WILDEBEEST: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, FEEDING AND BEHAVIOR - BIOLOGY - 2025

The wildebeest (Connochaetes) is a placental mammal that belongs to the Bovidae family. It has a robust body, with the forequarters more developed than the hindquarters. A long beard hangs on its neck and its limbs are elongated, ending in two-fingered legs and sharp hooves.

The genus Connochaetes includes two species: the blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) and the black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou). Although physically they share many aspects, they have distinctive features.

Wildebeest. Source: Charles J Sharp

Thus, the black wildebeest has a dark brown body and on this the light tone of its tail and the bristling plume stand out. In contrast, the blue wildebeest has a grayish-blue coat, with dark vertical stripes on the back. Its mane is short and falls on its neck and, like its tail, is black.

Both species have horns, present in both the male and the female. However, in the blue wildebeest these arise to the sides of the head and then curve upwards, while those of the black wildebeest have a slight downward turn before rising perpendicularly.

Its origin is the African continent, where it inhabits open forests, mountain slopes, fertile plains and grasslands.

Evolution

The fossil records found suggest that Connochaetes taurinus and Connochaetes gnou diverged a million years ago. As a result of this, the blue wildebeest remained in its original range, North Africa, while the black wildebeest moved south of the continent.

The two species had some adaptations to the habitat, however, in the black wildebeest these were greater because they live in open grasslands.

According to mitochondrial DNA analysis, Connochaetes gnou may have separated from the main lineage in the Pleistocene. This division was possibly not due to competition for food resources, but because each species inhabited a different ecological niche.

Connochaetes taurinus fossils are abundant and widespread and some, such as those found in Johannesburg, date back approximately 2.5 million years.

This is a very important area at an archaeological and paleontological level, since in the numerous limestone caves found there, fossils of great relevance for the history of mankind have appeared. Also, several extinct wildebeest have been located in Elandsfontein, Florisbad and Cornelia.

As for Connochaetes gnou, the earliest records were found in sedimentary rocks at Cornelia, dating back about 800,000 years.

characteristics

Diego Delso

Extremities

The anterior quarters of the body are highly developed, while the hindquarters are lighter. The elevated position of its front extremities, relative to the rear, allows it to travel long distances at a relatively high speed, reaching up to 80 km / h.

The front legs are larger, measuring approximately 8 x 6 centimeters. This is because the forequarters are sturdier and heavier. As for the hind legs, these measure 7.5 x 5.5 centimeters.

The footprint it leaves when walking is rounded at the rear, narrowing abruptly towards the front. In relation to the extremities, they are thin. However, they are powerful, allowing the wildebeest to move over rough terrain without falling or sliding in the mud.

This mammal walks in a particular way, like the giraffe. Thus, it simultaneously moves the front and rear legs on the same side of the body.

Fur

The two species of this genus have very different characteristics in terms of fur. Thus, the hair of the common wildebeest, as Connochaetes taurinus is also known, is a dark silver or bluish-gray hue. However, in some regions the color may vary to silver-brown.

In the back and shoulder region, this species has dark vertical stripes. It has a short black mane that falls on the spine and neck. In addition, it has a black beard that extends to the end of the throat, as well as a tail with long black fur.

In contrast, the black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou) has a dark brown coat, with a bristling white mane. The beards are black and are erect along the entire length of the lower jaw.

The black wildebeest has a patch of long dark hair, located between the chest and the front legs. As for the tail, it is long and white, similar to that of a horse. One aspect that characterizes it is a patch of erect black hair, located along the bridge of the nose.

Size

The black wildebeest weighs 110 to 157 kilograms, is 2 meters long and between 111 and 121 centimeters high. In relation to the blue wildebeest, it is smaller. Its weight ranges from 118 to 270 kilograms and its body length is around 123 centimeters.

Horns

Yathin S Krishnappa

Both sexes have smooth, well-developed horns that grow from the top of the head. They develop very quickly and can be between 45 and 78 centimeters long.

These structures are shaped very similar to that of the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer). Thus, they extend horizontally, and then rotate upwards, almost vertically. The horns of the female are thinner than those of the male.

Head

The head is broad, elongated and large, compared to the size of its body. As for the muzzle, it is broad and convex in shape. This makes it easier for him to eat the short grass found on the ground.

Hybrids

The two species that make up the genus Connochaetes can be linked to each other. Thus, the male of the black wildebeest could mate with the female blue wildebeest and vice versa, giving rise to offspring that are usually fertile.

However, the differences between these animals, regarding their habitat and social behavior, prevent an interspecific hybridization from occurring naturally. For this union to take place, both wildebeest must be isolated in the same area.

Although the offspring are generally fertile, studies reveal that many of them have abnormalities, related to the horns, teeth and Wormian bones of the skull. In addition, in some young hybrids, the tympanic area of ​​the temporal bone is deformed and there is a fusion between the ulna and radius bones.

Predators

In the African ecosystems where this artiodactyl inhabits, it is exposed to the attack of various predators such as the hyena, the lion, the crocodile, the cheetah, the wild dog and the leopard.

However, the wildebeest is an animal of great strength and with its horns it can cause serious injuries to its attackers, including the lion. This is why predators usually attack the sick, the old, or the young.

One of the defense tactics is herding. In this, the adults of the herd watch over and protect the young, usually while foraging. Likewise, species of the genus Connochaetes have developed cooperative behaviors, such as taking turns sleeping, while others defend the herd.

Habitat and distribution

The distribution range of the wildebeest corresponds to southern, central and eastern Africa. Thus, it is found in South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Tanzania, Kenya and Namibia, where they were introduced.

It can live in two or three areas, each corresponding to a special time of the year. These regions include a dry region, a wet region, and a transition region, which not everyone uses. This intermediate area is geographically located closely, usually at a distance of less than 20 km, from the dry region.

On the other hand, the wet and dry ranges could be separated by up to 120 kilometers. Of the three, the wet season area is the smallest, allowing for more efficient reproduction.

- The blue wildebeest

Muhammad Mahdi Karim

The common wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) is native to eastern and southern Africa. Its habitat includes Kenya, Botswana, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, Angola, and Swaziland and Angola. It is extinct in Malawi, but was successfully reintroduced onto private lands in Namibia and eastern Zimbabwe.

The range of the subspecies is as follows:

One of his favorite herbs is couch grass (Elytrigia repens), a fast-growing weed. It is highly resistant to droughts and floods, so it is abundant almost all year round.

Wildebeest requires large amounts of water to supplement its herbal diet. In the rainy season, you can go several days without drinking it, as the herb you consume has plenty of fluids. However, in the dry season, you should drink water at least once a day.

Behavior

The wildebeest adopts various thermoregulatory behaviors, with the intention of mitigating the high ambient temperature. Both species seek shady places and orient their bodies, thus avoiding solar radiation and reducing the external thermal load.

When said ungulate is positioned to evade the sun's rays, it is usually placed parallel to the sun. This is because it reduces the area exposed to said radiation.

Different behaviors to regulate internal temperature can affect habitat use, physical condition, body mass, and foraging. They also cause the wildebeest to inhabit different microclimates within the same ecosystem, which could lead to reproductive isolation.

The black wildebeest migrates in large herds and is more aggressive than the blue wildebeest. Within a herd, the male demonstrates his dominance with various head movements and frontal pressure, while the female does so by shaking her head.

The young form single herds that sometimes join the group of females during the dry season migration.

Communication

Members of the genus Connochaetes communicate through smell, sight, and vocalizations. The preorbital glands and those found in the legs secrete a substance that contributes to olfactory communication.

For example, the odorous scent produced on the legs allows members of a pack to follow each other during migrations. Likewise, the wildebeest rubs the glands that are close to their eyes against the face and back of another, thus establishing social contact.

References

1. Wikipedia (2019). Wildebeest. Recovered from en.wikiepdia.org.
2. Geraci, G. (2011) Connochaetes taurinus. Animal Diversity. Recovered from animaldiversity.org.
3. Alina Bradford (2017). Facts About Gnus (Wildebeests). Recovered from livescience.com.
4. ITIS (2019). Connochaetes. Recovered from itis.gov.
5. Paul Grobler Anna M. van Wyk Desiré L. Dalton, Bettine Jansen van Vuuren, Antoinette Kotzé (2018). Assessing introgressive hybridization between blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) and black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou) from South Africa. Recovered from link.springer.com.
6. Furstenburg, Deon. (2013). Focus on the Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus). Recovered from researchgate.net.
7. Lease HM, Murray IW, Fuller A, Hetem RS (2014). Black wildebeest seek shade less and use solar orientation behavior more than do blue wildebeest. Recovered from ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
8. Álvarez-Romero, J. and RA Medellín. (2005). Connochaetes taurinus. Exotic higher vertebrates in Mexico: diversity, distribution and potential effects. Institute of Ecology, National Autonomous University of Mexico. SNIB-CONABIO databases. Recovered from conabio.gob.mx.
9. IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2016). Connochaetes taurinus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. Recovered from iucnredlist.org.
10. Álvarez-Romero, J. and RA Medellín. (2005). Connochaetes gnou. Exotic higher vertebrates in Mexico: diversity, distribution and potential effects. Institute of Ecology, National Autonomous University of Mexico. Recovered from conabio.gob.mx.