CAPE BUFFALO Syncerus caffer

Distribution:

Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Transvaal, Cape and Natal.

Diet:

They eat coarse grasses and do browse to a small degree.

Habitat:

During the day they will spend their time moving through open woodland but will spend the night on open grassland or clearings.

Habits:

The main herd consists of all sexes and ages.

Bachelor groups are also found.

The females have their own dominant cow while the males will bow down in hierarchy only to males.

Young males normally leave the main herd at about three to four years old and return with the all male group that they joined with after leaving.

Upon returning to their herd they may or may not remain permanently.

There will probably be numerous dominant bulls who mate within large herds.

Young males establish themselves into hierarchies by sparring with each other.

It is unlikely that a male will mate before 7 or 8 years of age.

Males are recognizable by the thickness of their horns on the top of their heads (this area is called the boss).

Breeding:

Buffalo have a gestation period of approximately 11 months and will normally give birth to one calf.

Predators:

Hyena, large enough Crocodiles and Lions are known to take buffalo.

They are almost immune to attack when in a herd and therefore 90 % of all buffalo killed will be old males.