Safari Holidays With the Big 5 - Buffalo

If you're looking for a sense of excitement and danger when you encounter the Big 5 on your safari holidays, then the African buffalo might seem like an odd choice, without the glamorous danger of lions or leopards. Many people have been fooled by the seemingly docile demeanour of the buffalo, only to swiftly discover why it is nicknamed 'the black death', or 'widowmaker'. Hunters learned a wounded animal might ambush and attack its pursuers. The African buffalo is, due to its unpredictable nature, one of the most dangerous animals you'll see on safari, and members of the species are reported to gore and kill over 200 people every year.

By the Horns

One feature you can use to identify an African buffalo on your safari holidays are their unique horns. A particular characteristic is that, unlike other horned animals such as goats or deer, the adult buffalo's horns have a fused base, forming a continuous bone shield over their brains and skulls that cannot easily be penetrated, even by a rifle bullet - further adding to their difficulty to hunt. The horns of the African buffalo earned it a place among the Big 5 in more ways than one! The distance between the tips of the horns can span over a metre, for large bulls.

Life As a Buffalo

One of the most successful grazers in Africa, the African buffalo can be seen in swamps, grasslands, and forests. You may have the best chance of spotting a herd while you're near to water on your safari holidays - while buffalo are not demanding with regard to their habitat, they require water daily, and depend on perennial sources. This is one of the factors that make older and more vulnerable buffalos likely to be attacked by crocodiles. While a buffalo's horns can kill a lion, groups of lions working together have been known to bring down a buffalo.

Social Behaviour

With all the details above, it may come as a surprise to learn that (amongst themselves, at least) buffalo are surprisingly social creatures. Adult male buffalos will spar in play with each other, and the same sort of display can be seen when two males are fighting for dominance. It's an incredible sight to see on your safari holidays. Actual fights between buffalo are rare, and brief when they occur. When threatened by predators, however, all such activities are put aside. A herd will stay close together, and make it hard for their predators to pick off one member of the group.?

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