Mara River Fig Tree Crossing - Maasai Mara, Kenya

A hippo and a Nile crocodile share a sandbank at the water's edge - a perfectly ordinary morning at Fig Tree Crossing on the Mara River. This camera is positioned at one of the most dramatic wildlife vantage points in Africa, where the Great Wildebeest Migration reaches its most intense moment as herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle attempt to cross fast-flowing water patrolled by crocodiles on both banks.

Around 1.5 million wildebeest complete the annual circuit between the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Maasai Mara in Kenya, driven by rainfall and grass. The river crossings are the most dangerous legs of the journey, and Fig Tree Crossing is one of the key staging points where herds gather on the bank for hours before the tension breaks and the crossing begins.

The camera runs continuously in partnership with Mara Conservancy and Explore.org, meaning it captures activity year-round - hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and riverine birds are present throughout the year regardless of the migration season, which peaks between July and October.

Did You Know? The wildebeest migration is the largest overland animal movement on earth, but it has no single leader and no fixed route. The herds follow grass growth driven by rainfall patterns, and the timing of each crossing is entirely unpredictable, triggered by a collective decision that no individual animal appears to initiate. Scientists still do not fully understand the mechanism behind it.

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