Running with the Beest

The Great Migration in East Africa is a spectacle that can be seen from space. More than one million wildebeest, alongside zebra, gazelle and elands, journey in a quest to find fresh grass.

The documentary, which kicks off Nature’s 41st season on PBS, follows two Maasai guides, Derrick Nabaala and Evalyn Sintoya, who have spent the last 10 years tracking the wildebeest as they migrate through Kenya’s Mara ecosystem. However, climate change, tourism and modern-day conflicts are threatening the delicate balance between the environment and wildlife. The Great Migration is part of the Maasai’s cultural heritage, and Nabaala and Sintoya share new ideas for co-existence in a changing world.  

“Wildebeest are a keystone species that support the entire ecosystem around them,” said Fred Kaufman, executive producer for Nature. “Their conservation is critical to the survival of the natural landscape of East Africa. Our hope with this film is to shed light on the issues facing the Great Migration and spotlight possible solutions.”