Wildebeests depend on zebras! While wildebeests favour grass shoots, zebras graze on tall grass. As zebras move on, wildebeests feed on the shorter grass left behind.
Wildebeest calves can walk within minutes of being born whilst zebra foals can even run after an hour. This is essential for their survival and even then, only one in three calves will survive.
Lions only eat every three or four days and average 6 kgs per ‘sitting’. When not eating for even longer periods, a fully grown male lion can consume up to 40 kgs which is a quarter of its weight. This period of gluttony is often followed by up to 24 hours of sleep.
The Great Migration comprises a primary herd and satellite herds that rhythmically merge and divide. It is believed that glands in wildebeests' hooves release pheromones onto the ground, allowing dispersed herds to follow the trail and stay connected.
Just as humans have unique fingerprints, wildebeests have a unique grunt, thereby allowing a mother and foal to locate one another in a large herd or when it is dark.
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