Young blue wildebeest are born tawny brown, and begin to take on their adult coloration at the age of 2 months.

Blue wildebeest are found in short-grass plains bordering bush-covered acacia savannas in southern and eastern Africa, thriving in areas that are neither too wet nor too arid.

[2][3] The blue wildebeest is native to Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

[5] It shares the genus Connochaetes with the black wildebeest (C. gnou), and is placed in the family Bovidae, ruminant animals with cloven hooves.

[5] The generic name Connochaetes derives from the Greek words κόννος, kónnos, "beard", and χαίτη, khaítē, "flowing hair", "mane".

[13] The differences in social behaviour and habitats have historically prevented interspecific hybridisation, but it may occur when both species are confined within the same area, and the offspring are usually fertile.

A study of these hybrid animals at Spioenkop Dam Nature Reserve in South Africa revealed that many had congenital abnormalities relating to their teeth, horns, and the Wormian bones of the skull.

[30] The blue wildebeest is mostly active during the morning and the late afternoon, with the hottest hours of the day being spent in rest.

[21] An analysis of the activity of blue wildebeest at the Serengeti National Park showed that the animals devoted over half of their total time to rest, 33% to grazing, 12% to moving about (mostly walking), and a little to social interactions.

Males form bachelor herds, and these can be distinguished from juvenile groups by the lower amount of activity and the spacing between the animals.

In general, blue wildebeest rest in groups of a few to thousands at night, with a minimum distance of 1–2 m (3–7 ft) between individuals (though mothers and calves may remain in contact).

Body language used by a territorial male includes standing with an erect posture, profuse ground pawing, and horning, frequent defecation, rolling and bellowing, and the sound "ga-noo" being produced.

When competing over territory, males grunt loudly, paw the ground, make thrusting motion with their horns, and perform other displays of aggression.

[8] The blue wildebeest is a herbivore, feeding primarily on the short grasses which commonly grow on light, and alkaline soils that are found in savanna grasslands and on plains.

[8] In a study of the dietary habits of the wildebeest, the animals were found to be feeding on the three dominant kinds of grass of the area, namely: Themeda triandra, Digitaria macroblephara, and Pennisetum mezianum.

[34] Male blue wildebeest become sexually mature at about 2 years of age, while females can conceive at 16 months if adequately nourished.

The mating season, or rut, typically begins on the night of a full moon, suggesting that the lunar cycle influences breeding.

To escape predation, calves remain close to their mothers for a significant time, and may continue suckling until the next year's calf is nearly due.

[37] Generally, the larvae of Gedoelstica and Oestrus occur in the nasal passages and respiratory cavities of the blue wildebeest, and sometimes migrate to the brain.

[38] The blue wildebeest is native to Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini, and Angola.

[1] Blue wildebeest are mainly found in short-grass plains bordering bush-covered acacia savannas in southern and eastern Africa, thriving in areas that are neither too wet nor too arid.

[29] Blue wildebeest can tolerate arid regions as long as a potable water supply is available, normally within about 15–25 km (9.3–15.5 mi) distance.

Many long-distance migratory populations of wildebeest existed 100 years ago, but currently, all but three migrations (Serengeti, Tarangire, and Kafue) have been disrupted, cut off, and lost.

[2][40] Major human-related factors affecting populations include large-scale deforestation, the drying up of water sources, the expansion of settlements and poaching.

[1] The erection of fences that interrupt traditional migratory routes between wet and dry-season ranges have resulted in mass death events when the animals become cut off from water sources and the areas of better grazing they are seeking during droughts.

The major cause of this was thought to be the expansion of agriculture, which led to the loss of wet-season grazing and the traditional calving and breeding ranges.

However, the numbers of the eastern white-bearded wildebeest (C. t. albojubatus) have seen a steep decline to a current level of probably 6,000 to 8,000 animals, and this is causing some concern.

[23] Traditionally, blue wildebeest have been hunted for their hides and meat, the skin making good-quality leather, though the flesh is coarse, dry, and rather tough.

They can compete with domestic livestock for grazing and water and can transmit fatal diseases like rinderpest to cattle and cause epidemics among animals.

Dating back to around 3000 BC, it was found in Hierakonopolis (Nekhen), which used to be the religious and political capital of Upper Egypt at that time.