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The wildebeest (plural wildebeest, wildebeests or wildebai), also called the gnu ( or ), is an antelope
Antelope

Antelope are ruminant hoofed mammals of the family Bovidae in the order of even-toed ungulates. These animals are spread relatively evenly throughout the various subfamily of Bovidae and many are more closely related to cows or goats than to each other....
 of the genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 Connochaetes. It is a hooved (ungulate
Ungulate

Ungulates are several groups of mammals, most of which use the tips of their toes, usually hoofed, to sustain their whole body weight while moving....
) mammal.

Connochaetes includes two species, both native to Africa
Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
: the Black Wildebeest
Black Wildebeest

The Black Wildebeest or White-tailed gnu is one of two gnu species. The natural populations of this species, endemic to the southern region of Africa, have been almost completely exterminated, but the species has been reintroduced widely, both in private areas and nature reserves throughout most of Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa, Nami...
, or white-tailed gnu (C. gnou), and the Blue Wildebeest
Blue Wildebeest

The Blue Wildebeest is a large ungulate mammal of the Bovid family and one of two species of wildebeest. It grows to 1.7 meters shoulder height and attains a body mass of up to 380 kilograms....
, or brindled gnu (C. taurinus). Gnus belong to the family Bovidae, which includes antelopes, cattle, goats, and other even-toed horned ungulates.

Wildebeest grow to 3 ft 9 in
Inch

An inch is the name of a Units of measurement of length in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, and United States customary units....
–4 ft 7 in (1.15–1.4 metre
Metre

The metre or meter is a Unit of measurement of length. It is the SI base unit of length in the metric system and in the International System of Units , used around the world for general and scientific purposes....
s) at the shoulder and weigh 330–550 pounds
Pound (mass)

The pound or pound-mass is a Units of measurement of massused in the Imperial unit, United States customary units and other systems of measurement....
 (150–250 kilogram
Kilogram

The kilogram or kilogrammeThe spelling kilogram is used by the International Committee for Weights and Measures and the U.S....
s).






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The wildebeest (plural wildebeest, wildebeests or wildebai), also called the gnu ( or ), is an antelope
Antelope

Antelope are ruminant hoofed mammals of the family Bovidae in the order of even-toed ungulates. These animals are spread relatively evenly throughout the various subfamily of Bovidae and many are more closely related to cows or goats than to each other....
 of the genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 Connochaetes. It is a hooved (ungulate
Ungulate

Ungulates are several groups of mammals, most of which use the tips of their toes, usually hoofed, to sustain their whole body weight while moving....
) mammal.

Connochaetes includes two species, both native to Africa
Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
: the Black Wildebeest
Black Wildebeest

The Black Wildebeest or White-tailed gnu is one of two gnu species. The natural populations of this species, endemic to the southern region of Africa, have been almost completely exterminated, but the species has been reintroduced widely, both in private areas and nature reserves throughout most of Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa, Nami...
, or white-tailed gnu (C. gnou), and the Blue Wildebeest
Blue Wildebeest

The Blue Wildebeest is a large ungulate mammal of the Bovid family and one of two species of wildebeest. It grows to 1.7 meters shoulder height and attains a body mass of up to 380 kilograms....
, or brindled gnu (C. taurinus). Gnus belong to the family Bovidae, which includes antelopes, cattle, goats, and other even-toed horned ungulates.

Wildebeest grow to 3 ft 9 in
Inch

An inch is the name of a Units of measurement of length in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, and United States customary units....
–4 ft 7 in (1.15–1.4 metre
Metre

The metre or meter is a Unit of measurement of length. It is the SI base unit of length in the metric system and in the International System of Units , used around the world for general and scientific purposes....
s) at the shoulder and weigh 330–550 pounds
Pound (mass)

The pound or pound-mass is a Units of measurement of massused in the Imperial unit, United States customary units and other systems of measurement....
 (150–250 kilogram
Kilogram

The kilogram or kilogrammeThe spelling kilogram is used by the International Committee for Weights and Measures and the U.S....
s). They inhabit the plains and open woodlands of Africa
Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
, especially the Serengeti
Serengeti

This article is about a geographical region; for the National Park see Serengeti National ParkThe Serengeti ecosystem is a geographical region located in north-western Tanzania and extends to south-western Kenya between latitudes 1 and 3 S and longitudes 34 and 36 E....
 National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Tanzania. Wildebeest can live more than 20 years.

Wildebeest are well known for their annual migration
Migration

Migration refers to directed, regular, or systematic movement of a group of objects, organisms, or people, including:In ecology and anthropology:...
 to new pastures. Many wildlife documentaries have featured this event, which displays vast numbers of wildebeest crossing rivers and dying in large numbers as they attempt to reach the other side, many of which are eaten by crocodiles. While it is commonly assumed that this is simply a frenzy
Frenzy

Frenzy is a Thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and is the penultimate feature film of his extensive career. The film is based upon the novel Goodbye Piccadilly, Farewell Leicester Square by Arthur La Bern, and was adapted for the screen by Anthony Shaffer....
 and that the wildebeest cross blindly, recent research has shown a herd to possess what is known as a "swarm intelligence", whereby the wildebeest systematically explore and overcome the obstacle as one.

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