The wildebeest belongs to the so-called hartebeest. The name comes from the elongated skull of the antelope. It is reminiscent of cattle, with which they are not closely related. Typical feature are their black stripes in the neck area, which can extend to the trunk.
Throughout the year, large wildebeest herds move in search of fresh water and grass through steppe, bush and forests. Each year, they travel 2000 to 3000 kilometers in a large circuit from the Serengeti in the south to the savanna of the Masai Mara in the north and back. At times, giant herds of tens of thousands of animals come together in the Serengeti! The mating season begins with the hikes. The gestation times in the females are seven to nine months. The births take place in all females of a herd around the same period. A newborn baby can make his first steps five minutes after giving birth. The young are nursed for about five months and can already eat grass in parallel. In the wild, watchful lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas and crocodiles in river beds cling to their heels.
