Overview
This is the smallest of the Wildebeest subspecies. The general color is a light grayish brown, typically paler and with darker stripes than in blue wildebeests. The beard is a dirty, yellowish white, and there are some white hairs in the mane. A white facial band below the eyes may be present in some individuals.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Connochaetes
- Species
- Connochaetes taurinus
Habitat
Found in short grass plains bordering bush-covered acacia savannas in southern and eastern Africa, thriving in areas that are neither too wet nor too arid. Each year, some East African populations of blue wildebeest take part in a long-distance migration, seemingly timed to coincide with local patterns of rainfall and grass growth. Distribution- Southern Kenya and Northeastern Tanzania West of the Rift Valley, including the Serengeti Plains.
Diet
Primarily short grasses.
Behavior
It forms herds which move about in loose aggregations, the animals being fast runners and extremely wary. The mating season begins at the end of the rainy season and a single calf is usually born. The calf remains with its mother for eight months, after which time it joins a juvenile herd.
Hunting
As they live on open plains they are not hard to locate, but approaching them and determining sex and horn size may be difficult, especially in areas where they are regularly hunted. Often there is little cover, and long shots may be required.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN as an overall species.