Wildebeests return to Zoo for first time since the 1930s

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WJBK) - A new animal that hasn't been seen at the Detroit Zoo since 1939 is making its comeback this weekend. 

The wildebeests have returned to the Detroit Zoo. The two male African antelopes can now be seen with the zebras in their African Grasslands habitat.  

They came from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, where they were born last July. Their names are Lenny and Jeffrey. 

The wildebeest, also called a gnu (pronounced "new"), is a type of African antelope and a subspecies of the blue wildebeest. They're not a threatened species, but are "an iconic and ecologically important part of their African Savannah ecosystems," said zoo official Scott Carter. 

Eastern white-bearded wildebeests are known for their white beard, silvery-blue coat, long tail and cow-like horns.  Males can weigh up to 640 pounds and females up to 575 pounds.  The wildebeest is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.  

In addition to wildebeests and zebras, the African Grasslands region at the Detroit Zoo is home to giraffes, lions, rhinoceroses, aardvarks and warthogs, among others.