community kassangor in boma and badingilo national parks | © marcus westberg / african parks right tribesman in community bala mundari tribe | © marcus westberg / african parks
Nomadic tribes face challenging times in South Sudan
For thousands of years , agro-pastoralist tribes have inhabited South Sudan . Livestock , specifically cattle and shoats ( sheep-goat hybrids ), are an integral component of tribal society for those whose heritage is rooted in their traditional lands . Despite peace agreements , tribal conflict continues to be common in the post-war period due to food , health and safety insecurity among the people .
Peacetime has brought unplanned , unregulated development and infrastructure projects to areas of South Sudan previously blocked by war . Oil , gas and mining prospects loom large . These are critical threats to nomadic lifestyles , intact ecosystems and the antelope migration .
Creating protected areas — especially within the next five years — is a vital step in preventing the wetlands from being drained and wild grasses disappearing . Solutions are heavily dependent on working with communities to develop conservation projects that include alternatives to unsustainable bushmeat hunting and overgrazing of natural areas .
Our partner , African Parks , is authorized by the government of South Sudan to manage the Boma and Badingilo national parks , and has undertaken an unprecedented survey to document wildlife numbers and the scope of the migration . A collaring effort conducted between March 16 to April 18 , 2023 , resulted in 126 animals of 12 species being tagged with GPS units . The four migratory species of White-eared Kob , Tiang , Reedbuck and Mongalla gazelle have shown extensive movement during this time . The Tiang moved the farthest , ranging between 224 to 966 miles .
Pressure from a changing climate
South Sudan is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change , including droughts and excessive flooding . Flooding in 2022 was the worst it ’ s been in over 60 years . This drives widespread conflict over scarce resources .
Great migrations like that of the antelopes of South Sudan provide a window into the world of 25,000 years ago . Though very few of us will ever witness a massive mammal migration in our lifetimes , we all experience migrations closer to home . Birds arriving and departing with the seasons , Monarch Butterflies atop milkweed or , if we ’ re lucky enough , Gray Whales or sea turtles if we live near the sea . It ’ s all the more gratifying knowing , somewhere in central Africa , millions of antelopes are chasing the sweetest grass of the season across a landscape wider than our imagination .
23