06
One point five million wildebeest cross the Mara River every year on the way to or from Kenya and Tanzania. On this occasion, some 10,000-15,000 traversed at this point in the river, taking almost an hour and a half to pass. What a photograph cannot capture is the sound, and I also think any photo would find it difficult to catch the mayhem involved as well.
This one small part of the crossing last September featured one wildebeest who found himself facing the wrong way while trying to make it to the other side. The surge of his fellow wildebeest made it near impossible to turn. I watched for a while but eventually lost sight, so I did not know what became of him.
It is one of three images that reached the final round of the Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year for me this year. Which was a good bonus because I entered this quite literally at the last minute, because I felt I had nothing to lose by doing so.
Taken using a Nikon D700 with 70-200 zoom lens at 200mm, f/5.6, 1/350th, and ISO 400.
