African buffalo  (Syncerus caffer)

Classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List (1).

The strong and imposing African buffalo is Africa’s only wild cattle species (3), and one of the ‘Big Five’ mammals that were once popular with trophy hunters (4). With its bulky build and thick horns, it is easy to see why the African buffalo is considered to be a dangerous animal; and their propensity to attack and even kill humans when wounded by an arrow or bullet only acts to reinforce this reputation (3). There are two recognised subspecies of the African buffalo. Syncerus caffer caffer, the cape or savanna buffalo, is the larger of the two, with large ears fringed with hair hanging below their massive horns (3). It has a short, dark brown to black coat. The slightly smaller and lighter forest buffalo S.c. nanus has a reddish to dark red-brown coat (3), and smaller, swept-back horns (2). Distinctive tassels hang from the tips of the forest buffalo’s ears (3).

The African buffalo occurs in sub-Saharan Africa. It used to roam across all but the driest parts (2), but today few populations exist outside the confines of national parks and large conservation areas (5).

The savanna buffalo inhabits open woodland savanna, with abundant grass and drinking water, and areas of montane rainforest (3). The forest buffalo occupies more closed habitats, in lowland and highland forests (3).

The African buffalo is a gregarious animal, the savanna subspecies forming large, imposing herds consisting of over one thousand individuals (3). The forest buffalo, due to its more restricted habitat, forms small groups of up to 12 animals, consisting of related females and their offspring and one or more males (2). Males not belonging to a herd are solitary, or form bachelor herds (2). Living in a herd has its advantages; information can be shared regarding the best places to feed, and it offers increased protection against predators (6). Bonds between females in a herd are strong (2), and if one is attacked by a predator such as a lion, the rest of the herd will respond to its bellowing distress calls and rush to its defence. A herd of buffalo are easily capable of driving away a whole pride of lions to protect a herd member (5). Living in large herds is not as important for the forest buffalo as they live in a habitat that does not suit carnivores, such as the lion, and they can easily retreat into cover if required (2).

African buffalos spend most of their day lying in the shade to escape the heat. They can often be found drinking water in the early morning and late afternoon, and most feeding takes place during the cooler night (3). The African buffalo grazes extensively on fresh grass, turning only to herbs, shrubs and trees when there is a deficiency of grass (5). Their dietary habits are responsible for opening up areas of long grassland for other species with more selective feeding habits, and thus they play an important ecological role in the savannas of sub-Saharan Africa (5).

March to May is the primary period of mating in the African buffalo, resulting in a pregnancy of about 11 months (2), with calves born from January to April (5). The bond between the mother and calf is very strong (2), and within just a few hours, the newborn calf is capable of keeping up with its herd (3). African buffalo are known to live for 26 years (2).

Both the savanna and the forest buffalo still occur in considerable numbers, but populations have been greatly reduced by hunting, habitat loss and disease (3) (6). In several southern parts of its range, the African buffalo has never recovered from the devastating rinderpest epidemic that struck in the 1890s (6), and the potential for another rinderpest outbreak continues today. Another disease, bovine tuberculosis, is also known to affect African buffalo; a recent outbreak has impacted populations in Kruger National Park, South Africa (7). Outside of national parks in some areas, buffalos come into contact with humans; breaking fences, raiding crops and potentially spreading bovine diseases to livestock (4), and may be persecuted as a result.

The survival of most of the world’s wild cattle species is believed to rely on their existence in properly protected reserves (6). Luckily, the African buffalo is well represented in numerous national parks and protected areas (2), such as Serengeti National Park and Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania (8) (9). As one of the ‘big five’, African buffalo are sought after by tourists on wildlife safaris, and by game hunters (5), giving people great economic incentive to conserve this impressive mammal.

For further information on the African buffalo see:

• African Wildlife Foundation:
  www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/buffalo
• Ultimate Ungulate:
  www.ultimateungulate.com/Artiodactyla/Syncerus_caffer.html

• Bovine tuberculosis: a highly contagious disease, capable of infecting most mammals, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis, which primarily attacks the respiratory system.
• Rinderpest: an infectious viral disease that principally affects cattle, but can also affect sheep, goats, camels, certain wild ruminants and pigs.
• Subspecies: a population usually restricted to a geographical area that differs from other populations of the same species, but not to the extent of being classified as a separate species.

1. IUCN Red List (March, 2009)
   http://www.iucnredlist.org
2. Kingdon, J. (1997) The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals.Academic Press, San Diego.
3. Stuart, C. and Stuart, T. (1997) Field Guide to the Larger Mammals of Africa.Struik Publishers, Cape Town.
4. African Wildlife Foundation (September, 2007)
   http://www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/buffalo
5. Mills, G. and Hes, L. (1997) The Complete Book of Southern African Mammals.Struik Publishers, Cape Town.
6. Macdonald, D.W. (2006) The Encyclopedia of Mammals.Oxford University Press, Oxford.
7. Rodwell, T.C., Kriek, N.P., Bengis, R.G., Whyte, I.J., Viljoen, P.C., Vos, V. and Boyce, W.M. (2001) Prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in African buffalo at Kruger National Park. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 37 (2): 258 - 264.
8. UNEP-WCMC: Serengeti National Park, Tanzania (March, 2009)
   http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/pdf/Serengeti.pdf
9. UNEP-WCMC: Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania (March, 2009)
   http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/pdf/Kilimanjaro.pdf