Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

African Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

It lives in large herds and has a reputation as one of the most unpredictable and dangerous animals in Africa for anyone who approaches on foot.

Weight

425 kg – 870 kg

Size

2.4 m – 3.4 m

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Irregular activity

Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.

Social structure

Herd

Lives in large groups as a strategy against predators.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

Estimated population

Some 573,000 animals in total, of which around 400,000 are mature individuals; the savannah subspecies (S. c. caffer) accounts for the great majority and the forest buffalo (S. c. nanus) numbers around 56,000-60,000. Tanzania holds the most, some 225,000

SavannaBig Five Herbivore Variable activity In herds Near Threatened Savanna Mammal

43countries 61parks86same family6featured routes

Fun facts

Herds can exceed a thousand animals.
Its fused horns form a bony 'shield' known as the boss.
It remembers the predators that have attacked it and can retaliate as a group.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Savannas, open woodland and tropical forest across much of sub-Saharan Africa, depending on the subspecies
Birth weight: 23-60 kg at birth (up to 55-60 kg in the Cape buffalo)
Size at birth: 23-60 kg at birth
Sexual maturity: Female: ~5 years | Male: ~8 years
Gestation / incubation: 330-346 days (~340 days)
Litter / clutch size: 1 calf per birth (twins very rare)
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 29-32.8 years

Sources consulted: Ultimate Ungulate (detailed information); Dimensions.com; A-Z Animals; The Animal Facts; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Britannica (Cape buffalo); Animal Corner; SA-Venues; IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2019, IUCN Red List (Casi amenazado): descenso del 18 % entre 1999 y 2014 por caza furtiva, conversión del hábitat y enfermedades || IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2019, IUCN Red List e.T21251A50195031; San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library