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Scientific Name: |
Connochaetes taurinus albojubatus
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Range: |
Southern Kenya and Southern Angola to Northern South Africa
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Habitat: |
Open grassy plains, usually near water
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Natural Diet: |
Grasses and succulents
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Zoo Diet: |
Winter: High fiber pellets and alfalfa hay. Summer: Low fiber pellets and grasses on the Veldt. Also salt licks and mineral blocks.
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Physical
Characteristics:
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Wildebeest are up to eight feet long and four to five feet tall at the shoulder. Wildebeest are grey-brown or silver and have brown or dark gray bands on their neck, shoulders, and forelimbs. A shaggy, white beard hangs from a black face and long, broad muzzle. Both males and females have heavy, curved horns that angle up and in. Wildebeest have black manes and tails.
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Behavior: |
Wildebeest are active in early morning and late afternoon, wisely resting during the hottest part of the day. They have keen eyesight and run up to 50 miles per hour. Wildebeest are loud and social mammals. The dry season brings together herds of up to tens of thousands of wildebeest. Herds migrate, following water and food supply.
Males use physical displays and loud calls to defend their territory, but they will rarely fight another wildebeest. However, wildebeest will fight if cornered by predators.
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Reproduction: |
All young are born two to three weeks before the rainy season. A single calf is born to each mother. The calf can stand within fifteen minutes of birth.
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Notes:
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Wildebeest are members of the antelope family. At the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, you can see wildebeest on the African Veldt.
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