The Gnu Is Another Name For Which Animal?

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Facts Virtually Gnus (Wildebeests)

Wildebeests, or gnus, are the largest species of antelope. (Image credit: Chad Rosenthal)

Gnus, or wildebeests, are large African antelopes. Gnus (pronounced similar "news") are closely related to cattle, goats and sheep. These animals look like thin, muscular cows with large, sloping backs, curved horns and striped bodies. They also accept manes and bushy beards.

Wildebeest is an Afrikaans name that means "wild beast." Gnu is a derivation of the proper noun used by native Africans. The names are used interchangeably. A gathering of gnus is called a herd. However, James Lipton (of "Inside the Actors Studio" fame) coined the phrase "implausibility of gnus" in his 1968 book "An Crowing of Larks." He didn't explicate what he meant. The term defenseless on, and co-ordinate to the Terms of Venery web log, there have been at least 63 published works that use the phrase.

Physical clarification

Gnus are the largest of all antelopes. In that location are ii species, black wildebeests and blue wildebeests. Blue wildebeests counterbalance 260 to 595 lbs. (118 to 270 kilograms) and are well-nigh 4 feet (123 centimeters) in length, according to the University of Michigan'south Animal Diverseness Web (ADW). The blueish gnu, as well called common wildebeest, has dark vertical stripes on the shoulders and back.

The black wildebeest, likewise called the white-tailed gnu, weighs 242 to 346 lbs. (110–157 kg) and grows to about vi.5 feet (ii yard) in length and 3.half-dozen to 4 feet (111 to 121 cm) alpine. Every bit the proper name indicates, black gnus are dark brown to black in colour.

Both males and female gnus grow horns, which are typically 18 to 31 in (45 to 78 cm) long, co-ordinate to National Geographic (opens in new tab).

Habitat

Gnus are institute in one very specific spot on Earth: southern and eastern Africa, from Republic of kenya to Namibia, according to the ADW. They prefer savannahs and plains, but they can be found in a variety of habitats, including dense bush-league and open woodland overflowing plains. The largest populations are institute in the Serengeti in Tanzania and Kenya.

The blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), a large antelope, can exist constitute in the plains and woods of Southern and East Africa. The bluish wildebeest gets its name from the silvery blue sheen of its hide, and it has shaggy tufts of hair on its head and downward its back. It's capable of reaching speeds of l mph (lxxx kph). (Prototype credit: Federicoriz Dreamstime)

Habits

Gnu herds are constantly on the search for nutrient and are active mean solar day and night. They communicate through sight and smell, simply are too very vocal. Blue wildebeest males can bellow loud enough that the sound travels up to 1.24 miles (2 kilometers), co-ordinate to the ADW.

As territorial creatures, gnu herds have a certain area they call their own. An average herd's territory encompasses almost one square mile (1.five foursquare kilometers).

Diet

Gnus are herbivores and but eat vegetation. They prefer grass, simply when grass is difficult to find they will also eat leaves. During mating flavor, males practise non sleep or eat while sexually active females are nearby.

When the rainy flavor ends in the plains, herds migrate to the savannahs, where there is plenty of water and food. This migration normally takes identify in May or June. Around ane.2 million wildebeests join hundreds of thousands of other animals, including zebras and gazelles, in the world'south largest terrestrial migration, co-ordinate to National Geographic. The migrating herds may travel hundreds of miles to find food.

During this migration, about 6,250 gnus, or 0.5 percentage of the total herd, drown while crossing the Mara River. However, there is a silver lining to these deaths: The decaying bodies feed local scavengers, including vultures and fish, and go out behind nutrients and minerals in the ecosystem, according to a study published in 2017 in the periodical Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"Information technology is the equivalent biomass of 10 blue whales dropped into the river," report senior researcher David Post, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Yale Academy, said in a statement.

Offspring

After a gestation of eight to 8 and a half months, and at the starting time of the rainy flavor, 500,000 baby gnus are born in February and March each year, according to National Geographic. These babies are called calves, and they are quite large. Calves can counterbalance 44 to 49 lbs. (20 to 22 kg) at nascence.

Calves learn to walk within minutes of birth and in a few days they are part of the herd, walking aslope their female parent. It takes the mother six to 9 months to wean her immature. At xvi months to 76 months, immature gnus are set to mate and can alive to around 20 years quondam.

Wildebeests and zebras cross the Serengeti Plain in an almanac migration. (Image credit: EastVillage Images (opens in new tab) shutterstock (opens in new tab))

Classification/Taxonomy

Here is the taxonomy of the gnu (wildebeest), co-ordinate to the Integrated Taxonomic Information Organization (ITIS):

Kingdom: Animalia Subkingdom: Bilateria Infrakingdom: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Superclass: Tetrapoda Class: Mammalia Subclass: Theria Infraclass: Eutheria Gild: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Subfamily: Alcelaphinae Genus: Connochaetes Species: Connochaetes gnou (black wildebeest), Connochaetes taurinus (mutual wildebeest) Subspecies: Connochaetes taurinus mearnsi (Western white-bearded wildebeest), (Connochaetes taurinus albojubatus (Eastern white-disguised wildebeest), Connochaetes taurinus johnstoni (Nyassa wildebeest), Connochaetes taurinus cooksoni (Cookson's wildebeest) and Connochaetes taurinus taurinus (blueish wildebeest).

Conservation status

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), neither the black nor the common wildebeest are endangered. The population of the black wildebeest is increasing, while the population of the common wildebeest is stable.

Other facts

Gnu are a food source for spotted hyenas, lions, cheetahs and African wild dogs.

When faced with predators, gnu herds are very protective. Members volition agglomeration together, stamp, sound alert calls and will even chase predators.

Additional resource

• University of California: Wildebeest, Gnu
• Academy of Michigan: Blackness Wildebeest
• San Diego Zoo: Antelope

Editor'southward Note: This reference article was showtime published on Apr 14, 2016, and was updated on June 26, 2017.

Alina Bradford is a contributing writer for Live Scientific discipline. Over the past 16 years, Alina has covered everything from Ebola to androids while writing health, science and tech manufactures for major publications. She has multiple wellness, safe and lifesaving certifications from Oklahoma State University. Alina's goal in life is to try as many experiences as possible. To date, she has been a volunteer firewoman, a dispatcher, substitute instructor, artist, janitor, children's book author, pizza maker, issue coordinator and much more.

Source: https://www.livescience.com/54421-gnus-wildebeests.html

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