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  • Other mammals |
  • Blue wildebeest

 

Blue wildebeest

(Connochaetes taurinus)

lion

Blue wildebeests prefer the Open Tree Savannas in the park, but can be found in some of the other habitats as well, including the Stunted Knob-thorn Savannas and Mopane Shrubveld. In Kruger, they don't form such large herds as they do in the Masai Mara and Serengeti systems, but large herds may form after good rains.

Male
Female
male blue wildebeest female blue wildebeest

Shoulder height:

±1.5m / 5ft

Shoulder height:

±1.3m / 4.3ft

Weight:

±250kg / 550lbs

Weight:

±170kg / 370lbs
Features: Slightly larger than females and the horns are a bit more prominent Features: Slightly smaller than males and horns are a bit less prominent


More blue wildebeest facts:

Habitat:

Blue wildebeests prefer the open areas of the Kruger National Park, but may be found in other areas where there's short grass and sufficient water

Active:

Blue wildebeests rest about half the day and feed and ruminate for the rest. They may be active during the day and at night

Food:

Primarily grass and ideally short, green grass

Gestation:

±250 days

Calves:

One

Weaned:

Calves are weaned after 7-9 months

In Kruger:

To learn more about how to find blue wildebeests in Kruger, check out the right-hand sidebar.



Back to main mammals page

How to find blue wildebeest in the Kruger National Park:

leopard

Stay at these camps:
Satara
Orpen/Tamboti/Maroela
Lower Sabie

Drive these roads:
H7 tar road
H6 tar road
S106 gravel road
S37 gravel road

Top tips:
Blue wildebeests love open terrain, so search for them there.

Your best bet would be on the open plains just east of Orpen at the western tip of the H7.

Check out our Kruger plains game gallery:plains game gallery



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