Wildebeest Wildebeest Wildebeests, also called gnus, are antelopes in the genus Connochaetes. They belong to the family Bovidae, which includes antelopes, cattle, goats, sheep, and other even-toed horned ungulates. "Connochaetes" includes two species, both native to Africa: the black wildebeest or white-tailed gnu ("C. gnou"), and the blue wildebeest or brindled gnu ("C. taurinus"). Fossil records suggest these two species diverged about one million years ago, resulting in a northern and a southern species. The blue wildebeest remained in its original range and changed very little from the ancestral species, while the black wildebeest changed more in order to adapt to
Blue wildebeest bovine appearance. The blue wildebeest is susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease, anthrax, sarcoptic mange, and hoof gangrene. The herpesvirus was first isolated from the blue wildebeest in 1960 by veterinary scientist Walter Plowright. Although the causes of death vary from year to year, in one drought in Botswana, young calves and aged females were the most likely to die. On another occasion, an estimated 47% of deaths were caused by disease, 37% were due to predation, and the remainder were the result of accidents. The animal can be host to a number of different parasites. In one study, blue wildebeest were