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The Great Migration

October 4, 2009 5:00 PM

Scott Pelley visits Kenya, the site of the great wildebeest migration, and looks at the threats to this natural spectacle comprised of over a million animals.

The Great Migration: An Epic Journey
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by wecowger March 20, 2013 9:12 PM EDT
Scott, the great migration happens year round. It is only in Kenya a short time, but in Tanzania the other 10 months. Regards, William Cowger
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by gdmack2144 July 26, 2011 2:07 PM EDT
We were just in Tanzania and Kenya last week on Safari--to witness the Great Migration. Would love to see you do a story on the tension betweent the two countries. You can't cross the border between the Serengeti and Masai Mara by land--they have closed the borders to tourists. Kenya says Tanzania is the problem--that Tanzania is afraid people will visit Kenya, cross the boarder to visit the Serengeti and then go back to Kenya and not spend any time or money in Tanzania, so Tanzania has closed the border). Tanzania says it is Kenya, that Kenya is afraid that people will visit the Serengeti and then cross the border into Masai Mara then go back into Tanzania and spend no more time or money in Kenya. We were in Serengeti in Tanzania and had to take 5 different flights (Serengeti to Lake Manyara, Lake Manyara to Arusha, Arusha to Kilamunjaro Airport, Kilamunjaro to Nairobi, and Nairobi to Masai Mara) to get from the Serengeti to Masai Mara, which is only about a 2-3 hour drive if one could cross the border. Our last day we were told in Kenya that the Wildebeest migration to Masai Mara is substantially down because Tanzania is burning wide swaths of land (removing food--grasslands) for the Wildebeest to eat as they migrate north. They hit these patches of burned land with no food and they stop migrating north and never get to Kenya. Kenya says that Tanzania is doing this to prevent the Wildebeest from getting to Kenya, and thus trying to keep all the tourists and their money in Tanzania.

So what is the real story???? Who is really to blame? What is the true issue? This is worthy of a 60 Minutes investigation. Someone seems to be up to no good, and Tanzania is blaming Kenya, and Kenya is blaming Tanzania. Tourists, and it would seem the Wildebeest seem to be the losers in this scuffle.
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by JillRobinson1 March 24, 2011 2:56 PM EDT
Perhaps Scott needs to run a new challenge facing the Migration. The Mara river drying up could be secondary to the Tanzanian Government wanting to build a highway across the Northern end of the Serengeti- across the migratory route. Both the World Bank and Germany have offered to build a highway along the Southern route which will not impact the migration - but the President of Tanzania is still to this day - threatening to continue to build this highway. The devastation of animals and a World Heritage site will cease to exist. STOP THE SERENGETI HIGHWAY and it's supporters can be found on Facebook. Please spread the word and help us protect this last remaining migration of large animals.
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by rockmann8 August 25, 2010 7:43 PM EDT
Very good news documentary, and timely regarding the current situation regarding the prior damage to the watershed of the Mara River
and what is being done to repair it. CBS should do more reporting on the natural environment and wildlife, because this is a critical time for people everywhere to learn how fragile timeless and enduring events like the great migrations really are. Kudos to the conservationists and the cooperation of the Masai in helping to preserve the magnificent wildlife and lands of Africa for this and future generations.
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by overthehill5 August 17, 2010 11:54 AM EDT
Dear CBS:
Please continue to give Scott Pelley assignments like this to keep him
out of the country. He kills you.
Jim Talbot
Baton Rouge Louisiana
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by MaaSocialEconomicCouncil July 5, 2010 7:19 PM EDT
Excellent work Dickon Kaelo. You are doing the Maasai proud and we applaud your great efforts to safe the Mara, the Maasai greatest gift to the world.

Maasai Social Economic Council
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by BH55 October 11, 2009 10:13 PM EDT
GREAT STORY PLEASE KEEP IT UP ...YOU NEED VOLUNTEER ..AM AVAILIABLE ..
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by BH55 October 11, 2009 10:07 PM EDT
CAN ANYBODY TELL A CITY PERSON ..WHY THOSE ANIMALS MIGRATE ...I MEAN ..I CAN NOT SEEM TO FIND A BIG DIFFERENT IN TEMP. OR FOOD SHORTAGE .OR OR FOR THEM TO GO ALL THOSE DISTANT ?????
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by ongkhop October 9, 2009 8:44 PM EDT
i found this story fascinating but very very sad.
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by MartinSonderby October 8, 2009 12:50 PM EDT
Good News: We have had some rains in the Mara and more further north, so the Mara River has climbed up by near to two feet. The whole of the Mara is still extreamly dry, but not near as dry as other parts of Kenya. Cattle and wildlife are dying on a big scale in Samburu, Amboseli Tsavo areas. We have been told about an El Nino later this month which yet could mean other kinds of problems.
For the mismanagement of natural resources in Kenya (and rest of Africa for that matter) there are springing up lots of small hopes these days. Conservancies are being created mainly by tourist operators, but we cannot save much as there is little goverment support which for a western can seem very strange as the contries especially in Eastern and Southern Africa largely depends on tourism.
Dickson Kaelo from this story on 60 Minutes has assisted operators like me to set up the biggest private conservancy in Kenya. The conservancy, Mara North Conservancy, are protecting 32,000 Ha of prima wilderness. It is very interesting work and the communities are really opening their eyes to new ideas of income and conservation of their land. One can soon go on www.maranorthconservancy.com and read much more.

All the best to you all
Martin S Nielsen
Karen Blixen Camp, Masai Mara
www.karenblixencamp.com
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