Common name: Blue Wildebeest
Scientific name: Connochaetes taurinus
Conservation Status: Least Concern
At the zoo:
All female herd of Winona (11 yr), Charlotte (5 yr), Fila (4 yr), Winnie (3 yr), and Willow (2 yr) - they can be found in the South section of the zoo in one of the central fields beside the Addax.
Habitat:
Blue wildebeest live in grasslands and on the savanna, migrating to regions with good grazing.
Diet:
They are herbivores and largely consume grasses
Life Expectancy:
20 years
Biology:
Blue wildebeest, also known as common wildebeest, or gnu, are one of the most well-known animals of the African Savannah. Renowned for their powerful shoulders and sharp, hooked horns, the wildebeest’s best form of protection is community. Wildebeest travel in large numbers to migrate and reproduce, with more than a million adults in the herd. Wildebeest migrate continuously in search of lush grasses and only stop for brief periods at the best grazing spots. In late January, early February, about 400,000 babies are born and only have a few weeks to be ready to migrate with the herd.
Fun Fact:
Zebra and wildebeest like travelling and eating together. Zebras prefer the taller, tougher grasses, and wildebeest like the shorter grasses that are leftover.
