Beverly Joubert Instagram – In a swirling haze of morning mist, a lone wildebeest treks across a vast Kenyan savannah. In this part of the world, wildebeest are rarely on their own, and the rest of this loner’s herd was not far away. Each year, the Serengeti and Mara landscapes play host to one of the largest movements of animals on the planet, as more than a million wildebeest surge across the landscape on their way to better grazing grounds. It’s a migration that today is threatened by fences, roads and settlements that cut the animals off from their historical routes. This affects tourism in the area and creates an ecological imbalance that can have a long-lasting impact on our planet. Research indicates that without large numbers of wildebeest to consume vegetation on the plains, wildfires would become more frequent and intense, transforming the Serengeti landscape from a giant carbon reservoir to a contributor to rising carbon levels in the atmosphere. Although we still have much to learn about the intricacies of the natural world and the interplay between different species, one thing is clear: the more damage we do to delicate ecosystems, the greater the risk to our planet.⁣ ⁣ #wildlife #nature #conservation #wildebeest #migration