What Do Gnus Eat?

Look no further than the African plains if you're eager to catch sight of an interesting animal that resembles a myriad of other animals. The gnu, also commonly known as the wildebeest, boasts the head of an ox, mane of a horse and horns of a buffalo. You can catch a glimpse of this white-bearded, long-legged furry creature as he grazes on the open plains. East Africa is home to the largest population of wildebeests on the planet. These mammals have a simple diet that consists of various grass types.

  1. Preferences

    • Wildebeests live and eat in open woodlands and on fertile plains because they offer the sweet-tasting short grass the animals prefer. Wildebeests specifically seek out burn sites because tall plants are cleared, exposing sweet new grass. Areas like this also offer juicy plant life and karroo bushes. Karroo plants have a strong, appealing aromatic scent and are succulent to eat.

      Gnus are known to begin grazing in the early morning hours, take a midday break to recharge and then return to their eating ritual. They prefer to remain in the same area year-round to graze if possible but often migrate in huge herds.

    Short Grasslands

    • Wildebeests are not picky when it comes to their dietary consumption. They do not remove their food from a tree branch nor fight a thorny stem to receive their intake. Instead, they keep their heads low to the ground and simply move across the African plains in search of short grasses they can easily pluck from the earth's dirt.

      One of these grasses is commonly known as couch grass, a fast-growing, hard-to-kill weed. While it is considered a nuisance plant in most parts of the world, its ability to withstand floods and droughts makes it an important staple for grazers.

    East African Savanna

    • The gnu's head is long and wide, enabling it to easily reach down and graze the offerings abundant in African grasslands. Home to a variety of mammals and other animals, the east African savanna boasts multiple types of plant life and grasses. A common savanna plant is Napier grass, a long blade grass acceptable to the gnu for dietary consumption due to its abundant growth.

    Liquid Diet

    • Gnus depend on hearty amounts of water to supplement their grass diets. During the rainy season, they can go days without drinking because they consume plenty of fluids in the grass they eat. However, in the dry season, wildebeests must drink at least once a day or so. For this reason, they are never more than 10 to 15 miles from water.

    Anatomy

    • If you find what the gnu eats interesting, it may also fascinate you that this animal has four stomach chambers to aid in its digestion. This natural setup enables the gnu to more easily and quickly dissolve its grassy diet. The wildebeest also has razor-sharp incisor teeth that grow continually because the animal files them down satiating its hunger.