This archive report was first published on 2 July 2020.
Wildfires in northern Tanzania have ravaged hundreds of acres of vegetation on the wildebeest migratory routes, halting the annual migration into the Masai Mara Game Reserve.
The fires, which have lasted a week, have pushed back wildlife and potentially killed hundreds of smaller animals, including snakes, squirrels, rabbits, birds, and lizards.
According to the East Africa Tour Drivers and Guides Association, the fires have interrupted or delayed the migration of millions of wildebeest, a world-renowned spectacle, that had started two weeks ago but suddenly stopped due to the fires.
"It's currently misty on the Serengeti side as a result of smoke from the fires that have been razing the ecosystem," said Mr. Felix Migoya, association secretary.
Mr. Migoya also expressed concern that the fires might have killed hundreds of smaller animals that live under the grass or burrow underground.
Maasai Mara County administrator Christine Dapash attributed the delay in the migration to the tall lush grass in the park, which has made it hard for lions to hunt as it is difficult for them to sight their prey, leaving them to starve.
Ecologists said that contrary to the idea that grazers like gazelles, topis, and zebras enjoy the tall grass during rainy seasons, they actually dislike it as it exposes them to predators.
