by Sandor Carter
The arrival of the short rains this week signals the southward march of the epic annual migration.
The migration actually never stops: wildebeest, zebra and gazelle travel constantly clockwise over a huge territory in pursuit of fresh grazing. For the animals that prey on them, they’re literally a moveable feast.
You’d think a million wildebeest would be pretty easy to spot, but in fact when they are on the move, they have an uncanny knack of disappearing.
It’s at times like that when you have to draw on your experience as a guide: as bizarre as it sounds, what you need to do is think like an animal.
There are many fewer visitors to the bush this month. The advantage of coming now is that when you track down the wildebeest you’re on your own: just you and a million animals. It’s hard to put an experience like that into words . The sense of connectedness it gives you is extraordinary. You’re no longer have to tell yourself to think like an animal — you’re reminded you are one.
