Clown of the plains

The name wildebeest (“wild animal” or “cattle”) stems from South African Dutch and Afrikaans.  An alternate spelling is “wildebeest.” The wildebeest, also known as the gnu is a large ungulate (hooved) antelope (genus Connochaetes).”Gnu” is likely an imitation of the wildebeest’s characteristic grunting in the Khoikhoi language
The wildebeest’s height is 45-55 inches at the shoulder.  It averages 350- 550 pounds. Its habitat consists of grassy plains and open woodlands in southern, central, and eastern Africa. Wildebeest mainly eat grass. Their life span in captivity can be as much as 21 years. Female wildebeest (cows) are smaller than the male and have horns.  Males (bulls) also have horns.
In Kenya’s Maasai Mara, March and April mark the rainy season as well as the mating season.  Males fight for dominance among the herd.  The gestation period in a female is eight and a half months, producing one offspring. The calf is able to stand within minutes of the birth. In a few days it is able to keep up with the herd.
During May, more than a million wildebeest migrate more than 800 miles from the Serengeti to open woodlands of the Maasai Mara, Kenya to feed until November.  About 500 wildebeest run at speeds of up to 50 mph make a stampede.  Stampedes are destructive, but also encourage new plant growth and renewal of soil.
The strong bulls in every wildebeest group defend territories that they have marked with their waste and glandular substances emitted from their face and hooves. Young wildebeest males and bulls without territories form bachelor herds. Bachelors are forced to live on the fringes of the herd.
Wildebeest (also known as water buffalo) are known for their annual migration to new pastures. Numerous documentaries feature wildebeest crossing rivers, many being eaten by crocodiles in the Mara river or drowning in the attempt of crossing it. While having the appearance of frenzy, recent research has shown that a herd of wildebeest possesses what is known as a “swarm intelligence’, whereby the animals systematically explore and overcome the obstacle as one.
Major predators that feed on wildebeest include the lion, hyena, cheetah, leopard, and crocodile, which seem to favor the wildebeest. Wildebeest however are very strong and can inflict considerable injury to even a lion. The primary defensive tactic is herding, where the young animals are protected by the older larger ones while the herd runs as a group. Typically the predators attempt to cut out a young or ill animal and attack without having to worry about the herd. Wildebeest have developed additional sophisticated cooperative behaviors, such as animals taking turns sleeping while others stand guard against a night attack by invading predators. Scientists are unsure how much is learned behaviorally and how much is hard wired into the DNA of the animal.

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