Cape buffalo

Description:

The Cape, or African buffalo, is a large bovine. The bull pictured can weight up to one ton. Its front hooves are wider than its rear ones to support the greater up-front weight. Coloration is black and a dark brown when older.

Habitat:

Cape buffaloes range over approximately one-half of sub-Saharan Africa, although these areas are not contiguous. They inhabit forests, thick cover, plains, swamps, and floodplains. Cape buffaloes require a daily source of water.

Notes:

The Cape buffalo is highly unpredictable and very dangerous. Therefore, unlike its Asian counterpart, it has never been domesticated. This specimen was seen at the Rhino & Lion Park outside Johannesburg. The Cape buffalo is known as one of the "big five" in Africa, the others being: lion; elephant; rhinoceros; and leopard. How the hippopotamus escaped inclusion in this listing is anyone's guess.