Cape buffalo

Description:

Also known as the African buffalo, affalo, nyati, Mbogo, this African bovine has an unpredictable nature and is highly dangerous to humans; it has not been domesticated, unlike its Asian counterpart, the domestic Asian water buffalo. Savanna buffalo are larger those living in forests. The male and female adult horns have fused bases, forming a continuous bone shield referred to as a "boss," which cannot always be penetrated even by a rifle bullet. From the base the horns diverge, then bend down, and then smoothly curve upwards and outwards. The distance between the ends of the horns of large bulls is more than a meter. Other than humans, African buffalo have few predators and are capable of defending themselves against (and killing) lions. It typically takes multiple lions to bring down a single adult buffalo. The Nile crocodile typically attacks only old solitary animals and young calves. The cheetah, leopard and spotted hyena are threats to newborn calves. When chased by predators a herd will stick close together with calves are gathered in the middle. A buffalo herd will respond to the distress call of a captured member and try to rescue it.

Habitat:

It lives in swamps, floodplains as well as mopane grasslands and forests of the major mountains of Africa. They prefer habitat with dense cover such as reeds and thickets.

Notes:

Seen here with red-billed oxpeckers (Buphagus erythrorhynchus), which eat ticks and insects. (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-billed_...)