Wildebeest » Animal

The wildebeest (Connochaetus Gnou) looks like a cross between a horse and a cow. This rather peculiar antelope is about the size of a donkey, has the short coat and slender legs of a deer, a long bearded buffalo's head, a hunchback and a horse's mane and tail. Both stags and does have horns. The wildebeest has adapted to ecological circumstances the best of all grass eaters and is widely found on most African grasslands. With its wide row of incisors the wildebeest can harvest more grass per mouthful than any related grazer. Calves stand within minutes of birth and within two days they are almost impossible for predators to catch. The wildebeest is sometimes better known as the 'gnu'. This Hottentot onomatopoeic word refers to the metallic sound that the animals make. Their voice is an abrupt, loud snort and they communicate with a loud, nasal ' kwang 'sound.

Shoulder height: 1.07 - 1.17 m

Mass: 113-159 kg

Gestation: 224-240 days

Both sexes have horns.The bulls are highly territorial and stake out specific areas.