African Antelope Wildebeest

Wildebeest - large African cloven-hoofed animals, which belongs to the family bovids. Along with the wildebeest, belong to this family other antelopes, cattle, goats. So that our neighbors have not graceful antelope. Wildebeest are of two kinds - blue and white-tailed. Both species are listed as endangered.
 Wildebeest looks really shine. At the withers, this antelope sometimes reaches five feet, weighs 250 pounds. Wool blue wildebeest (one of the most common species of antelope), bluish-gray, smooth. Boca animals adorn the dark transverse stripes, black mane. The tail is blue wildebeest is very similar to a horse - a thick and long, he also has a black color.Disproportionately long, powerful head of an antelope crowned two sharp curved horns sometimes reach 80 centimeters in length. Hard forehead smoothly into a wide solid nose.Such a prominent black nose would envy is not a mountaineer! Croup horse, broad sternum strong - like a bull or a bison. A strange animal, wildebeest yet - the owners of long, slender and very strong legs. During migration, these legs can carry its possessor to savannas or a dozen miles!
 Most of the wildebeest, huge herds of surviving live in African national park. Proud of his livestock wildebeest is one of the largest national parks of East Africa - the Serengeti. On the vast plains graze here for about 300,000 wildebeest. But in the Ngorongoro Crater total number of ungulates is about 14 000 individuals.

 Blue wildebeest inhabit the eastern and southern Africa. North of Lake Victoria, these antelopes are not met. There wildebeest and dry shrubs, and rare woods, but the landscape is a favorite antelope - the endless savannah and low-grass plains. It was here that, due to the size and quick feet, it is easier to protect themselves from predators. In addition, there is plenty of food. And, incidentally, wildebeest with confidence be called whimsical gourmet - they only eat certain types of grasses. Given the size of the herd, wildebeest herbs need a lot. That is why the only way to feed themselves is a periodic migration from place to place. It will eat all the grass - go somewhere else. Countless herds of migrating wildebeest, scattered through the savanna to the horizon, look great!
 However, there are places where wildebeest are simply not able to migrate, as the territory of residence is severely limited. This place - the Ngorongoro caldera. In the vast valley on all sides bounded by a ridge of stone - the walls of the former crater, wildebeest live apart, moving in during the day only for short distances - from the lush grassy slopes to water and vice versa. But there is no need to constantly change pastures: a thick juicy grass on fertile moist soil, rich in nutrients, is growing rapidly.
 Hot daytime wildebeest prefer to hold the water. A sort of beach resort becomes a lake, which stuck to a herd of antelope. Animals long rest, lying down, lying on his back, playing like a small foals.
 Every adult male antelope has a territory whose boundaries it marks a special secretions.From April to June in the herd is a fierce struggle for the possession of privileged females. For the "crumbs" males are fighting on his knees. In February and March in a herd of kids there.Now comes the difficult period is for the mother. The fact that the wildebeest is one surprisingly touching property. Look at the first light appeared on the calf run off a whole bunch of nosy neighbors: a mother loses a lot of energy to drive away the visitors who can simply trample the baby.
 The newborn wildebeest bears no resemblance to the senior: his entire coat is soft, smooth brown color. The calf from the first hours of life itself rises to his feet. For the wildebeest is necessary, because they have to travel a lot, and sometimes run away from predators! Within a week the baby can chew on grass ponemnozhechku himself, and after six months will be almost completely abandon the mother's milk.
 Those wishing to enjoy a tasty fatty meat wildebeest in the savanna are many: it's a leopard, a lion and hyena. The most attainable prey are usually defenseless calves, however, the mother of their child is able to stand up. Day of the herd is in relative safety. Terrible night, and frightened, tangled mass, antelopes are vulnerable to a predator with sharp claws and teeth spotted a small gray nasty hyenas.
 But the worst enemy of an antelope (as, perhaps, any other animal) - a clever man with a gun in his hand. The second type of wildebeest - white-tailed gnu - the beginning of XX century, was practically razed to the ground. It inhabits this kind in South Africa. On the white-tailed gnu mercilessly hunted settlers, the Boers. Since then, the white-tailed wildebeest can be found only in national parks. The population of slightly increased, but the white-tailed gnu is still one of the rare African antelope.