Wildesbeet are also known as Gnu named after the animal’s bellow. The front of their bodies is higher than the back half, giving a sloping appearance and like their species name they have a beard of hair under their throat (connochaetes) and their faces resemble that of a bull (taurinus). The colour of their beard varies from white to black.

They are very widespread across the grasslands and wooded areas of Africa, living in huge herds. They mainly feed on grasses and are known for their annual migration. Each year, hundreds of thousands of them will travel miles, along with with other animals such as the Zebra and Gazelle, in search of fresh pastures. Starting in the Serengeti they will travel North to the Masai Mara, where they will reside for a couple of months. Then when the short rains come they will travel back South to the Serengeti.

There are two species of Wildebeest. The Black Wildebeest (connochaetes gnou) also known as the white-tailed gnu and the Blue Wildebeest (connochaetes taurinus) also known as the Brindled Gnu.