What collective action involving millions of Blue Wildebeest expresses their evolutionary success?
Answer
The world's largest terrestrial mammal migration
The most dramatic demonstration of the Blue Wildebeest's evolutionary success is the Great Migration, an event involving millions of individuals, often traveling alongside zebras and gazelles. This movement is not arbitrary; it is a finely tuned behavioral adaptation honed over countless generations in response to seasonal rainfall patterns, ensuring continuous access to fresh, nutrient-rich grass. The successful execution of this movement selects for crucial attributes such as high stamina, strong social cohesion within the large herds, and an inherited ability to navigate extensive, featureless landscapes guided by climatic indicators.
Related Questions
To which tribe does the genus Connochaetes, which includes wildebeest, belong?What two key environmental conditions drove the evolution of dramatic migratory behavior in wildebeest?What physical feature distinctly characterizes the tail of the Black Wildebeest (*C. gnu*)?How is the visual coloration of the Blue Wildebeest (*C. taurinus*) described in contrast to its counterpart?What evolutionary specialization defined the lineage leading to the immense migratory herds of *C. taurinus*?Which wildebeest species historically maintained a more geographically restricted range, centered in South Africa?How do the horns of the Black Wildebeest (*C. gnu*) curve differently from those of *C. taurinus*?What collective action involving millions of Blue Wildebeest expresses their evolutionary success?What contemporary human impact turns the Blue Wildebeest's ancient strategy into a vulnerability?What specific conservation measure was crucial for the recovery of the Black Wildebeest from near extinction?