The Gnu is also known as the “Wildebeest,” and is a large hoofed mammal that lives in Africa. There are two different species of Gnu, the Black Gnu and the Blue Gnu. The Blue Wildebeest has a much wider range than the Black Gnu. The Black Gnu and Blue Gnu are closely related but they do have several differences. Blues are larger, standing nearly 5 ft. tall at the shoulder and weighing about 550 lbs. The black gnu stands a little under 4 ft. tall and weigh about 225 lbs. They inhabit open woodlands, savannahs, grasslands, plains and more. Gnus are herbivores, they only eat plants. The two different species feed on different types of vegetation. Blues eat mostly grasses and they migrate to follow the growth of grass as they run out of food. Blacks are browsers and they feed on leaves of shrubs and bushes rather than grass. Because they do not rely on the grasses, the Black Gnu does not migrate over large areas.
Both species live exclusively in southern Africa. They live primarily in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, and Tanzania. The Blue Gnu lives throughout much of this range, while the Black Gnu lives only in South Africa.
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| Further information... | |
| Conservation Status | Not endangered |
| Play Value | Wudimals are the perfect realistic wooden animal toy to encourage creativity and imagination. They help to build fine-motor and hand-eye coordination skills and can help to develop children's language skills through story-telling and conversations. Children can learn about the natural world around them as well as farther afield and discover the uniqueness and beauty of the natural world as well as the need for its preservation. As all animals are hand carved and hand painted, they are each unique. This is part of the beauty and value of Wudimals®. There will always be very slight variations in fine details, so no one else in the world has exactly the same animal as you! |
| Care & Maintenance | Wipe clean with a damp cloth. Do not submerge in water. Do not leave outside. Do not leave on or near a heat source such as a radiator. |
| Independent Review | These are the views of the independent Good Toy Guide experts on the play value of our animals: "These wooden collectible animal figures are fantastic for open-ended and imaginative play, which is the superfood of a healthy play diet. This is because it provides so many opportunities for children to build social skills, make sense of the world around them and develop language. As they play together and form a story, children have to negotiate roles, listen to others, use creativity and practice speech to communicate what is happening. The animals also feature beautiful detailing including ridges and curves which makes them very tactile and calming to touch. They proved very sturdy too, standing up to vigorous and messy play. It would be lovely to build up a collection of the figures over time to play with, that could then be handed down between family or friends." |
| Technical Details | Size: 11 x 3 x 8c*m | Weight: 43g* | Sales Unit: 1 piece | EAN: 0701575404759 | Tarif No: 9503004910 | Certification: EN71 | UKCA | ASTM-F963 | AUS/NZ 8124 | REACH | CPSIA | Origin: China/Sri Lanka | Material: Wood | Labelling: Hang tag | Packaging: Individually in paper | Suitable from age 3+ | *approximate |