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Being essentially grazers, blue wildebeest show preference for open savanna woodland and open grassland and access to drinking
water is essential. They are largely restricted to the northern areas of southern Africa, but have been widely introduced to reserves
and farms further south.
 Both sexes have horns and they usually occur in large herds of 30 or more individuals. Territorial bulls may have between 2 to 150 cows with their young within their territory, defending a zone around their cows. However, cows may move through the territories of a number of bulls and mate with more than one. Outside the mating season cow herds move freely and are not herded by the territorial bulls. Blue wildebeest are active by day but seek out shade during the hottest hours. Because the mating season may be influenced by such factors as drought or early rains, it varies from area to area. A single calf, weighing about 22 kg, is born after a gestation period of 250 days. The calf is able to run with the mother a few minutes after birth. (Afrikaans: Blouwildebees). |
Take a photo safari tour of the animals we saw!