Mapping the epic migrations of zebras and other ungulates

From wildebeest in the Serengeti to caribou in the Arctic tundra, ungulates across the globe complete some of the animal kingdom’s most impressive land-based migrations. In search of food and breeding grounds, ungulates avoid harsh seasonal conditions and seek out critical resources by trekking hundreds of miles on hoof through unforgiving terrain.

Ungulate migrations help their ecosystems by transporting seeds and tilling soil to promote plant growth and providing crucial prey for carnivores and scavengers, thus supporting complex food webs across vast territories. Mass aggregations of ungulates, such as the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti, also provide incredible opportunities for people to see animals on the move. However, despite their importance, ungulate migrations are in peril due to human activity. Poorly planned infrastructure (like roads and fences), agriculture, and settlements all fragment landscapes and create deadly obstacles for migrating herds.

Mapping current migration patterns is a crucial first step toward creating effective conservation strategies and protecting these critical animal movements.

Movement maps: launching an innovative ungulate migration atlas

That’s why a new comprehensive digital atlas, currently featuring 20 migration maps of global ungulate populations, is such exciting news. Known as The Global Initiative for Ungulate Migration (GIUM), these maps showcase the movements of various species, including Tibetan antelope, reindeer, guanaco, plains zebra, and wildebeest. It is an expanding online resource with plans to incorporate additional species in the future.

The Global Initiative for Ungulate Migration (GIUM) was launched in 2020, uniting over 80 scientists worldwide to map and analyze ungulate movements. Their efforts culminated in this interactive atlas which highlights high, medium, and low-use migration corridors for a diverse range of species. Crucially, the map pinpoints where these routes intersect with human-made barriers like roads and railways. This tool will help guide conservation efforts, infrastructure planning, and policy decisions with cutting-edge data on ungulate travel patterns.

Case study: the plains zebra’s transboundary migration

In 2012, the plains zebra in KAZA was found to have one of Africa’s longest-ever documented migrations. WWF’s Dr. Robin Naidoo, lead scientist for Wildlife Conservation and contributor to GIUM—along with Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism—analyzed data from eight satellite-collared zebras to reveal that 5,000 to 10,000 plains zebras make an annual 150-mile migration from Namibia to Botswana. This journey begins in December at the start of the wet season, with the zebras departing from woodlands and floodplains along the Chobe River in Namibia and arriving at Nxai National Park in Botswana after 10 to 20 days of travel. Come April, the plain zebras gradually return to the banks of the Chobe River, enjoying the bountiful watering holes along the way.

Map 1: Satellite collar data from 2012-2013 tracked 8 plains zebras (Equus quagga), revealing their migration patterns. The zebras remain at the Chobe River through October and November. In early to mid-December, most begin moving south, with a few lagging behind. By late February and early March, nearly all zebras start their northward journey back to the Chobe area, fully returning to the river in May and June. (*Different colors denote separate individuals).

Mapping migrations... a decade later

In 2023, Naidoo returned to Namibia to re-map the zebra migration with Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism. The team collared 14 zebras to better understand and compare their migration patterns to 10 years earlier. Although results are still preliminary, it appears that fewer zebras migrated than in 2012-2013, with less synchronized and more sporadic movements among those that did.

Map 2: Satellite collar data from 2023-2024 tracked the movements of 14 plains zebras. The migration pattern reveals a diverse range of behaviors. In late December, a few zebras initiate a southward journey, with others following suit throughout January. Some individuals, however, remain at the Chobe River, never migrating. Among those that did migrate, some returned north to Chobe by late February. Notably, the pattern appears different from a decade earlier, with multiple zebras pausing in Chobe National Park for most of March before gradually making their way back to the Chobe River between April and May.

How are the migrations different and why?

While the data are still preliminary and more monitoring needs to occur, it is possible that a climate change-induced drought may be threatening the historic migration pattern by reducing water availability, potentially deterring zebras from undertaking the arduous journey.

The GIUM atlas, featuring data like plains zebra tracking, highlights ongoing human impacts on ungulate migrations. These findings can spur research into common threats and foster collaboration with governments and NGOs to leverage migration maps for wildlife conservation efforts.

What’s next for the zebras?

In order to better understand the zebras’ migratory behavior and drivers behind their movements, we’ll continue to monitor the collared individuals over the next few years. Is drought the reason the zebras didn’t migrate this year or are these individuals always non-migratory regardless of environmental conditions? Comparing their movements over multiple years will strengthen our knowledge of where, when and how zebras migrate, and help us better protect important wildlife corridors and landscape connectivity.