White-tailed wildebeest

Meet the White-tailed wildebeest!

This animal is distinguished from other wildebeests by its long tail of white hair, similar to that of a horse, although it also has other tufts on his beard, on his forehead and between his front legs. Males and females have similar horns, with bulging bases that almost touch at the crown, curving down and forward. Its soft coat is dark brown in color.

Its serious expression gives the impression of an animal with an angry temperament, but it is not. In fact, the White-tailed Wildebeest is so good-natured that it continually shows how much it loves to jump, caper and flirt in the air, carefree.

It lives in savannas wherever there is enough vegetation for feeding.

What are its habits?

Wildebeests live in large herds formed by between 20 and 30 males, females and calves. They also live with other friendly species, such as zebras with whom they go on trips during the rainy season. Wildebeest and zebras help each other against their main predators, the hyenas.

They are herbivorous and sedentary mammals. They don’t require large amounts of food to survive, although when pastures dry up they are forced to travel in search of new territories.

The rutting season starts between February and March, while gestation lasts from 240 to 255 days.

Conservation

Least concern

Extinct in the wild

Critically endangered

Endangered

Vulnerable

Near threatened

Least concern

Insufficient data

Not evaluated