Wildebeest, an animal designed by a committee.

 

 

 

 

For more than 2 years I have been contributing back page articles to this magazine and I have also completed a couple of online courses with them.

My biggest Wildlife Campus achievement to date?

Probably the fact that I started a course with them about 20 years ago…and I have yet to complete it!

That being said, I have never missed the monthly deadline for my articles.

This article first appeared in The Wildlife Campus magazine in August 2020.

 

 

 

Never mistake a buffalo for a wildebeest! It will anger the buffalo and not endear you to a wildebeest.

Although both have horns and are similar in colour, that is where it ends. Size and temperament are what separates these two species. And why one, the buffalo, is recognized as a dangerous game species and the wildebeest is not.

But given what occurred during the experience I had, perhaps the latter should be given at least a ‘special mention’ on the DG list.

Or, looking at it from their point of view, perhaps it was me that should have given an award for stupidity and for underestimating what this species is capable of.

 

 

 

“Don’t judge a book by its cover”, was an adage that had been drummed into me as a youngster. However, during my years of spending time in the bush, I had come to be somewhat judgmental of this particular species.

All that was about to change with a herd of Wildebeest that I had regularly spent time with for almost 40 years. It started innocently enough with a walk on a property that I have called home since 1977.

As there was only plains game, guests were allowed to roam freely, interacting with giraffe, zebra, and this herd of wildebeest. I had decided that I needed images of the wildebeest for upcoming articles and I walked off to their favourite corner of the property to see if I could find them.

 

 

 

Now you, dear reader, have to understand that wildebeest are not known for their intelligence or so I had been lead to believe. It, therefore, came as a shock that in this particular instance I had underrated them and the maneuver that they were about to employ to get me out into the open and in a position where they could inflict harm should they wish to do so.

Walking towards where the herd was grazing out in the open, I noticed that the herd seemed to have split into two, with a few animals to my right and left, while the main portion, together with the herd bull was ahead of me in the distance.

 

 

 

Although the animals on either side of me seemed to pose no threat, the herd bull and I, for some reason had never seen eye to eye and I was always cautious and respectful when I was in his presence.

However, in this particular instance, he seemed to be far away enough so as not to pose a threat. But it turns out that not only had I misjudged the distance, but I had also misjudged his intent and the relevance of the animals that were following on either side of me.

I was so busy taking pictures that when I next looked up, the main herd was much closer than I felt comfortable with and the animals on either side of me had begun to move towards me.

I am uncertain if I had a ‘lightbulb’ moment where I realized that I had been manipulated, but there was a moment when I realized that most of my escape routes had effectively been blocked by the herd.

I have been in the bush often enough to know that “DO NOT RUN, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS” is a mantra that is conveyed to all the guests.

However, in this particular instance, although these words were echoing in my head, my legs decided that  NOT RUNNING was NOT an option…

 

 

 

If you come across a predator species and run, you will be considered prey.

Large dangerous game, like elephants, rhino, and hippo, can all outrun a human so it is best to either stand still and scream or head for the closest tree.

But Wildebeest? I had not given them a second thought. Seeing that they are a prey species, I figured that they would turn tail if I made myself big and noisy, so that I what I did. I stood my ground, waved my arms, and shouted.

 

 

 

Then realizing that this was not going to work, I hitched up my shorts and ignoring all my decades of bush training, I took off toward the closest place of safety that I knew, a space about 300m from where I started running.

I did not look back, I did not take my eyes off my end goal. I made it to safety and it was at that point that winded and wobbly, I turned to see where my assailants were…and they were nowhere to be seen.

 

 

 

I like to believe the sight of an older guest in full flight gave them some sense of achievement and I want to know how I featured in their version of the story.

 

 

 

Although Wildebeest are one of the Ugly 5, when they are young, like most animals (or humans for that matter) they are very cute.

Then they grow up to have a face and an intellect that only a mother could love and be proud of.

Did you know? The other 4 species on the Ugly 5 list are: warthog, hyena, marabou stork and vulture.

 

 

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To add insult to injury, the owner of the property had been watching and when the dust had settled and I had stopped shaking he showed me just how friendly the herd was towards him by hand feeding them, the herd bull included.

Lesson learned, respect given. I will never underestimate a wild animal ever again, no matter how incapable they seem of inflicting serious injury.

 

 

 

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