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Wildebeest

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Connochaetes taurinus
Wildebeest

Range

They are found in eastern Africa.

Habitat

They live on the African savannas.

Body Traits

They are large animals weighing more than 500 pounds (260 kg). They are larger in the front shoulders and slope down to the rear end. They have a large head with a dark face and a wide mouth for feeding on grass and horns. They have a mane and a short, grayish-brown, shiny coat.

Habits

They graze in the early-morning and late-afternoon near water and drink midday (when most predators are sleeping). They can run up to 50 mph (80 km/h).

Diet

They eat grass.

Predators

They are killed by hyenas, cheetahs, leopards, wild dogs, crocodiles and lions.

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Reproduction

Females are pregnant for 8.5 months (gestation) and have 1 young that can stand within minutes. This is important on the African savannah where predators look for vulnerable prey.

Lifespan and/or Conservation Status

They can live 20 years in the wild. They are listed as Lower Risk - conservation dependent.

Wildebeest

Classification

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

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