Oh, look sire! The herd is on the move.

Name that quote. Here's a hint:

So today's fact is not about terrified and newly orphaned lion princes. It's about the thundering beasts that almost trample him. Also known as the gnu, the wildebeest is actually a member of the antelope family. The word "wildebeest" is Dutch for "wild beast" or "wild cattle" in Afrikaans. The name "gnu" originates from the Khoikhoi name for these animals, which is "gnou". The name Gnu makes me think  of a song by Flanders and Swann called "The Gnu Song". You should take a listen. And Indi, you should probably just sing along. 

Now I can't say the word Gnu without also saying "I g-nash my teeth at you". Anyways, Gnus belong to the family Bovidae, which includes cattle, goats and other even-toed horned ungulates. There are two species of of Wildebeest- the black wildebeest and the blue wildebeest. The blue wildebeest lives in habitats that include woodland and grassland, while the black wildebeest tends to stick only to open grassland. The blue wildebeest migrates over large distances in the winter, but the black wildebeest does not. The blue wildebeest is the larger of the two species. Its horns protrude to the side then curve downwards before curving up back towards the skull. The black wildebeest's horns curve forward, then downward, and then back upwards at the tips. It's hard to describe; I'll just provide some pictures!

Blue Wildebeest

Black Wildebeest

A full grown wildebeest can be up to 4 ft 10 inches at the shoulder and weigh up to 600 pounds. The live in the plains and open woodlands of Africa. They can live more than 30 years, although the more average lifespan is 20 years. They can run up to 40 mph. Their primary defensive tactic against predators is herding, where young animals are protected by the older larger ones. Predators include the lion, hyena, cheetah, leopard, cheetah, and crocodile. Sebras and wildebeest will group together in open savannah when there is a high chance of being eaten by a hungry kitty. Wildebeest will also respond to the alarm calls of other species, especially the alarm call of the baboon.

When in Kruger National Park, I'm most likely to see the blue wildebeest rather than the black wildebeest. 

CHEETAH TIME!

As you may have seen earlier, cheetahs do prey upon wildebeest. Here is a video of a cheetah named Honey hunting one, as seen on BBC's Big Cat Diaries. WARNING: DO NOT WATCH IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE WILDEBEEST FOR DINNER!

 Note Honey's chirping "contact call" - very distinct! AND THE CUBS!