Buffalo Bulls Clash in a Test of Strength and Dominance

Although the clashing horns may look menacing to us, when African buffalo bulls fight, it’s usually a friendly sparring match. It’s not all for fun, however. The strongest males get the right to mate with the females and lead the herd. But when it’s not friendly, it can turn deadly. Male buffalo are highly competitive, and this show of strength helps them test each other’s dominance.

About African Buffalo

The African buffalo is one of Africa’s “big five” animals. In addition to the lion, leopard, elephant, and black rhino, the buffalo is one of the largest mammals in Africa. Although these massive buffalo may look like large cows, in reality, they are one of Africa’s most dangerous beasts. Though related to the American bison, they are completely different animals. They are also not the same as the domesticated water buffalo, which are generally found in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Thailand.

Cape buffalo are a subspecies of African buffalo, and they are the type of buffalo you would see in the wild on a safari in East or South Africa. Cape buffalo live in large herds that can range from 20 individuals to thousands.

African Buffalo Herd Structure

In African or Cape buffalo herds, the females stay in the herd where they were born. They raise their offspring in the same herd, and their young stay with them until they are adults. Male buffalo, or bulls, will leave their mother’s herd at some point to migrate alone or to join a bull herd.

During mating season, the bulls may rejoin the herd to mate and will stick around for a while to help protect the newborn calves. The herds are organized by a complex set of hierarchies among the buffalo made up of dominant and submissive buffalo.

Why Do Male African Buffalo Fight Each Other?

In a fascinating video posted by the Pondoro Game Lodge, two buffalo bulls are seen sparring. The Pondoro Game Lodge is located in Greater Kruger Park, South Africa, where Cape buffalo roam free. The bulls can be seen clashing and butting heads, with their great horns making tremendous cracking sounds.

The bulls in the video are likely not in a death match. When bulls fight to the death, it can be intense, and one or both animals can end up severely injured. These bulls are probably doing some friendly sparring to test out each other’s strength. In these types of fights, the bulls will hook and butt each other with their horns. In the end, one bull gives up and runs away, conceding dominance to the winner. The winner has won the right to mate and be a leader in the herd.