Source and Additional Information

Animal Diversity Web
 
Toni Lynn Newell
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The wildebeest is a territorial, gregarious animal. Small herds are made up of females and their calves. These herds tend to occupy a small amount of space, and different herds overlap. Males leave these herds after a year and enter into a bachelor group. When males reach the age of four or five, they leave the bachelor groups and become territorial. The makeup of groups with cows remains constant and if a new cow tries to enter, it is harassed. When there are many herds grouped close together, it is common for cows to transfer from one group to another. At the end of the rains, cows emerge in their own groups but as the dry season goes on, the separate groups lose their identities. The number of times a group moves and how many cows are in a group depends on the rainfall, the dry season pasture, and other environmental factors (Estes, 1991).

One large migration of wildebeest is known as the Serengeti migration. During this migration, wildebeest move from the open plains to Lake Victoria in search of forage. On this journey, wildebeests swim across rivers and many wildebeests are killed. When the wildebeest travel across land, they walk with their heads bowed down, which is most likely related to the fact that the scent gland for wildebeest are in their hooves and they bow to follow the group (Kingdon, 1989).

The beginning of rut in wildebeests is associated with the full moon. Territorial bulls, however, are always ready to mate. Whenever they are approached by another wildebeest, they greet the stranger with a rocking canter movement. If the newcomer is a female, the bull tries to herd or mount her. There is considerably more calling, herding, and fighting among the wildebeests during periods of sexual activity. A male that is sexually excited tries to herd as many females as possible and does not eat or sleep as long as a female is in his territory. Every territorial bull that sees a female in heat will try to mount her. If a female stands still, copulations are repeated often, at a rate of over two a minute. A female may encounter several dozen males in a day if her group is moving. A female in full heat will always be found by the side of a male (Estes, 1991).