Black wildebeest
Where it lives alongside the blue wildebeest, the two species can hybridise, and this is regarded as a potential threat to the maintenance of the species. The black wildebeest was once very numerous and was present in Southern Africa in vast herds, but by the end of the 19th century, it had nearly been hunted to extinction and fewer than 600 animals remained. A small number of individuals was still present in game reserves and at zoos, and from these, the population was rescued.
Wildebeest
Not all wildebeest are migratory. Black wildebeest herds are often nomadic or may have a regular home range of . Bulls may occupy territories, usually about apart, but this spacing varies according to the quality of the habitat. In favourable conditions, they may be as close as , or they may be as far apart as in poor habitat. Female herds have home ranges of about in size. Herds of nonterritorial bachelor males roam at will and do not seem to have any restrictions on where they wander.