A comment on one of my posts gave me the idea for this one… What are the differences between the Black and Blue Wildebeest.??
The most notable differences are the horns, size and colouring as well as their habitat…
The blues horns go out to the side, then down before curving back up. The blacks horns go forward then down before curving back up..
Blue on left and black right..
The size and colour….
The Blue is much bigger reaching 150 cm at the shoulder and the black only 120 cm, the weight of the blue can reach 250 kg and the black 180 kg.
The blue is a greyish colour often showing a blue sheen and the black has a brown coloured furry skin… now one wonders why the one was not called the grey wildebeest and the other the brown wildebeest..????
The blue lives in a number of differing habitats, from woodlands and grasslands to semi desert areas. The black likes only open grasslands… In parts of Africa the blue wildebeest still undertakes massive migration… the most well known that in East Africa… Where approx. 1 400 000 wildebeest, accompanied by approx. 200 000 Zebra, tracked by Africa’s Lions, migrate in a clockwise manner on a journey that covers 1 800 miles. From the Serengeti plains to the Masai Mara and back again… The black stays put.. no migration.
The wildebeest give birth between January and early March and with approx. 400 000 calves the journey begins in search of the ripening grasses… This is the world’s greatest wildlife migration… Well worth a Google search to read up more… fascinating facts and figures are available on so many sites… Back to our blue and black… Blue on the left and Black on the right….
The Photographic Journey of bulldog. 
These are some scary looking individuals….wowza!
I’m going to a farm to see a friend of mine that breeds the golden Wildebeest… should be interesting to see the differences there…
oooooooooohhh…can’t wait to see your images :)…
who knew that one day I would be sitting chatting with someone who was friends with someone who breeds Wildebeests……
I knew nothing about wildebeest before reading your posts. Thanks for the info Bulldog. 🙂
I am so glad I’m enlightening you… thank you
Back in the last Ice Age the numbers of animals that migrated across the world was huge, and the same sort of pattern with the nomadic hunter gatherers and every other predator in pursuit. Trafalgar Square in London was where all the London Rivers converged, where they have found vast numbers of bones of the sort of animals found in Africa, except they were larger and more hairy.
Darwin’s theory.??
I have reservations about Darwin, his theory feels incomplete. There is a close relationship between how a plant and animal looks or behaves and the environment it exists in. I am unhappy about the idea that the harmony between animal and the environment was down to random chance, but there is an intelligent process at work within the animal and plant that is mediating between its nature and the strife in its environment with the overall aim to harmonise the animal or plant with its environment.
Extraordinary!
Thanks
Interesting. The black wildebeast in the lower set of photos looks like it died its mane and tail blond while keeping black facial hair.
Russ
Yes Russ maybe a bit more of a city dweller…
I wouldn’t care to meet either of these fellows as I walked along the trail…
I wish I could meet them on a walk… they hear you coming and are gone before you get there…
Si impara sempre qualche cosa di nuovo da te e poi le foto sono sempre molto belle!!
Thank you Pat… that is such a nice complement…
That top photo of the last two …. What a stunning animal with those striking strips. Great to put the photos of both “models” together – because there is really a great difference between black and blue here.
Thanks Viveka… I’m going to a farm soon where they breed “Golden Wildebeest” I’ve never seen one before, so it will be a first for me…
I hope that there will be … some photos to share with us. I’m sure you had a fantastic visit to the harm.
Are those stripes on the blue or are his ribs showing?
It is more closer to a wrinkle… and shadows…
The golden hue on the top of the neck is very striking and unusual too, seems to me – but then I have never been to Africa.
Almost looks like a hair dye … thank you…
I laughed out loud when you said it almost looks like a hair dye! Thanks for the chuckle.
Thanks for this 🙂 I like the blue ones more 🙂
I agree thanks..