Wildebeest - Conservation and Management

Conservation and Management

Wildebeest still number in the thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, in numerous areas in eastern and southern Africa, which is a testament to the local efforts and foresight to conserve and manage these animals. However, many wildebeest populations are experiencing rapid declines. Overland migration as a biological process requires large connected landscapes, which is increasingly difficult to maintain, particularly over the long term, when human demands on the landscape compete, as well. The most acute threat comes from migration barriers, such as fences and roads. In one of the more striking examples of the consequences of fence-building on terrestrial migrations, Botswanan authorities placed thousands of kilometres of fences across the Kalahari that prevented wildebeests from reaching watering holes and grazing grounds, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of individuals, and dropping the wildebeest population to less than 10% of its previous size. Wildebeest migrations in the Serengeti and Tarangire ecosystems, Tanzania, are also threatened by the construction of a roadway across their northern portions. The impact of this road on migratory wildlife will undoubtedly be negative and reduce the aesthetic value of the ecosystems, but the magnitude of the impact (in numerical terms) on the population will depend on the extent to which the road acts as a barrier to movement, causes collision mortalities, and opens the area to illegal hunting. In addition to roads and fences, illegal hunting is a major conservation concern in many areas. In the western Serengeti, scientists estimate tens of thousands of animals are poached each year, largely using wire snares. Other ecosystems are experiencing similar pressures, such as the Tarangire ecosystem in Tanzania, which historically supported large numbers of migratory wildebeest (as well as other species), but has recently declined in number, coincident with illegal hunting and land-use changes across the rainy season ranges. An important question in populations threatened by barriers and other pressures is whether and how they adjust to a less migratory lifestyle. Although the majority of wildebeest populations migrate, some populations do not, and appear to never have done so in recorded history. Such populations can be found in the Ngorongoro Crater, the Masai Mara, Lake Manyara National Park, Selous Game Reserve, and Hwange and Esotha National Parks.