Blue Wildebeest - Subspecies

Subspecies

C. taurinus consists of five subspecies: C. t. taurinus (blue wildebeest or brindled gnu; southern Africa) individuals are silvery slate gray in colour, the origin of the common name "blue" wildebeest. C. t. johnstoni (Nyassaland wildebeest), occurring in southeastern Tanzania and northern Mozambique), is the largest subspecies. The western white-bearded wildebeest (C. t. mearnsi) is the smallest and is found only in southwestern Kenya and northwestern Tanzania. C. t. mearnsi is the darkest-hued wildebeest, while C. t. albojubatus (eastern white-bearded wildebeest) is the palest in colouration and found in southeastern Kenya and northeastern Tanzania. The last subspecies, Cookson's wildebeest (C. t. cooksoni), is restricted to the Luangwa Valley. While most subspecies have an at least partially black beard, C. t. mearnsi and C. t. albojubatus both have pale beards, as also suggested by their common names, western and eastern white-bearded wildebeest.