The black and blue wildebeest

The species has two subspecies in blue and black wildebeest. What is the difference between the blue and black wildebeest?

• In both species the male is larger than the female. Generally, the blue wildebeest is larger compared to the black wildebeest.
• The horns of the blue and black wildebeests differ as the latter curve upwards while those of blue wildebeest curve towards the skull.
• The blue species has a grey colour with a bluish sheen as compared to black which has brown coloured hair.
• The blue specie has a wide habitat range inclusing Kenya, Tanzania and most of Southern Africa while the black is restricted to Southern Africa. The blue wildebeest is known for its migration unlike the black species.

The Great Migration

• The famous wildebeest migration occurs mainly because the species search for food.
• The Great Migration sees over 1.5 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra and a large group of antelopes travelling cross country between the Serengeti of Tanzania and Masai Mara of Kenya  
• During the migration around 250,000 wildebeest and 30,000 zebras are die off each year not only because of predation by carnivores but also from thirst, craving, and fatigue.

Reproduction

• Between January and March, half a million wildebeest are born each year in the Serengeti. In February, the month with the highest calving rate, around 8,000 wildebeest are brought into the world every day.
• Pregnancy lasts 8.5 months, and it closes with a single baby. Female conceives in the middle of her. 80% of calves are designed during a similar 2-multi week time frame, just before the rainy season.
• The calves can stand up and dash just after birth and have short straight horns that bend as they become more seasoned.

Behaviour

• Despite their size, the black wildebeest is a quick runner so that they can escape from their main predators, lions, leopards, hyenas and African wild dogs. They have estimated at up to 80 kph. They additionally must be careful about crocodiles when they get a drink or cross a large river.
• Males likewise attract females by rubbing a scent (created in the preorbital and interdigital gland) into the ground. They will urinate and defecate to mark their breeding an area and to keep other males off.

The wildebeest migration is the largest of mammals. It is no wonder that wildebeest migration is one of the seven new wonders of the world. Despite the spectacle, habitat fragmentation is threatening the survival of the species. Moreover, some livestock keepers deliberately kill the species to reduce competition for pasture and spread of zoonotic diseases.

Reproduction

• Pregnancy lasts seven months and ends with one child. Female leaves the crowd toward the end of pregnancy and hide its baby barely any days after birth (when it is still extremely frail).
• Impala are usually born around noontime as this is the most secure time to conceive since a large number of their enemies are resting. Still, predators kill half of the new-born within the first few weeks of life.
• Main predators of impala are lions, African hunting dog, cheetah, leopard, hyenas and pythons.

Ecology and adaptation

• Impala is herbivore (plant-eaters) which eats grass, herbs, bushes and leaves on the trees. Impala additionally eats acacia pods and fruits. Impala have the ability of being both a grazer and browser.
• Impalas make seasonal migrations from high to lower ground according to the availability of food
• The impala shows two characteristic leaps-it can jump up to 3 meters (9.8 ft), over vegetation and even over another impala. It covers distances of up to 10 meters (33 ft); the other kind of jump include, a series of increases in which the animal lands on its forelegs, move its rear legs mid-air in a kicking design, arrives on each of the fours and afterwards bounce back. The jumps may appear uncoordinated, but they are actually an anti-predatory technique
• Impala lives in crowds made out of creatures of just one sex. Size and sort of the group rely upon the climate conditions and availability of food.
• Impala produces barks-like sounds to alarm other members of the herd in the case of danger.
• Horns are used for protection against predators and in the battles for dominance in the herd. The horns in males may be as long as 90 cm long.

Impalas face a serious conservation challenge as they are often hunted for game and bushmeat. Furthermore, habitat fragmentation is causing impalas to lose their homes.

Interesting facts about most monkeys

• Monkey eat animals, plants and Earth, organic products, creepy crawlies, blossoms, and reptiles. They strip the bananas and throw the skins.
• They walk on their knuckles to prevent the body weight from landing on their hands.
• Monkeys are long-lived, surviving in the wild anyplace somewhere in the range of 10 and 50 years.
• A few types of monkeys can see on colour while others can only be able to distinguish between black and white.
• Monkeys communicate using facial expressions, vocalizations, and body movements.
• Trees, grassland, mountains, forest, and high fields are the most common place where monkeys live.
• Monkeys are considered a pest in certain areas. They murdered because they are destroying crops humans have been trying to grow.
• The biggest monkey is the male Mandrill, which weighs almost around 35 kilograms and 1 meter long.
• The gestation period lasts between 7 days, contingent upon the species. Most monkeys give birth to just one child in turn.
• Grooming is a significant part of socialization for monkeys. They will spend long periods removing items from the fur of each other. They are social animals that usually eat, sleep, and travel in groups.
• The Old-World monkeys live in Asia and Africa, and the New World monkeys live in South America.
• The louder monkeys are Howler monkeys; their howls can be heard for around three miles in an open area and two miles in the forest. They spend 80% of their energy resting.
• Monkeys are found wherever on Earth, except Australia and Antarctica.
• The tip of their tail can support the whole weight of their body. Some have prehensile tails that can snatch and hold objects. Some use their fingers and toes to get a handle on objects.

Most monkeys are considered as pests in agricultural systems. As such, they are often poisoned and killed.

Interesting facts about baboons

• Male baboons are significantly bigger than female baboons, twice bigger to be definite. Baboons reach a height of 14 to 30 inches when estimated at the shoulder, and a weight of 50 to 100 pounds.
• Unlike other monkeys, baboons lack the prehensile tail. This means that they are incapable of using their tails as their hands.
• The body of the baboon is shielded with fur that can be black, olive, or yellow. Males and females look like the other the same, and again, females don’t have lengthy hair round their necks.
• Baboons have long, dog-like muzzle and strong jaw furnished with sharp canines.
• They take any kind of food that is available at the moment (pioneering feeders). Most of their eating habit embrace fruits, seed, berries, roots, tree covering, tree sap and different creepy crawlies, shellfish, fish, birds, and small mammals.
• They have a sign of communication that includes vocalizations, facial expressions, posturing, and gesturing.
• Baboons have a similar number of teeth and the same dental pattern as a human being.
• A female baboon will stay pregnant for a half year, and birth usually ends up with one offspring. The mother will convey her family near her stomach while she moves.
• It can survive for 30 years in the wild until 45 years in captivity, because of an absence of predators.
• Baboons and leopards are ancient enemies. At night, leopards often stalk and pick sleeping baboon from a troop. There are reports of baboons troops that attack and kill leopards during the day.
• The baboons are social and live in groups called troops that average with about 50 baboons. Females and juveniles are the core members of troops, as the males could move in and out.

Although they are listed as ‘Least Concern’ by IUCN, baboon conservation faces challenges.  Humans consider baboons a pest species because they raid their farms. As a result, they are often poisoned and killed. Moreover, baboons are also hunted for their skin and are used as test animals in the laboratory.

Although they have a clumsy look, hartebeests are among the most evolved antelopes as they are fast (reaching speeds of up to 70 km per hour) and enduring runners. It is no wonder that they are nicknamed ‘tough ox.’

Interesting facts

ü  They have weird shaped horns

ü  Males are bigger than females.

ü  The species is thought to be named after the Dutch in South Africa. Its name loosely translates to a ‘deer beast.’

ü  The hartebeest found in groups on open fields and scrublands of sub-Saharan Africa. When the most extensive going of African antelope, they likewise once lived in North Africa.

ü  It is a herbivore (plant-eater) whose main diet is based almost entirely on the grass. As such, hartebeest competes with livestock for pasture.

ü  Although they primarily feed on grass, hartebeests are not picky in feeding on the grass. They feed on grasses that other livestock and game consider unpalatable

ü  The tail, 40 to 60 centimeters (16 up to 24 inches) in length, ends in a dark tuft.

ü  Its legs, which regularly have dark markings, are strangely long.

ü  Mating in hartebeest happens throughout the year, with one or two peaks that can be influenced by the availability of food.  Gestation is 8 to 9 months in length, after which a single calf conceived.

ü  There are also very alert and non-aggressive.

ü  Hartebeest reaches sexual maturity at the age of 1 and 4 years.

ü  Hartebeests are social animals living in organized groups of up to 300 animals.

ü  Even though youthful hartebeest relies upon the mother’s milk just during the initial four months of its life, it, for the most part, remains with its mother until the age of 3 years. Youthful males leave their local groups and gather in the ranger of heard.

Despite being listed as least concern by IUCN, hartebeest population in the wild face severe challenge of poaching. Their meat is a highly regarded game. Some livestock keepers also poach the species because it competes with livestock for grass.