A pair of African Buffaloes, also known as Cape buffaloes, graze near the dam at the #NairobiNationalPark. Buffaloes are one of the Big Five game attractions making them a sought-after trophy in hunting. Their characteristic horns form a continuous bone shield across the top of their head, referred to as a “boss”. The horns form fully when the animal attains the age of five or six years.
African buffaloes are unique to South and East Africa, have never been domesticated, and have few predators such as the lion and crocodiles. It takes several lions to bring down an adult buffalo and the herd engages in mobbing behavior when fighting off predators. The average weight of an adult is about 631 kilograms. This subspecies has the darkest color that is almost black. Buffaloes are widely regarded as dangerous animals, reportedly goring and killing over 200 people every year.
This buffalo reportedly prefers a habitat with a dense cover such as reeds and thickets but can also be found in open woodlands. They require water daily and depend on perennial sources of water. They can live on tall, coarse grasses and herds of buffalos are known to mow down grasses, making way for more selective grazers. During the dry season, males split from the herd and form two types of bachelor groups; one made of males aged four to seven years and those aged 12 years or older. The younger bulls rejoin the herd during the wet season, to mate with the females and stay on to protect the calves.
Conservation status
The current status of African Cape buffalo is dependent on the animal’s value to both trophy hunters and tourists, paving way for conservation efforts through anti-poaching patrols and village crop damage payouts.
Buffaloes are classified as “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as the species remains widespread with an estimated global population of nearly 900,000 animals. More than three-quarters live in protected areas.
#PhotographyForConservation #ConserveOurWildlife #OurHeritageOurPride #Conservation #WildlifeMatters #PhotographyInTheWild #SaveOurParks #WorldWildlifeDay2018 #SaveNNP #WorthMoreAlive #Nairobi #TembeaKenya #Kenya #Africa #Buffalo #CapeBuffalo #AfricanBuffalo
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Reflections on Life 