Wildebeest (connochaetes taurinus)*

Geographic Range: Ethiopian: The range of the wildebeest includes the plains and acacia savannas of eastern Africa. This range extends from the equator to the tip of South Africa (Estes, 1991).

Physical Characteristics: Mass: 118 to 270kg. The wildebeest is a large antelope. It has a large muzzle and cow-like horns. The horns are long without ridges and the males' horns are thicker with the appearance of a boss. Wildebeests have short hair covering their bodies, and their color ranges from slate gray to dark brown, with males darker than females. There are also black vertical stripes of longer hair on the back of the wildebeests. Wildebeests also have black faces, manes, and tails. The different subspecies of the wildebeest vary in color. Connochaetes t. mearnsi is the darkest group of wildebeest and C.t. albojubatus is the palest. Connochaetes t. taurinus is also known as the blue wildebeest and is slate gray in color (Estes, 1991).

Food Habits: The wildebeest is a grazing animal. They need water almost daily (Estes, 1991). Wildebeest feed in the morning and afternoon. Wildebeests have been known to eat tree leaves if there is not any grass available (Kingdon, 1989).

Reproduction: Unlike most African mammals, the wildebeest has a three week period in which most of the young are born. The conception rate among wildebeests is very high because their sexual peak is associated with good climate conditions. The sexual peak occurs at the end of the rains and the animals are in good condition. Wildebeest, if properly nourished, can begin to conceive at 16 months; they commonly first breed, however, at 28 months. The gestation period is eight to eight and a half months. Most of the calves are born at the beginning or a month before the peak of the rain season. Labor lasts one and a half hours at the most. Once a calf is delivered, the mother begins to lick it. After six minutes, the calf is able to stand on its feet and attempts to be nursed. It is very important that the mother stays close to the calf for two days in order to assure that imprintation occurs, which begins with the first suckling. Mothers initially identify their calf by scent alone. Young have a better chance for survival in a large group than in a small group. At eight months, the young leave their mothers and form peer groups (Estes, 1991)

Behavior: The wildebeest is a territorial, gregarious animal. Small herds are made up of females and their calves. These herds tend to occupy a small amount of space, and different herds overlap. Males leave these herds after a year and enter into a bachelor group. When males reach the age of four or five, they leave the bachelor groups and become territorial. The makeup of the groups with cows remains constant and if a new cow tries to enter, it is harassed. When there are many herds grouped close together, it is common for cows to transfer from one group to another. At the end of the rains, cows emerge in their own groups but as the dry season goes on, the separate groups lose their identities. The number of times a group moves and how many cows are in a group depends on the rainfall, the dry season pasture, and other environmental factors (Estes 1991). The beginning of rut in wildebeests is associated with the full moon. Territorial bulls, however, are always ready to mate. Whenever they are approached by another wildebeest, they greet the stranger with a cocking center movement. If the newcomer is a female, the bull tries to herd or mount her. There is considerably more calling, herding, and fighting among wildebeests during periods of sexual activity. A male that is sexually excited tries to herd as many females as possible and does not eat or sleep as long as a female is in his territory. Every territorial bull that sees a female in heat will try to mount her. If a female stands still, copulations are repeated often, at a rate of over two a minute. A female may encounter several dozen males in a day if her group is moving.

Habitat: Wildebeests thrive in areas that are neither too wet nor too dry. They can be found in places that vary from overgrazed areas with dense bush to open woodland floodplains. Wildebeests prefer the bushlands and grasslands of the southern savanna (Kingdon, 1989).

Biomes:Temperate grassland, tropical deciduous forest, tropical scrub forest, tropical savanna and grasslands.

*Reprinted with permission from the Alternative Livestock Reference Guide, Exotic Wildlife Assiciation