western white-bearded wildebeest

The western white-bearded wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus mearnsi) is a subspecies of the common wildebeest, a large African antelope. It is the smallest of the common wildebeest subspecies, weighing approximately 50 kg (110 pounds) less than the blue wildebeest. This species is highly gregarious and adapted for a migratory existence, inhabiting the Serengeti Plains and acacia savannas of Tanzania and Kenya. They are a keystone species in these plains and savanna ecosystems.1

The common wildebeest is characterized by high shoulders sloping to lower hindquarters, a deep chest, a short neck, and thin legs. Its coat is slate gray to dark brown with black vertical stripes on the forequarters, and black markings on the forehead, mane, beard, and tail. Both sexes have cowlike horns. These herbivores are dominant in plains ecosystems and are known for their large migratory herds and spectacular annual rutting and calving events.1