A recent aerial survey in South Sudan has revealed the largest land mammal migration on earth, involving 6 million antelopes. The migration is almost three times as large as the annual wildly popular “great migration” between Tanzania and Kenya, which involves about 2 million zebra, wildebeest, and gazelle. The survey, conducted by African Parks using advanced technology, documented four antelope species numbering just under 6 million. Tagged “the great Nile migration,” the event sees animals move from the South Sudan into Gambella, Ethiopia, and back again. While the antelopes form the majority of the migrating animals, the survey documented other species, including lions, giraffes, buffalo, and elephants. According to South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit, the migration’s scale presents an opportunity for the country to transform its wildlife sector into a sustainable tourism industry. However, challenges such as habitat loss and resource depletion threaten both the migration and local communities’ livelihoods.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
