Connochaetes johnstoni (Sclater, 1896)

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2011, Bovidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 2 Hoofed Mammals, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-779 : 664

164.

Johnston’s Wildebeest

Connochaetes johnstoni

French: Gnou de Johnston / German: WeiRbindengnu / Spanish: Nu de Johnston

Taxonomy. Connochaetes taurinus johnston: Sclater, 1896 ,

Mlanje Plain, southern end of Lake Chilwa, Malawi.

Formerly considered a subspecies of C. taurinus . Monotypic.

Distribution. SE Tanzania, N Mozambique, and Zambia (E of the Muchinga Escarpment); formerly Malawi.

Descriptive notes. Few measurements available. Shoulder height 138 cm; weight 274 kg. The mane stands up as it does in the Blue Wildebeest ( C. taurinus ), and like the latterit has a very wide horn span in the male, but otherwise is rather different in appearance. The horns do not curve so far downward, and the skull never rests on the horns when placed on a flat surface. The horn span in the female is much shorter than in the Blue Wildebeest. The pelage is pale gray, with a brownish tinge, the legs are pale, and the tail is short. The type specimen had a white band across the face in front of the eyes, but this turns out to be not a very consistent character of the species. In fact, it is rare in surviving populations. Johnston's Wildebeest has characteristically long nasal bones.

Habitat. Savanna, interspersed with Miombo woodland.

Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but it is certainly predominantly a grazer.

Breeding. The rut is in March-April, and at this time the number of territorial males increases greatly. Young males are expelled from the breeding herds in August-September, two months before calving begins.

Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but likely to be similar to that of the Blue Wildebeest. Most wildebeest feed off and on throughout the day and night, depending on the season and availability of forage.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. In the eastern Selous Game Reserve, group size fluctuates markedly according to season. It averages about nine individuals at the height of the dry season in October-November, rises rapidly to 20 at the peak of the rains in February, and diminishes gradually toward autumn.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List (under C. taurinus ). Johnston’s Wildebeest is extinct in Malawi and endangered in Mozambique, butit still occurs in good numbers elsewhere. There are said to be 5000-6000 in the Luangwa Valley, at the foot of the Muchinga Escarpment, Zambia, and in south-eastern Tanzania: 12,500 in Mikumi National Park and 65-70,000 in the eastern part of the Selous Game Reserve.

Bibliography. Bell (1989), Jeffery et al. (1989), Lobao Tello (1989), Rodgers (1977).

Figures

162. Black Wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou), 163. Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), 164. Johnston’s Wildebeest (Connochaetes johnstoni), 165. Eastern White-bearded Wildebeest (Connochaetes albojubatus), 166. Serengeti White-bearded Wildebeest (Connochaetes mearnsi)

Distribution. SE Tanzania , N Mozambique , and Zambia (E of the Muchinga Escarpment); formerly Malawi .