These 500lb Wildebeest Try Parkour… And Instantly Regret It

Key Points:

• Wildebeest are migratory animals, traveling approximately 1,000 miles every year.
• Many environmental threats face wildebeest, such as habitat fragmentation and poaching.
• While wildebeest are closely related to cattle and look like bulls, they are large antelopes.
• Another name for a wildebeest is “gnu.”

Imagine tumbling off a cliff and face-planting underneath 500 pounds of body weight. This is exactly what happens in this video, where wildebeest are shown jumping off a high cliff onto the ground. The first one dives down toward the ground and tumbles onto its back. It rolls and slowly regains its standing with difficulty. It then trots off and follows the other wildebeest below the cliff.

The second wildebeest has better luck than the first in its jump. The second wildebeest lands somewhat on its feet and regains its balance more rapidly than the first wildebeest. Meanwhile, the rest of the herd on top of the cliff looks on with nervous anticipation. It appears that the onlookers do not want to take this fateful jump.

Background on Wildebeest

While wildebeest are considered antelopes, they are also related to cattle and other domesticated animals. A wildebeest’s large, curved horns make it stand out from other antelope species. They are huge creatures, weighing between 260 and 595 pounds. Most wildebeest have a gray-colored body with a black mane. However, certain wildebeest species differ in color, size, and shape depending on their location.

Wildebeest are herbivores, meaning they eat vegetation and do not consume meat. They mainly feed on grasses and typically must migrate to find food. Wildebeest herds can migrate approximately 1,000 miles every year. Migration is difficult, though, because wildebeest often become injured or killed during migration. As seen in the video, wildebeest must conquer dangerous terrain to travel where they need to go.

One interesting fact about wildebeest is that they make loud, expressive noises. Some of these sounds come in the form of moans or snorts. This behavior makes the wildebeest a noisy animal. Another fact about wildebeest is that most females will give birth around the same time. Therefore, many wildebeest are produced all at once, as it is more difficult for predators to kill a host of calves as opposed to an individual offspring.

Wildebeest mainly reside in the southern portion of the continent of Africa. Countries such as Angola, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, and Mozambique are home to wildebeest. However, wildebeest face several threats within these countries. Habitat fragmentation and poaching are two of these threats. Habitat fragmentation occurs when land used for agriculture divides the habitat of wildebeest, prohibiting them from grazing and moving about freely.

Some solutions to environmental threats on wildebeest are to lobby for change and to contact government officials. In this way, policies prohibiting poaching and the use of land for agricultural purposes in several areas can be developed and passed to ensure wildebeest safety. Another mechanism for fighting wildebeest threats is to work with communities in developing sustainable agricultural practices that will aid both farmers and the environment.

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