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Blue Wildebeest

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Mammals

                 iBlue Wildebeest
   Blue Wildebeest
   Blue Wildebeest

                             Conservation status

   Lower risk
            Scientific classification

   Kingdom:   Animalia
   Phylum:    Chordata
   Subphylum: Vertebrata
   Class:     Mammalia
   Order:     Artiodactyla
   Family:    Bovidae
   Genus:     Connochaetes
   Species:   C. taurinus

                                Binomial name

   Connochaetes taurinus
   ( Burchell, 1823)

   The Blue Wildebeest is a large ungulate mammal of the genus
   Connochaetes which grows to 1.4 meters shoulder height and attains a
   body mass of up to 270 kilograms. They range the open plains, bushveld
   and dry woodlands of Southern and East Africa, realizing a life span in
   excess of twenty years. This herbivore is a grazing animal that is
   often sighted in open grasslands or clearings in a savanna. The male is
   highly territorial using scent markings and other devices to protect
   his domain. The largest population is in the Serengeti, numbering over
   one million animals.

   Even though it has a beefy muscular front-heavy appearance with a
   distinctive robust muzzle, it strides with relatively slender legs and
   moves gracefully and quietly most of the time, belying the reputation
   for stampeding in herds; however the stampeding characteristic may
   sometimes be observed. The name “Blue Wildebeest” derives from a
   conspicuous silvery blue sheen to his short haired hide,
   differentiating this species from the plainer black genus member Black
   Wildebeest.

Description

   Blue Wildebeest from rear angle showing stripes that look like wrinkles
   Enlarge
   Blue Wildebeest from rear angle showing stripes that look like wrinkles

   Probably the most conspicuous feature of the Blue Wildebeest are the
   large horns shaped like parentheses, extending outward to the side and
   then curving up and inward . In the male the horns can attain a total
   span of almost 90 centimeters, while the female's horn width is about
   half the size of the male. These cow-like horns of both sexes are
   somewhat broad at the base and are without ridges. However, as further
   sexual dimorphism, the male horns have a boss-like structure joining
   the two horns. The male is larger than the female with a total body
   length of up to 2.5 meters.

   Young Blue Wildebeest arrive in the world tawny brown, and begin to
   take on their adult colouration at age nine weeks. The adult's hue
   actually varies from a deep slate or bluish gray all the way to light
   gray or even grayish-brown. The dorsal coat and flanks are slightly
   lighter in hue than the ventral hide and underparts. Dark brown
   vertical bands of slightly longer hair mark the neck and forequarters,
   and from a distance lend a perception of skin wrinkling. The manes of
   both sexes appear long, stiff, thick and jet black, a colour assumed by
   the tail and face as well. Sexual dichromism is exhibited by the males
   displaying decidedly darker colouration than the females. All features
   and markings of this species are bilaterally symmetric for both sexes.

Range and habitat

   Blue Wildebeest are found in open and brush-covered savanna in south
   and east Africa, thriving. in areas that are neither too wet nor too
   arid. They can be found in places that vary from overgrazed areas with
   dense bush to open woodland floodplains. Wildebeests prefer the
   bushveld and grasslands of the southern savanna The terrestrial biome
   designations for these preferred habitats are savanna, grassland, open
   forest and scrub forest .
   Blue Wildebeests, Lapalala Wilderness, Waterberg, South Africa
   Enlarge
   Blue Wildebeests, Lapalala Wilderness, Waterberg, South Africa

   Large herds numbering into the thousands may be observed on the
   Tanzania Serengeti equatorial plain, in annual migration. Smaller herds
   of about thirty are found in northern Botswana, Zimbabwe and the South
   African locations of Waterberg, Kruger National Park and Mala Mala.
   Some herds can be found almost to the southern tip of South Africa.

Behaviour

   Blue Wildebeests can tolerate arid regions, as long as a potable water
   supply is available. Since all Wildebeests require a long drink every
   day or two, they must have water within about 15 or 25 kilometers
   distance. Their blunt muzzles are best equipped for biting short green
   grasses, since a wide incisor row prevents more selective feeding.
   Short grasses of these type are usually only found on alkaline or
   volcanic soils.

   The Serengeti herds are purely migratory and abandon the usual plains
   after the rainy season has ended, in order to seek higher grasses in
   wetter areas. Grasslands bordering alkaline lakes or pans are
   particularly choice dry season (winter) habitats. Herds may be mixed
   gender with a dominant male, female only or bachelor only. Sometimes
   Blue Wildebeest graze together with other species such as Burchells
   zebra for purposes of mutual protection. Blue Wildebeests can attain a
   speed of up to 80 kilometers per hour.

Territoriality

   Blue Wildebeest are unusually territorial, adult males occupying their
   territories for a month or for the entire year. The physical size of
   territories ranges from one to two hectares. The bucks mark territory
   boundaries with dung heaps, preorbital gland secretions, hoof scent
   glands and pawing of the earth. When competing over territory, males
   grunt quite loudly, make a thrusting motion with their horns and
   perform other displays of aggression.

   Territories are advertised by actions of the bull as well as scent
   marking. Body language used by the territorial male include standing at
   an erect posture, profuse ground pawing and horning, frequent
   defecation, rolling on his back and bellowing the sound "ga-noo", viz.
   origin of the word "gnu". To attract the opposite sex at the beginning
   of courtship the male (and less frequently the female) will rub its
   preorbital gland on a tree and then proceed with a destructive horning
   of said tree. This behaviour is not only effective in enticing a mate,
   but serves the function of providing more grassland for future
   Wildebeest generations by promoting grassland extent.

Reproduction

   Males exhibit rivalry when staking out territory and when competing for
   females. In the actual clashes between males, they face off resting on
   bent front knees, exchanging horn thrusts for brief periods. Elaborate
   individual displays are made in the rivalry and courtship process,
   where males bellow, snort and protrude their horns into the soil. The
   mating process is thought to begin at the first full moon at the end of
   the rainy season. Once territory is established, the male attempts to
   lure or corral the female into his domain. A female may copulate with
   several different males, visiting several different territories. Most
   mating occurs during a three to four week period at the end of the
   rainy season (March to April), when this species is at its maximum
   vigour.

   The female reaches sexual maturity at age three, and the male at age
   four; however, it is more typically age five when the male has
   developed sufficient strength and experience to defend territory.
   Generally fewer than half of the adult males create territories in a
   given year. In the Serengeti, population densities are so high that
   there may be 270 territorial bulls within one square kilometer. Estes
   terms the total volume of noise created during the Serengeti rutting
   season as “indescribable” in its amplitude and variety of snorting,
   bellowing and fighting. When the dry season is well underway about
   August, territories cease to exist.

   The gestation period is approximately 8.5 months, with calves able to
   stand within seven minutes and run with the herd in less than two hours
   from birth. These precocial features are warranted since the Blue
   Wildebeest is a staple of the lion's diet; however the spotted hyena,
   cheetah, leopard, and the Nile crocodile also take Wildebeest as prey.
   To escape predation calves remain close to the mother for a significant
   time, and in fact may suckle for up to one year. In large herds 80
   percent of Wildebeest offspring survive the first month, compared to a
   50 percent survival rate within small herds.

Nomenclature and classification

   A Blue Wildebeest grazing in Etosha National Park, Namibia
   Enlarge
   A Blue Wildebeest grazing in Etosha National Park, Namibia

   The Blue Wildebeest and Black Wildebeest or White-tailed Gnu (C. gnou)
   are the two species of the genus Connochaetes, within the family
   Bovidae, which includes antelopes, cattle, goats, and other even-toed
   horned ungulates. The Blue Wildebeest is sometimes called Brindled Gnu.
   The ( plural of Wildebeest is denoted either Wildebeest or
   Wildebeests). Another common term for the Wildebeest is gnu (
   pronounced /nu/ or /nju/).

   C. taurinus is comprised of five distinct subspecies. C. t. taurinus
   (Blue Wildebeest or Brindled Gnu; central to southern Africa)
   individuals are silvery slate gray in colour, the origin of the common
   name "blue" wildebeest. C. t. johnstoni (Nyassaland Wildebeest),
   occurring in southern Tanzania and Mozambique), is the largest
   subspecies. The Western white-bearded wildebeest (C. t. mearnsi) is the
   smallest and is found only in Kenya and western Tanzania. C. t. mearnsi
   is the darkest hued wildebeest while C. t. albojubatus(Eastern
   White-bearded Wildebeest) is the palest in colouration and found in
   Kenya and eastern Tanzania. The last subspecies, Cookson's Wildebeest
   (C. t. cooksoni), is restricted to the Luangwa Valley.

Conservation and outlook

   Bushveld habitat in Waterberg, South Africa
   Enlarge
   Bushveld habitat in Waterberg, South Africa

   The Serengeti boasts over one million Blue Wildebeests, but Southern
   Africa's large herds have diminished over the last several centuries
   under pressure from hunting, cattle ranching and habitat intrusion
   stemming from overpopulation of humans. In southern Africa some efforts
   are being made to enhance grasslands and repair damage of cattle
   grazing and excessive fencing. These activities are particularly
   evident in the Waterberg Biosphere, where invasive brush (induced by
   excess cattle grazing) is being extirpated and many fences are coming
   down to promote wildlife migration. While the species status is
   considered secure as a whole, there is concern for smaller herds in the
   southern Africa habitats which have already become marginalized.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Wildebeest"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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