The annual Great Migration, one of nature’s most spectacular events, is being severely disrupted by reckless tourists and negligent guides in the Maasai Mara, leading to animal suffering and death, according to multiple wildlife advocates and officials.
This week, a dramatic frenzy unfolded as tourists blatantly ignored park regulations, blocking critical river crossings. A video shared by the conservation group Cheetah Guardians showed visitors jumping out of safari vehicles and crowding the riverbank, leaving less than a meter between themselves and the panicking wildebeests. In the chaos, some tourists were seen forcibly driving the animals back into the crocodile-infested Mara River.
The Instagram account shockingly claimed the incident occurred under the supervision of a park ranger who allegedly demanded a $20 bribe. “This is the Maasai Mara today: chaos without management, no rules or limits, unethical guides, negligent rangers, and reckless tourists,” Cheetah Guardians stated. “The outcome is always the same: it is the wildlife that suffers, and too often, dies.”
This is not an isolated incident. Last month, wildlife guide and photographer Nick Kleer shared evidence of dozens of safari vehicles obstructing the river. “These ancient migration routes, shaped by instinct and generations of survival, were blocked by humans who should know better,” Kleer said. He lamented that the rangers, meant to be custodians of the wild, ended up being “as bad as poachers.”
The consequences are dire. On August 3rd, the crossing of a massive herd was abruptly halted by the roar of engines, allowing only a few dozen wildebeests to complete their journey. A similar disruption an hour later resulted in just three animals crossing successfully.
The problem stems from the immense pressure to witness the migration’s highlight. From July to October, over two million wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles trek from Tanzania’s Serengeti to Kenya’s Maasai Mara. Alfred Bett, a tourism warden with 20 years of experience, confirmed the challenge: “whenever wildebeests cross the river, many vehicles filled with tourists gather.”
While regulations exist—limiting viewing groups to five vehicles for a maximum of ten minutes—they are frequently ignored. In response, authorities are attempting to regain control. “We are trying to control them, using new technologies,” Bett said, detailing a system with ranger-patrolled vehicles stationed at crossing points to smooth the passage.
Across the border, the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators has condemned these “unethical safari practices.” Executive Director Elirehema Maturo emphasized that such behaviour undermines the natural event. Tanzania has conducted training for over 1,000 guides and has vowed to identify and discipline drivers involved in the misconduct.
The account highlighted that this reckless behaviour has had tragic consequences before, citing the 2023 death of a cheetah cub named Imani and the recent encirclement of another, Naimutie, by over a hundred safari cars. The ongoing struggle underscores a critical conflict between wildlife conservation and the booming tourism industry that depends on it.
