Eastern white-bearded wildebeest
Connochaetes taurinus albojubatus
At the Detroit Zoo
Male eastern white-bearded wildebeests Lenny and Jeffery, both born in July 2017, arrived at the Detroit Zoo in June 2018. They are the first wildebeests to live at the Zoo since 1939, so modern-day zoogoers are experiencing wildebeests for the first time. Lenny appears to be the more curious of the two and enjoys exploring his habitat. Jeffery, on the other hand, is shy and tends to follow what Lenny does most of the time. Lenny and Jeffery seem to enjoy interacting with each other and can be seen following the peafowl around their habitat or relaxing under a shady tree. The wildebeests live with the Grevy’s zebras in their African Grasslands habitat.
Description
Wildebeests, also called gnus (pronounced “news”), are a type of African antelope. They are known for their white beard, slivery-blue coats, long black tails and cow-like horns.
Fun Facts
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Wildebeests tend to be noisy; their sounds include moans and explosive snorts.
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80 to 90 percent of calves are born within a two-to-three-week period.
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Wildebeests migrate close to 1,000 miles each year.