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Zebras and wildebeests in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Across the great plains of Africa

Image of the day

Jan 23, 2020
Across the great plains of Africa
© Raffi Maghdessian/Cavan Images
This time of year, from late January to early March, babies arrive on the Serengeti. At the height of the wildebeest calving season, thousands of calves are born every day. Moments after birth, these youngsters can walk, and in just a few days, they'll be able to run fast enough to keep up with the herd. That's a good thing. Calving season isn't just a draw for safari tourists wanting a front row seat at the start of the circle of life, but also for predators like lions, cheetahs, and hyenas on the hunt for easy prey.
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Quick fact:In the 1890s, drought and disease decimated the wildebeest population of the Serengeti, but by the mid-1970s the wildebeests had recovered.