular movement patterns. The study recommends continuous monitoring of these wildebeest herds using GPS collars to better understand their large-scale movement behaviors.

Key words: GPS collars, Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, site fidelity, wildebeest migration.