53. Days 16-17, 20 (Aug 31-Sep 1, 4 ) – Cape Buffalo

(Note: As you can tell from the date identifier for this post, I’m now including not only photos taken from the Manyeleti portion of our trip, but also from the extension that occurred in Botswana in the Chobe River National Park which was a one-day safari that consisted of a game drive in the morning and a game “cruise” in the afternoon on the Chobe river.  I will have more to say about the Chobe river area and Botswana generally when we get to that part of the tour, which included Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, later.  However, there are not many differences between the animals in Chobe and Manyeleti.  There is a difference in the diversity of the grouping of the animals, and the presence of the river in the Chobe region generally makes for more game animals.  But for a discussion of the animals themselves, I’ve included the Chobe photos because they make more sense here than in a separate discussion.)

One of the most striking looking of African animals, and one of the members of the “big five” discussed earlier, is the Cape Buffalo, technically one of the five or so subspecies of the African Buffalo.  It is a very large member of the bovine subfamily which also includes cattle, bison, water buffalo, yaks, and four-horned and spiral-horned antelopes.  That being said, the relationships and evolutionary links between the various members of this subfamily are not well known.  The Cape Buffalo can weigh up to a ton and can be as long as 11 feet.  You will sometimes hear reference to the Water Buffalo as one of the African big five but that is a mistake; true water buffalos are only found in Asia.  The Cape Buffalo requires water daily so they depend on and can often be found around perennial sources of water.

The Cape Buffalo became part of the big five because it not only is very unpredictable, but if shot and not killed, it can and will fiercely attack.  And, except for humans, it has few predators.  A group of lions can bring down a single adult Cape Buffalo.  Buffalo calves can fall prey to cheetahs, leopards, and spotted hyenas, and there have been reports on a group of spotted hyenas taking down an adult buffalo.  The crocodile can take an adult buffalo but typically they only attack old or young animals.

In a way, we were predators – as several times the buffets we were served at dinner included Cape Buffalo stew.  When I asked I was told that these were not animals taken from the wild but they were raised for food purposes on a ranch.  I know there are such ranches although I am fascinated how these – or any of the other wild animals that are raised on ranches – are handled.  The meat is reminiscent of beef with a somewhat gamey flavor.

So let’s take a look at these animals.  Here is a wonderful example just standing around, asking us to take its picture, even having posed on the slight rise in the ground.

Cape Buffalo "Posing"

And another one, part of a herd as these are definitely herd animals.

Small Herd

The horns are one of the most impressive features of these animals.  As you can see, they are huge and they join in the middle in a sort of shield, called a “boss” across the forehead of the animals.  The horns provide a great deal of weaponry for this animal.  And they are not to be trifled with.  Over 200 people a year are killed by Cape Buffalo, making it the most dangerous animals to humans in the African bush.  The horn length can be up to 63 inches and from tip to tip across about a yard.  Both males and females have horns, but the females’ horns are generally smaller.

Let’s take a closer look at this magnificent animal, courtesy not of foolhardiness but of a 200 mm camera lens.
 

Cape Buffalo Up Close and Personal

And here is one just resting in the field (and you cannot say that it is outstanding in its field.)
 

Not Outstanding in Its Field

And now we have a small test.  If you can enlarge the photo above, look just above the end of the smooth part of the horn on the buffalo’s right (your left).  Sticking out is something – and we’ll talk about it soon.  But first let’s talk about food.

The buffalo is not a carnivore.  It feeds on vegetation.  It serves as the first pass cutting of grasslands, mowing down and eating the tall, coarse grasses, and eating at a greater rate than most other herbivores.  They then move on to other fields leaving the meadows for the more selective grazing animals.  Here is one grazing.
 

Cape Buffalo Grazing

Here is another group of three, although the head of the last one is behind the second one, and there is some sort of a scar on the last one’s hide.
 

Three Cape Buffalos Are We (With Apologies to G&S)

And right above in the middle of the middle buffalo you can see a bird taking off in flight.  This is the oxpecker, and they are very common around the Cape Buffalo.  They feed on insects, usually taken from the skin of the buffalo.  The buffalo seem not just to tolerate this but also to enjoy the relief from the biting insects that the oxpecker provides.  Let’s look at some more photos of this relationship.

Often the oxpecker is on the back of the buffalo, whether the buffalo is standing,

Cape Buffalo and Oxpecker

or resting.

Cape Buffalo and Oxpecker - 2

Sometimes there are enough insects to support two birds.

Cape Buffalo and Two Oxpeckers

And this picture gives new meaning to the phrase “in your face.”
 

In Your Face

But oxpeckers are not the only bird found on the cape buffalo.  There is also the much more stately cattle egret.

Cape Buffalo and Cattle Egret

The cattle egret is found not only on the back of the cape buffalo, but it often is walking on the grass near and under the cape buffalo where it also gets insects that are scared up out of the grass as the cape buffalo walks.  Here is a movie of a cape buffalo walking (and urinating) while the cattle egret walks right along with it. 

Next up - Zebras

Link to Full Resolution Photos