Blue wildebeest
This species of wildebeest seems to have evolved around 2.5 million years ago. The black wildebeest is believed to have diverged from the blue wildebeest to become a distinct species around a million years ago, in the mid- to late Pleistocene. Fossil evidence suggests that blue wildebeest were quite common in the Cradle of Humankind in the past. Apart from eastern Africa, fossils are commonly found in Elandsfontein, Cornelia, and Florisbad.
Alcelaphine gammaherpesvirus 2
All species of African wildebeest and hartbeest can be infected or at least carry this virus. There is no direct evidence that other African wild variants like addax can be hosts, but research is ongoing. The alcelaphine antelope affecting form is primarily found in Africa, in the natural habitat of wildebeest, hartebeest, and topi. It has also occurred in zoos and wild animal parks that also kept wildebeest. The increasing popularity in North America of wild animal parks may spread its range further.