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Cape
buffalo are a stocky member of the cow family.
Females live in herds with their young (including
males under three years old) - there may be up to
1,000 animals in a single herd. Males are mostly
solitary or form small bachelor groups.
The herds are very protective of
their members, and appear to 'vote' on which
direction they should move using different postures.
Although they have a lifespan of
about 30 years in captivity, it is unlikely that
they reach even half that age in the wild.
Cape buffalo are 240-340cm long,
standing 135-170cm at the shoulder and weighing
680kg (male) or 576kg (female).
Lekker Links
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Breeding can take place at
any time of year, but births tend to peak
during the wet summer season.
 Males associate with the herd
for a short period and pursue any females in
oestrus during this time and try to repel
any other males.
Gestation is 340 days, after
which a single calf is born. The youngster
remains hidden in vegetation for the first
few weeks, being nursed occasionally by the
mother, before joining the protective group,
where they are held in the centre of the
herd for safety.
The Cape Buffalo is one of two
sub-species of the African
Buffalo: the Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer
caffer) is found in savannas and woodland of
southern Africa; the Forest buffalo (Syncerus
caffer nanus) is found in forests near the
equator.
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