“…and today we’re talking about the savannah’s secret dangerous megafauna. But more on that later.”
Species: Syncerus caffer, also known as Cape buffalo, savanna buffalo, or forest buffalo, depending on the subspecies.
Description
Build: Stocky and muscular with a broad chest, short neck, and sturdy legs built for endurance.
Coat: Short, coarse hair ranging from dark brown to black. Forest buffalo subspecies may have a reddish-brown coat. Hair thins with age, especially in older males.
Horns: Both sexes have curved, upward-sweeping horns that fuse at the base in males, forming a thick, helmet-like “boss” on the forehead. Horns can span up to 3.3 ft (1 m) across.
Head: Large with a wide muzzle, prominent ears, and dark, expressive eyes. The face often has a rugged, weathered look.
Skin: Tough, dark skin with visible scars or mud patches, as they often wallow in mud to cool off and deter parasites.
Tail: Long, tufted tail reaching down to the hocks, used to swat flies.
Measure Up
Size: Males can weigh up to 2,000 lbs (900 kg) and stand 5.6 ft (1.7 m) tall at the shoulder.
Shoulder Height of the African Buffalo
The African Buffalo has a shoulder height of 5.6 feet (1.7 meters). How many objects fit into the buffalo’s shoulder height (if the object is shorter) or how many buffalo fit into the object’s height/length (if the object is taller)?
a) The height of a Maasai warrior’s spear
A traditional Maasai olaiserr spear, used by warriors in Kenya and Tanzania, measures about 6 feet (1.83 meters) long, based on ethnographic records.
b) The height of a giraffe’s foreleg
A Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) foreleg, found in the same East African savannas, measures about 4 feet (1.22 meters) from hoof to shoulder joint, per wildlife data.
c) The height of a Serengeti acacia tree trunk
The trunk diameter of a Serengeti fever tree acacia (Vachellia xanthophloea), common in Tanzania, measures about 3 feet (0.91 meters) at chest height for mature trees, per botanical records.
Question: How many fit into each shoulder height comparison?
A) 1.1 African Buffalo go into the height of a Maasai warrior’s spear
B) 0.9 giraffe forelegs go into the shoulder height of an African Buffalo
C) 2.9 Serengeti acacia tree trunks go into the shoulder height of an African Buffalo
Weight of the African Buffalo
The African Buffalo weighs 2,000 pounds (900 kg). How many objects fit into the buffalo’s weight (if the object is lighter) or how many buffalo fit into the object’s weight (if the object is heavier)?
a) The weight of a white rhino calf
A newborn white rhino (Ceratotherium simum) calf from South African savannas weighs about 100 pounds (45 kg), per wildlife data.
b) The weight of a Zulu war shield
A traditional Zulu isihlangu war shield, used in 19th-century battles in South Africa, weighs about 15 pounds (6.8 kg), based on historical records.
c) The weight of an adult elephant seal
An adult male southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina), found off South African coasts, weighs about 4,000 pounds (1,814 kg), per marine mammal data.
Question: How many fit into each weight comparison?
A) 23.0 white rhino calves go into the weight of an African Buffalo
B) 142.4 Zulu war shields go into the weight of an African Buffalo
C) 2.0 African Buffalo go into the weight of an adult elephant seal
Fast Facts
- Habitat: Found across sub-Saharan Africa in savannas, grasslands, forests, and near water sources.
- Herd Behavior: Live in large herds, sometimes numbering in the hundreds, for protection against predators.
- Diet: Grazers, primarily eating grass, consuming up to 24 lbs (11 kg) daily.
- Temperament: Known for being unpredictable and aggressive, considered one of Africa’s “Big Five” dangerous animals.
- Horns: Both males and females have curved, fused horns forming a “boss” on the forehead, especially prominent in males.
- Lifespan: Typically 15-25 years in the wild.
- Predator Defense: Known to mob predators like lions, using group strength to protect the herd.
- Conservation: Not endangered, but populations face threats from habitat loss and disease like bovine tuberculosis
Major Fact: Deeds not Herds
African buffalo herds use a voting system to decide travel direction.
Only adult females (≥6–7 years old) participate. Males, calves, and juvenile females do not vote.
During midday or late-afternoon rest periods, adult females periodically stand, gaze in a direction for 30–60 seconds, then lie down again. The direction of gaze is the vote.
Researchers record gaze directions in 30° or 45° sectors and compute the average angle.
The herd moves in the direction of the average vote in 95–100% of observed cases, even if a dominant female votes differently.
Adult females hold decision-making power because they form the stable matrilineal core of the herd and possess generational knowledge of resources and routes.
Key studies
Loveridge et al. (2005, Ethology)
The 2005 study, titled “Decision-Making by African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) at Watering Holes: Is It by Consensus or by the Dominant Individual?” looked at decision-making in buffalo herds at watering holes in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, over multiple field seasons. Researchers observed 20 herd movements, recording behaviors like standing, gazing, and initiating travel. They found that adult females initiated most decisions through gaze direction, with the herd following the consensus average (calculated from gaze angles in 45° sectors) in 95% of cases. Dominant individuals influenced but did not override group consensus. The study highlighted female matrilineal knowledge of resources as key to cohesion in herds of 100–500 animals.
Congdon et al. (2011, Science)
The 2011 study, “African Buffalo Herds Vote by Standing Up,” analyzed 46 rest periods in a 300-animal herd using GPS collars and video. Adult females (n=46 voters) stood and gazed for 30–60 seconds during midday rests; the herd moved in the mean gaze direction in 100% of cases, even against a dominant female’s preference. Statistical analysis (circular statistics for angles) confirmed predictability (r=0.98). The paper emphasized this as quorum sensing for collective intelligence, preventing splits in large groups.