Cape Buffalo

The cape buffalo, also known as the African or water buffalo, is one of Africa’s “Big 5” wildlife species and a favorite of tourists. (The animals do go to water frequently, but the name is probably a misnomer as they only got to water holes to drink, take a mudbath, and then leave.) They are primarily found in savanna type country where there is a mixture of open grasslands and shrubby areas; however, some are also found in more forested areas in Africa. Those found in forest habitats tend to be only about half as big as those found in the savannah habitats. African cape buffalo are a common prey item of lions; however, it requires a large pride of lions and/or a weak, injured, or young cape buffalo before the lions will attempt to take one on. As lions typically hunt at night filming a predation event is extremely difficult and requires huge amounts of time.

Cape buffalo, like most members of the bovine family, travel in large herds. They are primarily grazers but will browse on leaves and woody vegetation. Like the North American buffalo, the herds of cape buffalo are important in terms of creating and maintaining grassland diversity through their grazing and herding behaviors. The herd is very protective of the calves. When a predator comes close the entire herd will try to defend the young using a mobbing behavior to drive off the predators. Because of the unpredictable and aggressive nature of the African cape buffalo the species was never domesticated like other buffalo lines.