Nature can be quite interesting right …Well, did you know that the Stars of the Mara are a species of Gnu or Wildebeest that are easily distinguished by the color ‘Blue’? If not, here is a fascinating breakdown of some incredible facts that revolve around these world renowned creatures. But first, just before we dive into it, how many species are there exactly and is ‘Blue’ the only distinctive color given to these creatures?
As you are making your travel research around Africa, it’s best to know that there are two Wildebeest species. The Blue Wildebeest (Connochates taurinus) majorly witnessed in the Serengeti and Mara. Second is the Black Wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou) widely spread around southern Africa. And the appearance? Well the Blue Wildebeest simply has a dark grey or bluish-grey with dark vertical striped coat while the Black Wildebeest has a dark brown or black coat. Yes, it’s pretty that simple to distinguish them. Don’t get me wrong but there’s definitely more to it than just colored coats.
1. The Wildebeest Coat is actually Bluish
Interestingly, young wildebeest are born with a tanny brown coat color and 2 months later as they grow into adulthood, coloration begins. Now if you have problem distinguishing or differentiating color, this can become a bit tricky however the adult males and females both have coat colors ranging from bluish-gray to brownish-gray.
Their distinct dark vertical stripes along the shoulders and flanks—sometimes called “brindle” markings—become more prominent as they mature. These stripes, along with their shaggy manes and characteristic beards, help wildebeests blend into the shimmering heat haze of the savannah, making it harder for predators especially to single out individuals.
2. Top Class Sense of Smell
The animal kingdom is generally comprised of creatures with incredible smelling capabilities including our very own furry pets at home. In the wild, Blue Wildebeests are of no exception. Imagine having an in-built GPS system ready to guide you to where the next shopping outlet full of huge discounts is going to be. With Wildebeests, the Blue Wildebeest in this case, are able to smell rainfall patterns up to 24 Kilometers away.
This incredible sense of smell largely allows them to move swiftly into regions that have fresh pastures all year round. With no leader, the Blue Wildebeests use their sense of smell quite strategically, moving together in herds and keeping close as they smell each others feral glands. These secretions from the glands, often containing pheromones and other chemical compounds, are used for communication, including marking territory and attracting mates. Of course this remarkable sense of smell has formed the route that is today well known as the Great Migration.
The Blue Wildebeest also heavily relies on scent for creating social bonds. They use secretions from their preorbital glands (near the eyes) and pedal glands (located on their feet), as well as signals from urine and feces, to convey important information. The pedal glands play a key role in helping the herd stay together—leaving scent trails that allow individuals to follow the path of others as they move across vast distances during the migration.
Meanwhile, wildebeests engage in social behaviors like rubbing their faces and preorbital glands on the hindquarters of other herd members, strengthening bonds and reinforcing group cohesion. You’ll often observe them sniffing, nuzzling, or rubbing their noses and necks on one another as part of this olfactory-based communication system, which helps establish familiarity and reduce tension within the group.
This fascinating scent-marking behavior is vital for survival in the open plains, where visibility can be limited and the safety of the herd depends on close cooperation.
3. Calves Run Immediately After Birth
The wild can be so unforgiving sometimes especially to new-born animals. Mostly grazing and spending time in the open grasslands of the Masai Mara, the Blue Wildebeests are subject to predatory attacks from li0ns, hyenas, and even leopards.
With this in mind, giving birth for Blue Wildebeests is a very dangerous ordeal and once the calf is brought to the world, urgency for it to get up on its feet is highly required. The gestation period for this remarkable creatures is usually between 250 to 260 days and once a calf is born, it will take less than 5 minutes for the newborn to gallop and make it’s first strides. In a span of 2 to 3 weeks, close to half a million calves are born. The calves will be dependent on their mothers for typically 4 months receiving essential nutrients like phosphorus and calcium from the suckled milk.
The calves are not only protected by their mothers, but also shielded with the herd numbers in the center making a somewhat nursery – a simple play area in the wild where the young Wildebeests can play and move around freely with the fear of a predator lurking near by. Talk about prime protection instinct. It is quite practical to say that new born Blue Wildebeests are actually born to run, and speaking of running, these creatures are able to out run predators like hyenas even at a week old.
4. Blue Wildebeests Can Live Up to 20 Years
Not too long and not too short either right? Well the most common factor that affects the mortality rate of Blue Wildebeests is the predatory nature of their natural habitat and migration routes. Thousands of these creatures young and old alike have been moving through the Great Migration for centuries and guess what, this provides a heaven like opportunity for hunters.
Cheetahs, Lions, Hyenas and Leopards will all line up during this wild spectacle just to try and get a proper meal. Don’t forget the crocodiles will not want to be left out of the party especially when the crossing begins. Even while hunted, the sheer enormous numbers of the Blue Wildebeest herds still guarantee that 9 out 10 calves will reach adulthood and possibly make it to the 20-year mark.
5. They are actually good swimmers
Not only can these animals run first, but also swim well. Due to the migration and crossing patterns, the Blue Wildebeest cannot avoid the inevitable fact that one way or another they will find themselves in water and will have to tread & swim like an Olympian (Mara Olympics swimming competition would probably go to Hippos, or maybe Crocodiles, what would you bet on?).
Being land animals the sight of Wildebeests crossing can be quite breathtaking and also mind boggling because how do they really do it? The answer is simple – the herds need to get to where food, in this case greener pastures are and why not give it a risk. Their body shape makes it quite ideal for this kind of risky part of their journey – A large muscular frame with hollow bones especially in the limbs providing great buoyancy in deep areas like the Mara River. In Water, the limbs being used to sprinting in speeds of up to 80 KM per hour still effectively propel them while swimming.
Now don’t also forget that this is also one of the most dangerous parts of a Blue Wildebeest’s existence. The animals will timely face huge currents that may deem impossible for some of the herd members therefore resulting in injury or ultimately drowning. But with the incredible resilience and fortitude of the animal, surviving and making it to the other end is largely important as life itself.
The Blue Wildebeest, a truly spectacular creature!
