Blue wildebeest in Hierakonopolis (Nekhen), which used to be the religious and political capital of Upper Egypt at that time. This may be evidence that the animal used to occur in North Africa and was associated with the ancient Egyptians. Blue wildebeest The blue wildebeest ("Connochaetes taurinus"), also called the common wildebeest, white-bearded wildebeest, or brindled gnu, is a large antelope and one of the two species of wildebeests. It is placed in the genus "Connochaetes" and family Bovidae, and has a close taxonomic relationship with the black wildebeest. The blue wildebeest is known to have five subspecies. This broad-shouldered antelope has
Blue wildebeest Nature rates the blue wildebeest as being of least concern. However, the numbers of the eastern white-bearded wildebeest ("C. t. albojubatus") have seen a steep decline to a current level of probably 6,000 to 8,000 animals, and this is causing some concern. As one of the major herbivores of southern and eastern Africa, the blue wildebeest plays an important role in the ecosystem, and is a main prey item for large predators such as the lion. It is one of the animals that draws tourists to the area to observe big game, and as such, it is of major economic