The Serengeti Animal Food Chain (PHOTOS/VIDEOS)

From BBC Earth's Arj Singh:

You could say it is the best of times and the worst of times for the herbivores of the Serengeti.

The arrival of the rains in the south is a precursor to one of the world's largest migrations.

One and a half million animals, including wildebeest, buffalo, gazelles and zebras, come together to take advantage of the bountiful food in the fast-growing lush grasses.

[You can see all sorts of videos and images of other migrating animals including humpback whales, Monarch butterflies and more over on our Facebook page, where you can also enter a photo competition and win DVDs.]

1 of 5

1 of 6

First Slide

Previous Slide

@

But the rains also mark a time of plenty for the predators who stalk them. The likes of cheetahs, hyenas and lions can find food in abundance in the large gatherings of grazers. Animals such as the wildebeest can travel some 500 miles, sometimes crossing massive obstacles such as the Mara River. They tend to travel in herds and they use these to defend themselves.

Climate Impacts Day: 350.org Campaign Connects The Dots Between Extreme Weather And Climate Change

The World Begins to 'Connect the Dots'

Five Natural Sites Where Humans Threaten Biodiversity (PHOTOS)

Dried Salton Sea Could Produce 'Clouds Of Toxic Dust' Under San Diego Water Authority Plan

Green Festival 2012: Fostering Community And Sustainability In New York City And Beyond

Earth Day 2012: Harder to See, Harder to Catch

But the rains also mark a time of plenty for the predators who stalk them. The likes of cheetahs, hyenas and lions can find food in abundance in the large gatherings of grazers.

Animals such as the wildebeest can travel some 500 miles, sometimes crossing massive obstacles such as the Mara River. They tend to travel in herds and they use these to defend themselves.

comments(22)

Total comments: 22 | Post a Comment

1 of 6

This Animal

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

My Goldfish Is Cooler Spring Break Serengeti!

• 
  1
• 
  2
• 
  3
• 
  4
• 
  5
• 
  6
• 
  7
• 
  8
• 
  9
• 
  10

Craziest Grazers

loading...

Craziest Grazers

UserName

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Top User Slides

← Prev|Next →

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Users who voted on this slide

← Prev|Next →

loading...

Comments

[maslin]

02:33 AM on 11/28/2010

'Zebras have a defense against lions too. It may seem ridiculous, but their stripes are ideal camouflage for grass, since lions are color-blind. They can appear simply as part of long grass, or even as one big animal making it difficult for lions to pick out an attack.'

Cool. They evolved countermeasures to specific big cats. That is really neat.

[Barbara Graham]

07:35 PM on 11/27/2010

LOL, sucks to be Zeeba!

[eric14]

06:01 AM on 11/27/2010

One time I was watching this nature documentary, zebras crossing a river. Crocodile attacks a Zebra bringing it down. Zebra up ahead hears its cries turns round goes back in river and kicks crocodile in head. Other zebra released and off they go. Inspiring stuff. Crocodile probably had a few loose teeth.

[Philclock]

11:53 PM on 11/26/2010

If only Big government regulated animals, all trained by Jesse Jackson in diversity appreciation, Barney Frank with home-on-the-plains buying subsidies, government paid medical insurance, automatic payments for the disabled so they wouldn't go for slow-footed humans, they'd be nice to other animals, right?

Nice Leo, friend! Friend!

[Barbara Graham]

07:36 PM on 11/27/2010

Aww you just know some gangbanging baboons gonna come thru and mess it all up. They know we are edible. Just sayin...

[SweetJudith]

04:01 AM on 11/26/2010

Just because we know its part of the food chain doesn't mean we need to watch what happens!! :)

[5ilver]

11:23 PM on 11/26/2010

Why not. If reality is too real for you, then you really aren't living.

[SweetJudith]

01:52 AM on 11/27/2010

Wow! aren't you just a typical bully!!!!

[maslin]

02:39 AM on 11/28/2010

So don't watch. You're missing out. Attenborough's nature documentaries are unbelievably good.

[5ilver]

08:36 AM on 11/28/2010

Stop bullying SweetJudith.

[noob1]

12:30 AM on 11/25/2010

A lot of people don't know that Lions are huge couch potatoes!

[maslin]

02:39 AM on 11/28/2010

That's one toothy potato.