Menu Close

Key Information

Wildebeest

Species 2 species
Diet Herbivore
Length 67 to 98 inches
Height 43 to 59 inches
Weight 342 to 550 lb
Classification Mammalia > Artiodactyla > Bovidae > Alcelaphinae
Conservation Status Least Concern
Habitat Plains and Open Woodlands

Learning Point

  • Wildebeest are large African antelopes famous for their impressive annual migration. These herbivores travel vast distances across the savanna in search of fresh grass and water. Their migrations are truly spectacular, with millions of wildebeest moving together in a powerful, synchronized wave.

Project

  • Draw a picture of a herd of Wildebeest.
  • Overview
  • Herd
Blue Wildebeest
By Muhammad Mahdi Karim – Own work, GFDL 1.2, Link
Black Wildebeest
By Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa – Black wildebeest, or white-tailed gnu, Connochaetes gnou at Krugersdorp Game Reserve, Gauteng, South Africa, CC BY 2.0, Link
Herd of Wildebeest
By T. R. Shankar Raman – Self-photographed, CC BY 3.0, Link

Location

Places Southern and Eastern Africa

Fun Facts

  • Wildebeest are fast runners, which helps them escape predators like lions.
  • Both male and female wildebeest have curved horns that they use for defense.
  • Wildebeest are herbivores, which means they eat plants like grass.
  • Wildebeest play an important role in the African ecosystem by grazing on the grasslands and fertilizing the soil.

Past Lessons

163 February 12, 2025 (North America)
No Past Lessons

Upcoming Lessons

No Upcoming Lessons