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The Cape Buffalo is a large African bovine with a dangerous pair of horns. Cape Buffalo are usually placid animals but have a reputation for aggression if disturbed. Herds of Cape Buffalo can fight off attacks from lions and other predators, by forming protective rings around their young and using their large curving horns to ward off attackers. You can see the Cape Buffalo in national parks in Kenya on Kenya Wild Safari.
Zoological name: Syncerus caffer
Range: The Cape Buffalo is commonly found in savannah and forested areas of Southern and Eastern Africa.
Estimated population: It is estimated that there are around 500,000 Cape Buffalos in the wild.
Physical appearance: Cape Buffaloes look like large black cows. They have powerfully muscled shoulders and haunches and enormous curving horns, rising from the tops of their heads and then sweeping sideways and downwards before curling up again. Adult males can weight over 700 Kg and their horns can span 1 meter.
Habitat: Cape Buffaloes prefer to stay near water whether in the savannah or in forested areas. They prefer open pastureland and swampy areas for wallowing.
Diet: Buffaloes are herbivores and consume large amounts of greenery. Buffaloes feed on grass and leaves and usually feed at night, avoiding the heat of the day.
Behavior: Cape Buffalos live in herds that consist of a few large males, many females and their offspring. Herds can range from around a hundred to larger seasonal congregations of thousands. Young males and older males also live in separate bachelor herds. Members of the herd communicate with each other by mooing and bellowing.
Status: Cape Buffalos have stable populations within national parks in southern and eastern Africa. In other areas they come in conflict with human habitation. They also face the threat of diseases, such as rinderpest.
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