Blue wildebeest

The blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), also called the common wildebeest, white-bearded wildebeest, white-bearded gnu or brindled gnu, is a large antelope and one of the two species of wildebeest.

Blue wildebeest
Blue Wildebeest, Ngorongoro.jpg
C. t. albojubatus
In the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Conservation status
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus: Connochaetes
Species:
C. taurinus
Binomial name
Connochaetes taurinus
(Burchell, 1823)
Subspecies

C. t. albojubatus (Thomas, 1912)
C. t. cooksoni (Blaine, 1914)
C. t. johnstoni (Sclater, 1896)
C. t. mearnsi (Heller, 1913)
C. t. taurinus (Burchell, 1823)

Connochaetes taurinus map.svg
Distribution of the subspecies:
     C. t. taurinus     C. t. cooksoni     C. t. johnstoni     C. t. albojubatus     C. t. mearnsi

The blue wildebeest is known to have five subspecies. Young blue wildebeest are born tawny brown, and begin to have their adult coloration at the age of 2 months.

Both sexes have a pair of large curved horns. The blue wildebeest is a herbivore, feeding mainly on short grasses.

Blue Wildebeest Media

References

  1. IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2016). "Connochaetes taurinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2016: e.T5229A163322525. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T5229A163322525.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.