Editing Wildebeest (section)

===Characteristics of the species===
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Both species of wildebeest are even-toed, horned, greyish-brown ungulates resembling cattle. Males are larger than females and both have heavy forequarters compared to their hindquarters. They have broad muzzles, Roman noses, and shaggy manes and tails.<ref name=ulfstrand /> The most striking morphological differences between the black and blue wildebeest are the orientation and curvature of their horns and the colour of their coats. The blue wildebeest is the bigger of the two species. In males, blue wildebeest stand {{convert|150|cm|abbr=on}} tall at the shoulder and weigh around {{convert|250|kg|abbr=on}}, while the black wildebeest stands {{convert|111|–|120|cm|abbr=on}} tall<ref>{{cite web|last=Lundrigan|first=Barbara|title=Connochaetes gnou |url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Connochaetes_gnou.html |work=Animal Diversity Web|access-date=25 March 2014}}</ref> and weighs about {{convert|180|kg|abbr=on}}. In females, blue wildebeest have a shoulder height of {{convert|135|cm|abbr=on}} and weigh {{convert|180|kg|abbr=on}} while black wildebeest females stand {{convert|108|cm|abbr=on}} at the shoulder and weigh {{convert|155|kg|abbr=on}}. The horns of blue wildebeest protrude to the side, then curve downwards before curving up back towards the skull, while the horns of the black wildebeest curve forward then downward before curving upwards at the tips. Blue wildebeest tend to be a dark grey colour with stripes, but may have a bluish sheen. The black wildebeest has brown-coloured hair, with a mane that ranges in colour from cream to black, and a cream-coloured tail. The blue wildebeest lives in a wide variety of habitats, including woodlands and grasslands, while the black wildebeest tends to reside exclusively in open grassland areas.<ref name=ackermann /> In some areas, the blue wildebeest migrates over long distances in the winter, whereas the black wildebeest does not.<ref name=hoffman>{{cite journal|last1=Hoffman|first1=Louw|title=Effect of Season and Gender on the Physical and Chemical Composition of Black Wildebeest (''Connochaetus gnou'') Meat|journal=South African Journal of Wildlife Research|year=2009|volume=39|issue=2 |pages=170–174 |doi=10.3957/056.039.0208 |last2=Schalkwyk |first2=Sunet van |last3=Muller|first3=Nina|s2cid=83957360}}</ref> The milk of the black wildebeest contains a higher protein, lower fat, and lower lactose content than the milk of the blue wildebeest.<ref name=Osthoff>{{cite journal|last=Osthoff|first=G.|author2=A. Hugo |author3=M. de Wit |title=Comparison of the Milk Composition of Free-ranging Blesbok, Black Wildebeest and Blue Wildebeest of the Subfamily Alcelaphinae (family: Bovidae)|journal=Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B|year=2009|volume=154|issue=1|pages=48–54|doi=10.1016/j.cbpb.2009.04.015|pmid=19426824}}</ref> Wildebeest can live more than 40 years, though their average lifespan is around 20 years.<ref name="National geographic">{{cite web|title= Wildebeest |url= http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/wildebeest/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100203072620/http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/wildebeest |url-status= dead |archive-date= 3 February 2010 | publisher=[[National Geographic Society|National Geographic]] |access-date=25 March 2014|date= 2010-11-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/wildebeest |title=Wildebeest / African Wildlife Foundation |language=English |author=African Wildlife Foundation |publisher=African Wildlife Foundation |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204213206/https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/wildebeest |archivedate=2023-02-04 |accessdate=2023-02-04}}</ref>