The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has reportedly been stunned by the discovery of what could be "the largest migration of land mammals on Earth". Over 1.3 million animals including white-eared kob, African antelope, mongalla gazelle, elephants, buffalo and ostriches have been counted in an aerial survey of the southern Sudan where it was assumed that wide spread war had wiped out these herds.

This is great news for wildlife. It is not good news for WCS.

I don't usually play the cynic, but this the worst PR job I've seen in the enviro community since the Center for Biological Diversity sued one of North America's largest wind farms for bird deaths caused by turbines. Rather than assuming all animals had perished when a proper survey had not been completed since 1982, it may have been better to take a conservative approach in estimating the death toll.

The WCS is accepting donations to help them "protect this wildlife haven". Although I don't know much about the organization, my advice would be that if the WCS couldn't locate the world's largest migration of animals in the first place, they're probably the wrong folks to be protecting them.

Check out the BBC slide show for more great pics.