{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "wildebeest",
  "name": "Wildebeest",
  "scientificName": "Connochaetes taurinus",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The wildebeest, or blue wildebeest, is a large grazing antelope of the savannas and grasslands of East and southern Africa. Also called the gnu, it weighs 120 to 290 kg and can gallop at up to 80 km/h (50 mph) in short bursts. Wildebeest are famous for the annual Serengeti migration, live 15 to 20 years, and are listed as Least Concern.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Artiodactyla",
    "family": "Bovidae",
    "genus": "Connochaetes"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 250,
    "lengthM": 2.3,
    "topSpeedKmh": 80,
    "lifespanYears": 20
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Connochaetes taurinus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Herbivore — short grasses and fresh shoots"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Savannas and grasslands of East and southern Africa"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "15–20 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "120–290 kg (260–640 lb); bulls heavier than cows"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 80 km/h (50 mph) in short bursts"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Blue wildebeest across East and southern Africa from Kenya and Tanzania to Botswana and South Africa; black wildebeest endemic to southern Africa.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Connochaetes taurinus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Connochaetes%20taurinus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Connochaetes taurinus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Connochaetes_taurinus/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/wildebeest/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/wildebeest/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}