Wildebeest

CLASS

Mammals

FAMILY

Bovidae

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Connochaetes taurinus

WHERE IS IN THE PARK

Safari

The wildebeest is an Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulate) mammal of the Bovidae family, widespread throughout South and East Africa, where it inhabits savannahs with scarce vegetation. The wildebeest can be 145 cm tall at the shoulder, 250 cm long and can weigh 290 kg. Its body colour is generally grey, with blu shades and black stripes on the sides, as black are even the hair of the mane and tail. Distinctive are the horns, curved upward to resemble parentheses. The body is pretty massive, supported by relatively slender limbs.
Good runner, if disturbed can reach up to 80 km/h. It feeds on short grasses, which it continuously grazes. The wildebeest form herds of thousands of members, who move according the seasonality of the herbaceous vegetation on which they feed. In some gigantic african parks it is possible to see massive migrations of millions of herbivores (wildebeest, zebra and several antelopes) in search of food, waiting for the rainy season. Wildebeest are preyed on by many carnivores as lions, leopards, hyenas and african wild dogs. Average life expectancy can reach 40 years.

 

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