The scientific name of the black wildebeest is Connochaetes gnou. The animal is placed in the genus Connochaetes and family Bovidae and was first described by German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von … See more

The black wildebeest is particularly susceptible to anthrax, and rare and widely scattered outbreaks have been recorded and have proved … See more

The black wildebeest is native to southern Africa. Its historical range included South Africa, Eswatini, and Lesotho, but in the latter two countries, it was hunted to extinction in the … See more

The black wildebeest is depicted on the coat of arms of the Province of Natal in South Africa. Over the years, the South African authorities have issued stamps displaying the … See more

Black wildebeest are sexually dimorphic, with females being shorter and more slender than males. The head-and-body length is typically between 170 and 220 cm (67 and 87 in). … See more

Black wildebeest are mainly active during the early morning and late afternoon, preferring to rest during the hottest part of the day. The animals can run at speeds of 80 km/h (50 mph). When a person approaches a herd to within a few hundred metres, the … See more

Where it lives alongside the blue wildebeest, the two species can hybridise, and this is regarded as a potential threat to the maintenance of the species. The black wildebeest was once very numerous and was present in Southern Africa in vast herds, but by the … See more