African Buffalo Facts & information
The African, or Cape, buffalo is a member of the so-called Big Five group of animals, with pictures and descriptions
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African Buffaloes are massive, heavily built and powerful with a cattle
like appearance They can reach weights of up to 800 kg with a shoulder height of 1.5 meters Large and heavy horns curve down and outwards, then upwards and inward Both sexes have horns with the male devloping a more gnarled "boss" as they grow older which can not always be penetrated even by a rifle bullet They move in large herds, often over 400 strong and most times behind the herd a lion pride can be found There are smaller bachelor herds of four to five. Occasionally solitary ones live alone and do not associate with the larger breeding herds Being a bulk grazer, they are responsible for converting long grasslands into short grassy environments conducive to other browsers with more selective feeding habits Sight and hearing are both rather poor, but scent is well developed
in buffalo's. Popular trophies for hunters, these large and often dangerous animals are unpredictable and can be deadly if cornered or wounded. Buffalo are one of the only animals that purposefully circle back onto their own trail to "hunt" the pursuer. Though often accused of deliberate savagery, they are usually placid
if left alone . By lowering their heads and presenting a solid barrier of sharp horns, it is difficult for predators to seize a calf. This effective group defense even allows blind and crippled members of the herd to survive. Thus predators do not have a major impact on buffalo herds; it is the old, solitary-living males that are most likely to be taken by lions |
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Buffalo Hoofprints
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