Photographs of Blue Wildebeest by Yvonne van der Mey

Often called "the clowns of the savannah", Blue Wildebeest walk in a very funny way, with their large heads nodding up and down. Along with Zebra, Wildebeest are the favourite prey of large predators. But unlike the Zebra with its powerful kick-defense, Wildebeest are a pretty easy target, as they don't really have a good defense against attacks. Their saving grace is their ability to run fast over long distances, and that they live and move around in large herds, with other species like Zebra, Impala and Giraffe, so that a predator can be spotted in time.

Both sexes carry horns, starting in bosses on the forehead. The bull's horns and bosses are heavier than those of the females. Wildebeest have a rather peculiar long head, with a light muzzle and a beard. The shoulders are quite a bit higher than the hindquarters, which can be clearly seen with the calves. Their skin is shiny and looks like velvet. Because of their dark colour, Wildebeest are not easy to take good photographs of.

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