The wildebeest is the African antelope famous for a V-shaped white rump and the annual Serengeti migration. The best-known migrating population is the blue wildebeest, which moves through Tanzania’s Serengeti and Kenya’s Maasai Mara.
The migration follows seasonal rainfall and the growth of fresh grass. Herds move in huge numbers, with animals crossing rivers and facing predators such as lions, crocodiles and spotted hyenas. The route is not a single perfectly fixed loop because rainfall and local conditions influence movement.
Wildebeest are also called gnus. Two living species are recognized: the blue wildebeest and the black wildebeest. The dramatic migration includes many zebras and gazelles as well as wildebeest, creating a broader mixed-herbivore movement.