A Nile Crocodile seizes a wildebeest crossing the Mara River in the northern Serengeti, Tanzania
The wildebeests, also called gnus or wildebai, are a genus of antelopes, Connochaetes. There are two types, Blue and Black. In East Africa, the blue wildebeest is the most abundant big game species; some populations perform an annual migration to new grazing ground. Wildebeest often graze in mixed herds with zebra which gives heightened awareness of potential predators. It is a notable feature of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and the Liuwa Plain National Park in Zambia. Blue wildebeest have both migratory and sedentary populations. In the Ngorongoro most animals are sedentary and males maintain a network of territories throughout the year, even though breeding is seasonal in nature. Each year, some East African populations of blue wildebeest have a long-distance migration, seemingly timed to coincide with the annual pattern of rainfall and grass growth. Numerous documentaries feature wildebeest crossing rivers, with many being eaten by crocodiles or drowning in the attempt. While having the appearance of a frenzy, recent research has shown a herd of wildebeest possesses what is known as a "swarm intelligence", whereby the animals systematically explore and overcome the obstacle as one. Major predators that feed on wildebeest include the lion, hyena, cheetah, leopard, and crocodile, which seem to favour the wildebeest over other prey. Zebras and wildebeest group together in open savannah environments with high chances of predation. This grouping strategy reduces predation risk because larger groups decrease each individual’s chance of being hunted, and predators are more easily seen in open areas.
Size: 3309px × 2647px
Location: Mara River, Northern Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Photo credit: © Niall Ferguson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: africa, antelope, blue, connochaetes, crocodile, crossing, drown, gnu, great, hunt, mara, migration, predation, river, safari, serengeti, tanzania, wildebai, wildebeest
