Why African Buffalos Are Among Africa’s Big Five and Their Unique Traits

The term “buffalo” usually refers to the African buffalo, as well as the Asian water buffalo. The African buffalo is a large mammal native to Africa. It is one of the continent’s most effective grazers and can be found in floodplains, swamps, grasslands, and forests of Africa’s greatest mountains. These amazing creatures are part of Africa’s Big Five. Other animals on the list include lions, African elephants, leopards, and rhinos. That’s not all there is to know, though, so here are ten incredible facts about the African buffalo.

1. African Buffalos Have Ranks

The social structure of the African buffalo is complicated and based on what scientists describe as a power structure. The size, strength, and maturity of buffalo and their relationships with other herd members determine their leadership. This implies that powerful males and females control the social stability of the herd. 

The male and female animals move together in the same herd, with the center of the herd consisting of close females and sub-herds consisting of junior males and elderly animals. Afterwards, the males separate from the group and establish bachelor herds during the dry season. During the rainy season, these groups reunite with the main herd to mate with the females. Strength in numbers is important to the African buffalo; hence, the larger the herd, the better equipped they are to defend themselves against predators.

2. Buffalo Communicate With Each Other Through Vocalizations

According to researchers, African buffalos use five distinct vocal sounds to interact. The herd is directed to migrate by low-pitched sounds spaced three to six seconds apart. The herd are signalled to change directions by rougher varieties of this low-pitched sound.

African buffalos have also been heard producing extended “maaa” noises as they approach drinking holes. Researchers believe that this sound is simply an expression of happiness, satisfaction, or anticipation. The animals utter powerful grunts and thunderous growls to communicate hostility, mainly to other buffalo. Finally, when predators such as lions or crocodiles approach the herd, they make long “waaa” cries.

3. Buffalo Give Birth Only During the Rainy Seasons

Before delivering new calves, buffalo carry their pregnancy for roughly 11 months. However, they only give birth during the rainy season. Newborn calves have a greater chance of living during the rainy season because there is more food and drinkable water compared to the dry season. Calves spend about a year with their mother before becoming more self-sufficient within the herd. When the boys reach the age of two, they leave to join bachelor groups.

4. African Buffalos Vote

Scientists have uncovered a strange phenomenon in female African buffalo. They seem to vote on which way the herd should move. These animals sit on the floor during rest periods, facing where they believe the herd should travel. When the resting period is over, the herd travels in the direction that most of the herd was pointing. The most interesting thing about this behavior is that it seems to be coordinated, and the dominant hierarchy doesn’t seem to affect how each buffalo votes.

5. Buffalos Are Unpredictable

Thanks to their unpredictability, African buffalos have never been tamed. This, in addition to their massive size, lethal set of horns, and absence of predators, makes them a wild species worthy of respect for their position in the animal world. Among the main African mammals, only hippos and elephants pose a greater threat to humans than buffalo.

6. Buffalo Can Weigh Up to 2,000 Pounds

Buffalo are large animals and have an incredible amount of power, but the Cape buffalo is the largest subspecies. Bulls can weigh almost 2,000 pounds and measure up to 11ft 2in long and 5ft 6in tall at the shoulder. Males are slightly larger than females, usually by around 200 pounds.

7. Male Buffalo Have a ”Boss” on Their Head

The adult male buffalo’s curved horns are so close that they join at the base. This forms a kind of armor on their heads, known as a boss. The boss is not present in the horns of female buffalo, which allows for easy distinction between the male and female. Also, the size of the horns – how big or thick they are – contributes to how they are ranked in the dominance hierarchy of the herd. The larger the horn size, the higher the rank of the buffalo. All of these characteristics show that the horns of buffalo can reveal a lot about their age, sex, and social status. 

8. The Buffalo Does Not Forgive a Wrong

The African buffalo is second only to the elephant in terms of memory. While an elephant never forgets, a buffalo never forgives. Many hunting stories tell of injured buffalo that ambushed hunters who were following them or had assaulted them in the past. They return to their tracks to stand and wait for the hunters. They’ve also been known to attack young lions from a pride that had previously attacked and killed members of their herd. This is why they have been given the moniker “Black Death.” 

9. The Oxpecker and the Buffalo Are in a Relationship

The oxpecker lives in sub-Saharan Africa and has a symbiotic relationship with the large hoofed mammals around them. These include antelopes, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, and buffalo. However, it is not entirely clear if what the oxpecker and its host are engaged in is symbiotic or semi-parasitic. 

Except during nesting, which usually happens in tree cavities, all of the oxpecker’s life is spent on the body of its host. The oxpecker cannot do without this association as it gets its daily food from the animals and protection from predators. 

10. Cape Buffalo Don’t Move More Than 10 Miles Away From Their Water Source

Buffalo can’t go for long periods without drinking, so they typically stay close to a permanent source of water. However, Cape buffalo, in particular, are seldom more than 10 miles from a source of drinking water.