Migration of 6m antelope in South Sudan dwarfs previous records for world’s biggest, aerial study reveals

Tiang, a species of antelope, form part of the migration between the Boma and Badingilo national parks in South Sudan, the world’s largest such movement. Photograph: Marcus Westberg/African Parks

An extensive aerial survey in South Sudan has revealed an enormous migration of 6 million antelope – the largest migration of land mammals anywhere on Earth. It is more than double the size of the celebrated annual “great migration” between Tanzania and Kenya, which involves about 2 million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle.

“The migration in South Sudan blows any other migration we know of out the water,” said David Simpson, wildlife NGO African Parks’ park manager for Boma and Badingilo national parks, which the migration moves between and around. “The estimates indicate the vast herds of antelope species … are almost three times larger than east Africa’s great migration. The scale is truly awe-inspiring.”