The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large species of true buffalo native to Sub-Saharan Africa, where it is found in a number of disjoint ranges stretching from Senegal south-eastern Senegal through West and Central Africa to South Africa. The adult African buffalo's horns are its characteristic feature: they have fused bases that form a continuous bone shield, referred to as a "boss", across the top of the head. The African buffalo is more closely related to Asian buffalo (Bubalus) species than it is to other bovids such as American bison or domestic cattle. Its unpredictable temperament may be part of the reason that the African buffalo has never been domesticated and has no domesticated descendants, unlike the wild yak and wild water buffalo, which are the ancestors of the domestic yak and water buffalo, respectively. Natural predators of adult African buffaloes include lions, African wild dogs, spotted hyenas, and Nile crocodiles. As one of the Big Five game animals, the Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer), the largest subspecies native to eastern and southern Africas, is a sought-after trophy in hunting.
The African buffalo is a very robust species. Its shoulder height can range from 1.0 to 1.7 m (3.3 to 5.6 ft) and its head-and-body length can range from 1.7 to 3.4 m (5.6 to 11.2 ft). The tail can range from 70 to 110 cm (28 to 43 in) long.[4] Compared with other large bovids, it has a long but stocky body (the body length can exceed that of the wild water buffalo, which is heavier and taller) and short but thickset legs, resulting in a relatively short standing height. Cape buffaloes weigh 425 to 870 kg (937 to 1,918 lb) (males weigh about 100 kg (220 lb) more than females). In comparison, African forest buffaloes, at 250 to 450 kg (600 to 1,000 lb), are only half that size.[6] Its head is carried low; its top is located below the backline. The front hooves of the buffalo are wider than the rear, which is associated with the need to support the weight of the front part of the body, which is heavier and more powerful than the back.
Savannah-type buffaloes have black or dark brown coats with age. Old bulls often have whitish circles around their eyes and on their face. Females tend to have more reddish coats. Forest-type buffaloes are 30–40% smaller, reddish brown in colour, with much more hair growth around the ears and with horns that curve back and slightly up. Calves of both types have red coats.
A characteristic feature of the horns of adult male African buffalo (southern and eastern populations) is that the bases come very close together, forming a shield referred to as a "boss". From the base, the horns diverge downwards, then smoothly curve upwards and outwards and in some cases inwards and or backwards. In large bulls, the distance between the ends of the horns can reach upwards of one metre (the record being 64.5 inches 164 cm).
The horns form fully when the animal reaches the age of 5 or 6 years old, but the bosses do not become "hard" until it reaches the age of 8 to 9 years old. In cows, the horns are, on average, 10–20% smaller, and they do not have a boss. Forest-type buffalo horns are smaller than those of the savanna-type buffaloes from Southern and East Africa, usually measuring less than 40 cm (16 in), and are almost never fused.
Unlike other large bovines, African buffalo have 52 chromosomes (for comparison, American bison and domestic cattle have 60). This means domestic cattle and bison are unable to create hybrid offspring with cape buffalo.
There are five subspecies of buffalo in Africa: Cape buffalo, Congo buffalo, Sudan buffalo, Nile buffalo and Virunga buffalo. The subspecies found at Kariega Game Reserve is the Cape buffalo, which is the largest of all the buffalo subspecies.
A cow or female Cape buffalo can weigh up to 530 kg (1168 lbs) and a bull can reach up to 830 kg (1830 lbs).
Buffaloes prefer the stay in large groups. The collective term for a group of buffalo is called a herd but can also be called a gang, troop or an obstinacy.
Buffalo calves suckle from between the back legs of their mothers. This is an adaptation to help make feeding easier for the calf as their mother, and the rest of the herd, is on the move all the time.
The Cape buffalo is sometimes referred to as the mafia of the bush. They have the tendency to take revenge when messed with and have been known to circle back, stalk and attack or kill hunters. Talk about the hunter becoming the hunted!
You can distinguish between adult males and females by looking at their horns. If the base of their two horns come together and form a solid structure (called a boss) then it is a male. The horns of an adult buffalo cow don't touch. When male Cape buffaloes fight they use their horns and their massive muscular bodies to administer heavy blows to their opponents.
Buffalo are excellent swimmers and won't hesitate to cross a river to escape a predator or to reach new grazing lands.
A buffalo has a four-chambered stomach. They are called bulk feeders as they need to eat a large amount of grass to sustain their body size. They also need to drink about 40 litres of water per day to keep their digestive system operating optimally and ensure that they can produce enough saliva to swallow and regurgitate their food for re-chewing.
Buffalo have to constantly manage the external parasites on their bodies. This is done by wallowing in the mud to kill off ticks and other parasites on their skin. They also have a secret weapon to help keep them clean. They allow oxpecker birds to eat the ticks on their legs, tails, backs, inside their ears and even inside their noses!
The main predator of Cape buffaloes is the lion. It usually takes quite a few lions to bring down an adult buffalo. Buffalo will defend themselves fiercely and are capable of killing a lion.
