Wildebeest

Wildebeest facts at a glance

How big is a wildebeest?

An adult wildebeest measures 2.3 m long — about 1.3× the height of an average adult person (1.73 m) — and weighs around 250 kg, about 3.6× an average adult’s body weight (70 kg).

What is a group of wildebeests called?

Explore more animal collective nouns and baby animal names .

The great migration

Wildebeest are best known for one of the largest overland migrations on Earth, in which more than a million animals travel a roughly circular route between Tanzania's Serengeti and Kenya's Maasai Mara. The herds follow seasonal rains in search of fresh grass, covering hundreds of kilometres each year. River crossings, especially of the crocodile-filled Mara, are the most dangerous stage of the journey. Zebra and other grazers often travel alongside them, forming vast mixed herds.

Grazing and diet

Wildebeest are specialised grazers that feed almost entirely on short grasses and fresh green shoots. Their broad muzzles and wide rows of teeth are suited to cropping grass close to the ground, and they prefer swards kept short by other herbivores. Because they need to drink regularly, their movements are tightly tied to water and to the flush of new growth after rain. A herd can transform a landscape as it moves through, and its grazing helps maintain the open grasslands it depends on.

Appearance and build

The blue wildebeest has a heavy, front-loaded body with a deep chest, sloping back, and slender legs built for endurance running. Adults stand around 1.2 to 1.4 metres at the shoulder, reach about 2.3 metres in body length, and weigh between 120 and 290 kg, with bulls noticeably heavier than cows. Both sexes carry curved horns and a dark, silvery-grey coat marked with faint vertical stripes on the shoulders. A shaggy mane and beard give the animal its distinctive, slightly unkempt profile.

Herd life and behaviour

Wildebeest are intensely social and gather in herds that can swell into the tens of thousands during migration. Bulls establish and defend temporary territories, grunting and sparring to hold ground and attract cows during the rut. Outside the breeding season the herds are more loosely organised, relying on sheer numbers for safety from lions, hyenas, and wild dogs. Their constant lowing and grunting make a moving herd audible long before it comes into view.

Breeding and calves

Most wildebeest calves are born within the same few weeks at the start of the rainy season, a burst of synchronised births that swamps predators with more young than they can take. A calf can stand and run within minutes of birth, an essential head start in open country. Cows give birth to a single calf after a gestation of around eight and a half months, and the young keep close to their mothers within the herd. In the wild wildebeest typically live 15 to 20 years.

Predators and conservation

Wildebeest are a keystone prey animal for the big predators of the African plains, and lions, spotted hyenas, cheetahs, and crocodiles all rely heavily on them. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with the migratory Serengeti population remaining strong. Fences, roads, and expanding farmland are the main threats, because they can cut across the traditional routes the herds must follow. Where migration corridors stay open, wildebeest numbers have proven remarkably resilient.

Did you know? Wildebeest facts

• Blue wildebeest are large antelope famous for mass migrations across East Africa, following rains to fresh grass.
• Gnu — the name comes from Dutch settlers describing its snorting call.
• Up to 80 km/h in short bursts when fleeing predators.
• Conservation: Least Concern.

Diet & feeding

Wildebeest feeds primarily as a grasses.

Adaptations

• Over a million wildebeest circle the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem annually, crossing crocodile-filled rivers.
• Most calves are born within a few weeks, overwhelming predators with numbers.

Behaviour & ecology

• Over a million wildebeest circle the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem annually, crossing crocodile-filled rivers.
• Most calves are born within a few weeks, overwhelming predators with numbers.

Communication

• Wildebeest uses scent, posture, and vocal signals to mark territory and coordinate social behaviour.
• Communication intensity often peaks during breeding seasons and territorial disputes.

Habitat & range

East and southern African savannas

Ecological role

Wildebeest plays a recognised ecological role in east and southern african savannas.

Conservation status of the Wildebeest

Sources & references

This guide is compiled and reviewed against established zoological and conservation references. Key sources for the Wildebeest:

• IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

  Conservation status (Least Concern) reflects the IUCN Red List category for Connochaetes taurinus.

• iNaturalist — observations & photos

  Search citizen-science observations and community IDs for Connochaetes taurinus. Useful for range checks and recent sightings — not a substitute for formal Red List status.

• GBIF — occurrence data

  Global Biodiversity Information Facility species search for Connochaetes taurinus. Explore published occurrence records used in range research.

• IUCN Red List — Connochaetes taurinus.

  Conservation status (Least Concern) and population trends.

• Animal Diversity Web — Connochaetes taurinus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

  Life history, morphology, and range.

• Global Animal Guide editorial standards

  How we research, source, review, and update every guide for accuracy.