BUFFALO

Facts

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. Compared with other large Bovids, it has a long but stocky body (the body length can exceed the Wild Water Buffalo, which is heavier and taller) and short but thickset legs, resulting in a relatively short standing height. Cape Buffalo weigh 425 to 870 kg (937 to 1,918 lb) (males weigh about 100 kg (220 lb) more than females). In comparison, African Forest Buffalo at 250 to 450 kg (600 to 1,000 lb), are only half that size. 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 Buffalo 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 Buffalo 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 boss does 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 Buffalo 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.

African Buffalo have few predators and are capable of defending themselves against (and killing) Lion. Lions kill and eat Buffalo regularly, and in some regions, the Buffalo are the Lions’ primary prey. It often takes several Lion to bring down a single adult Buffalo, and the entire pride may join in the hunt. However, several incidents have been reported in which lone adult male Lion have successfully brought down adult Buffalo. On very rare occasions, Buffaloes and White Rhino will fight over territory; due to the Rhino strength and size advantage, the Rhino typically wins and the Buffalo can die from injuries sustained during the encounter. Buffalo (excluding solitary adult bulls) primarily live social lives and thus they do not usually recognize each other as threats. Hippo and Buffalo also do not normally interact, but if the Buffalo provokes the Hippo or makes it feel threatened, a fight can break out, but this is also rare. Adolescent bull African Elephant may harass or kill Cape Buffalo, either out of territorial aggression or while in musth; when they do this, the calves are most likely to be killed by the Elephant attack as they are defenseless when facing an Elephant alone, whereas adults will try to fight back and may survive (or succumb to injuries afterward). The cheetah, Leopard, African Wild Dog and Spotted Hyena are normally a threat only to newborn calves, though larger clans of Hyena have been recorded killing cows (mainly pregnant ones) and, on rare occasions, full-grown bulls. Large packs of Wild Dog have been observed to hunt calves and sick adults.

The African Buffalo is susceptible to many diseases, including those shared with domestic cattle, such as bovine tuberculosis, corridor disease and foot-and-mouth disease. As with many diseases, these problems remain dormant within a population as long as the health of the animal is good. These diseases do, however, restrict the legal movements of the animal and fencing infected areas from unaffected areas is enforced. Some wardens and game managers have managed to protect and breed “disease-free” herds which become very valuable because they can be transported.

Herd size is highly variable. The core of the herds is made up of related females, and their offspring, in an almost linear dominance hierarchy. The basic herds are surrounded by sub herds of subordinate males, high-ranking males and females, and old or invalid animals.

African Buffalo engage in several types of group behaviour. Females appear to exhibit a sort of “voting behaviour”. During resting time, the females stand up, shuffle around, and sit back down again. They sit in the direction they think they should move. After an hour of more shuffling, the females travel in the direction they decide. This decision is communal and not based on hierarchy or dominance.

When chased by predators, a herd sticks close together and makes it hard for the predators to pick off one member. Calves are gathered in the middle. A Buffalo herd responds to the distress call of a threatened member and tries to rescue it. A calf’s distress call gets the attention of not only the mother, but also the herd. Buffalo engage in mobbing behaviour when fighting off predators. They have been recorded killing Lion and chasing Lion up trees and keeping them there for two hours, after the Lion has killed a member of their group. Lion cubs can get trampled and killed.

Males have a linear dominance hierarchy based on age and size. Since a Buffalo is safer when a herd is larger, dominant bulls may rely on subordinate bulls and sometimes tolerate their copulation. The young males keep their distance from the dominant bull, which is recognizable by the thickness of his horns.

Adult bulls spar in play, dominance interactions, or actual fights. A bull approaches another, lowing, with his horns down, and waits for the other bull to do the same thing. When sparring, the bulls twist their horns from side to side. If the sparring is for play, the bull may rub his opponent’s face and body during the sparring session. Actual fights are violent but rare and brief. Calves may also spar in play, but adult females rarely spar at all.

During the dry season, males split from the herd and form bachelor groups. Two types of bachelor herds occur: ones made of males aged four to seven years and those of males 12 years or older. During the wet season, the younger bulls rejoin a herd to mate with the females. They stay with them throughout the season to protect the calves. Some older bulls cease to rejoin the herd, as they can no longer compete with the younger, more aggressive males. The old bachelors are called Dagga Boys (“mud covered”), and are considered the most dangerous to humans.

African Buffalo make various vocalizations. Many calls are lower-pitched versions of those emitted by domestic cattle. They emit low-pitched, two- to four-second calls intermittently at three- to six-second intervals to signal the herd to move. To signal to the herd to change direction, leaders emit “gritty”, “creaking gate” sounds. When moving to drinking places, some individuals make long “maaa” calls up to 20 times a minute. When being aggressive, they make explosive grunts that may last long or turn into a rumbling growl. Cows produce croaking calls when looking for their calves. Calves make a similar call of a higher pitch when in distress. When threatened by predators, they make drawn-out “waaaa” calls. Dominant individuals make calls to announce their presence and location. A version of the same call, but more intense, is emitted as a warning to an encroaching inferior. When grazing, they make various sounds, such as brief bellows, grunts, honks, and croaks.

Females reach sexual maturity at around five years of age while males are sexually matured at four to six. African Buffaloes mate and give birth only during the rainy seasons. Birth peak takes place early in the season, while mating peaks later. A bull closely guards a cow that comes into heat, while keeping other bulls at bay. This is difficult, as cows are quite evasive and attract many males to the scene. By the time a cow is in full oestrus, only the most dominant bull in the herd/sub herd is there.

Cows first calve at five years of age, after a gestation period of 11.5 months. Newborn calves remain hidden in vegetation for the first few weeks while being nursed occasionally by the mother before joining the main herd. Older calves are held in the centre of the herd for safety. The maternal bond between mother and calf lasts longer than in most bovids. That bonding ends when a new calf is born, and the mother then keeps her previous offspring at bay with horn jabs. Nevertheless, the yearling follows its mother for another year or so. Males leave their mothers when they are two years old and join the bachelor groups. Young calves, unusually for bovids, suckle from behind their mothers, pushing their heads between the mothers’ legs.

In the wild African Buffalo have an average lifespan of 11 years but they’ve been recorded to reach 22 years of age. In captivity they can live for a maximum of 29.5 years though they only live 16 years on average.