Although wildebeests are the most abundant, they are not pioneers of the Great Migration. Leading the army of millions of animals is the grassland zebra (Burchell's zebra) who loves to eat long grass. They cut off the top of the grass stem with sharp teeth, chew it slowly, and leave the bottom of the grass to wildebeests who later like to eat dwarf grass. After the wildebeest left, the grass just grew, which happened to be the food for the gazelle walking behind.
The food chain of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem goes far beyond the above animals: carnivores will eat some other animals, and sweepers, such as black-backed jackals, vultures and African vultures, will eat the remaining animal carcasses. Herbivores bring small insects from other places and become food for some birds and small mammals. Animal manure becomes the food of beetles, and beetles indirectly fertilize the grassland in the process of carrying manure.
This kind of animal parade happens every year, but the time and route are erratic. It is believed that it has been going on for tens of thousands of years on the East African prairie. Before the invasion of human civilization, plants, several large carnivores, dozens of herbivorous mammals, hundreds of birds, countless insects and small animals on this vast land formed a self-sufficient ecological cycle system. However, with the increasing demand for grazing, farming and insatiable hunting, this rare and real natural land on earth is being threatened.
I hope that the great migration of animals in East Africa will not become a term in history.