White-tailed gnu
Class: Mammals
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Weight: Average 180 kg
Height: 90-120 cm
Body length: 170-215 cm
Color: Dense fur is dark brown or black-brown. The long tail, almost touching the ground, has a whitish color. Males are typically darker in coloration.
Age of sexual maturity: Reached at two years of age
Gestation period: 240-260 days
Lifespan: Approximately 20 years
Habitat: Originally found in Southern Africa, including South Africa, Swaziland, and Lesotho.
Diet: The diet consists of vegetation. White-tailed gnus feed on grass, leaves, and young shoots of bushes. During droughts, they may also consume tree bark. Typically, around 90% of their daily diet consists of various low-growing grasses.
Did you know?
- White-tailed gnus prefer sweet, dense grass.
- Both males and females grow horns, but those of males are thicker and more massive.
- White-tailed gnus spend up to 16 hours a day grazing, consuming at least 4 kg of grass per feeding.
- Migrating and non-migrating groups have different compositions. Migrating herds typically include individuals of both sexes and various ages, while sedentary herds often consist of females with young calves and separate groups of males defending their territories.
