Ecology and Life History
In a typical year, wildebeest calves are born within a short period of time (roughly 85% are born in a three-week period), presumably as an adaptation to swamp potential predators, such as hyenas and lions. Calves born outside the peak calving period often have lower survival rates. Immediately after they are born, wildebeest calves start following their mothers. However, these young calves suffer from high mortality and only those with the best genetic endowments and which have experienced mothers survive through the first few years of life.
Read more about this topic: Wildebeest
Famous quotes containing the words ecology, life and/or history:
“... the fundamental principles of ecology govern our lives wherever we live, and ... we must wake up to this fact or be lost.”
—Karin Sheldon (b. c. 1945)
“Young men of the fairest promise, who begin life upon our shores, inflated by the mountain winds, shined upon by all the stars of God, find the earth below not in unison with these,but are hindered from action by the disgust which the principles on which business is managed inspire, and turn drudges, or die of disgust,some of them suicides.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (18031882)
“At present cats have more purchasing power and influence than the poor of this planet. Accidents of geography and colonial history should no longer determine who gets the fish.”
—Derek Wall (b. 1965)