See the Heart-Pumping Video of Genius Buffalo Protecting Their Young from 30 Hungry Hyenas

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The video above from YouTube user Larry Egolf shows a nerve-racking scene where a group of Cape buffalo protects their calves. The group is separated from the herd and is harassed by a large clan of hyenas. The hyenas are trying to get to the buffalo calves, but the adult buffalo aren’t going to allow it. The larger buffalo form a circle, protecting the young as the hyenas grow closer.

Is this normal herd behavior for Cape buffalo? And is it common for hyenas to risk fighting large animals to get to their prey? Let’s find out more about these fascinating animals.

About Cape Buffalo

Cape buffalo, also known as African buffalo, are a subspecies of buffalo. Different from bison, which are found in America, Cape buffalo live in sub-Saharan Africa. Their habitats include grasslands, coastal savannahs, and lowland rainforests.

Buffalo are highly social animals and form large herds of hundreds or even thousands of individuals. Herds have the benefit of protecting the animals from predators. Their main predators include Nile crocodiles, lions, and hyenas. The powerful Nile crocodiles can take down an adult buffalo, but lions and hyenas tend to target the younger and smaller members of the herds.

How Do Cape Buffaloes Protect Calves?

Herds consist mainly of females and their calves. Males sometimes leave the group when they are older and form smaller groups of bachelors. The older males tend to form their own groups, separate from the younger males. The adult buffalo are highly protective of the young. When a calf gets in danger it will bellow loudly, bringing its mother and other members of the herd rushing to protect it.

When predators threaten, like the hyenas in the video above, the group forms a circle. The smaller members stay on the inside, while the older and more powerful buffalo face outwards to fight the threat.

How Big Does Cape Buffalo Get?

Cape buffalo are large and formidable herbivores. Although they only eat grass, they are strong and able to defend themselves well against predators. The largest males can grow up to 2,000 pounds. However, the babies are much smaller and weigh around 100 pounds when born making them much more vulnerable to predator attacks.

Both males and females have long horns and sharp hooves which they use while fighting. If the herd sees a member is under attack, they will rush to defend it. When you watch the video above, you can’t help but wish the herd in the distance noticed their fellow members in trouble. Although the video ends without resolution, we can hope that the smaller group received some reinforcement from the herd, driving away the hyenas.

Sometimes Cape buffalo will take offense and drive off a sleeping pack of predators before the animals have a chance to attack them. The most vulnerable buffalo are aging males who were once dominant but have been kicked out of the herd for their no longer welcome aggressive characteristics. A lone buffalo is in much greater danger than when the herd sticks together.

Hyenas Form Large Socially Complex Groups

The hyenas in the above video appear to be spotted hyenas, which are the most common species of hyena in Africa. They live together in large groups of up to 100 individuals. These groups are called clans, and they are socially complex. The clans are led by dominant females, which are larger and more aggressive than the males. Even the lowest-ranking female cub is at a higher social status than a fully grown adult male.

How Do Hyenas Hunt?

Hyenas hunt together and they look for the weakest prey they can find. They will also scavenge if there is no fresh prey nearby.

When hyenas hunt larger prey, such as Cape buffalo, they are on the lookout for stragglers. Older members on their own, or young calves are at risk on the savannah. The bigger the hyena clan, the more risks they will be willing to take. If the hyena gets the chance, its large and powerful jaws can break the bone of a buffalo in an instant.

While a hyena alone or with a few clan members will hunt for smaller prey, such as guinea fowls and snakes, a large group together has been seen taking down zebra, wildebeest, and even a massive Cape buffalo.

In the video above, the hyenas have the buffalo outnumbered. However, the formidable buffalo are holding their own against the hyenas. In the portion of the action that we get to see, it appears to be a standoff and we never find out who won the fight.