Buffalo
What is a buffalo?
There are three species of true buffalo: the African buffalo, the water buffalo, and the anoa. Although they somewhat resemble bison—and American bison are commonly referred to as buffalo—they’re not the same animals. Instead, bison and buffalo are from two different genera within the bovine family. They can be distinguished by their geographic habitats and their horns, as buffalo live only in Africa and Asia, and buffalo have much larger horns than bison.
All types of buffalo are herbivores, feeding primarily on grasses and other kinds of plants. Like cows, buffalo chew their cud—partly digested food—to increase their intake of nutrients. These herbivores can fall prey to various predators depending on their habitats and regions, including humans, lions, leopards, hyenas, and wild dogs. However, buffalo can be vicious and strike out to defend themselves.
African buffalo are one of Africa’s ‘big five’ safari animals along with leopards, rhinoceroses, elephants, and lions. They’re considered dangerous to hunt and can reach speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour (37 miles per hour). Found in sub-saharan Africa, African buffalo thrive in various grassland habitats from semi-arid bushlands to coastal savannahs and even low-altitude rainforests. They need to live close to a water source.
There are four subspecies of African buffalo, including the more common Cape buffalo, the forest buffalo, the West African savannah buffalo, and the Central African savannah buffalo. They spend most of their time in herds of anywhere between 19 to 2,075 buffalo, with an average of 450. Buffalo calves are born throughout the year, following a nine-month gestation period.
African buffalo aren’t very tall, standing at 130 to 150 centimetres (4.2 to 4.9 feet). Despite their height, they’re still large animals, weighing 425 to 870 kilograms (940 to 1,920 pounds). Male African buffalo, called bulls, weigh around 100 kilograms (220 pounds) more than female African buffalo, called cows. They also tend to have thicker and wider horns up to 100 centimetres (39 inches) long, creating a sort of built-in helmet that covers their heads. Their coats are typically thin and black, though younger African buffalo may have brown coats.
Water buffalo, also known as Asian buffalo, tend to have grey or black coats and curved horns. They can be either wild or domestic. Domestic water buffalo have a huge population of up to 165 million across 74 breeds, but wild water buffalo are far less common. Due to their smaller numbers, wild water buffalo tend to stay in herds of five to eight cows plus their offspring, sometimes with a bull. These herds can reach up to 30 individuals.
Wild water buffalo can be found in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and a wildlife reserve in Thailand. They typically inhabit swamps and forests. They are bigger than their African cousins, weighing up to 1,200 kilograms (2,600 pounds)—though females are slightly smaller, weighing up to 800 kilograms (1,760 pounds).
The anoa is the third type of buffalo, found in the forests, grasslands, and swamps of the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi and Buton. Anoa are the smallest of all the buffalo, weighing between 150 and 300 kilograms (330 and 660 pounds) and standing just 75 centimetres (29.5 inches) tall. Their horns are also smaller and straighter than other buffalo. When spotted, anoa tend to be alone, though they have been seen in small herds of up to five individuals. While it’s debated whether there are two species of anoa or just one, there are currently two recognised species, the lowland anoa and the mountain anoa. The mountain anoa tend to be slightly smaller and have furrier coats.
Through their grazing behaviours, buffalo maintain the grasslands within their habitat. They help to prevent single species of grass from dominating ecosystems, therefore maintaining a healthy level of biodiversity. As they migrate, they then disperse seeds from the vegetation they have eaten, aiding in plant regeneration and the spreading of seeds. As important carbon sinks, the health of these grasslands is critical in mitigating climate change. This makes it all the more important for us to help true buffalo populations and safeguard their important role on our planet.
What is a buffalo’s scientific name?
There are three species of buffalo, as well as subspecies within these.
The African buffalo is scientifically known as Syncerus caffer and has four subspecies:
- Forest buffalo (Syncerus caffer nanus)
- West African savannah buffalo (Syncerus caffer brachyceros)
- Central African buffalo (Syncerus caffer aequinoctialis)
- Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer)
The scientific name for water buffalo, or Asian buffalo, is Bubalus bubalis. This is also the scientific name for the domestic water buffalo, though the wild water buffalo is sometimes referred to as a different species with the scientific name Bubalus arnee.
There are two species of anoa—the mountain anoa (Bubalus quarlesi) and the lowland anoa (Bubalus depressicornis).
- Are buffalo endangered?
Sadly, buffalo populations are decreasing across all species, and some species are endangered. According to the IUCN Red List:
- African buffalo have been classified as near threatened since 2019, with a decreasing population of around 400,000 individuals
- Wild water buffalo have been classified as endangered since 1965, with a population of roughly 2,500 individuals
- Mountain anoa and lowland anoa have been classified as endangered since 1986, with both populations containing no more than 2,500 individuals each
Their declining populations can be attributed to the key threats these buffalo face, including habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting, droughts, disease, human-wildlife conflict, and introgression (hybridisation).
Where do buffalo live?
The African buffalo is native to sub-Saharan Africa, typically found in the northern and southern savannah. Its habitats range from semi-arid bushlands to grasslands, coastal savannahs, and lowland rainforests. They just need to be no more than 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) from a source of water to survive.
The wild water buffalo prefers swamps and forests and can be found in India, Nepal, and Bhutan, as well as in a wildlife reserve in Thailand. They once occupied Bangladesh, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, though they’re now extinct in these countries.
Anoa are only found on the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi and Buton. Their habitats include forests, grasslands, and swamps.
Threats
Buffalo face several threats, primarily brought about by humans, disease, and climate change.
Habitat loss and fragmentation
For the African buffalo, the expansion of human settlements has resulted in a significant loss of habitat. Agricultural activities are also a major threat, with livestock grazing occupying much of the land needed by this species. Similarly, the wild water buffalo in Asia faces population fragmentation as forest and grassland areas are cleared. Here, livestock grazing is causing pasture depletion and contributing to a lack of water, which means wild water buffalo are left with few resources. Anoa not only face similar competition with livestock but are also threatened by gold mining and the collection of other types of non-timber forest products, which damages their habitats.
Hunting
Unfortunately, hunting remains a threat to buffalo populations.
African buffalo are targeted for their meat in many countries. Their recent decline in numbers is attributed to poaching, which occurs even within national parks. Wild water buffalo have also long been targets for hunters—both for sport and for meat. Now that they are legally protected, it’s hoped that hunting levels are declining. However, economic growth within the countries where water buffalo are found may fuel the demand for wildlife products that are seen as status symbols.
Droughts
Droughts have historically impacted buffalo populations and caused substantial declines. African buffalo are particularly vulnerable to drought, as seen in the 1960s and 1990s within some local ecosystems.
Disease
Buffalo are susceptible to a range of diseases.
African buffalo populations saw a huge collapse during the great rinderpest epidemic of the 1980s. This disease, along with pleuro-pneumonia, led to a population decline of around 95%. Similarly, wild water buffalo are susceptible to diseases from local livestock, including rinderpest. Where smaller populations of wild water buffalo live in close proximity to cattle, a disease outbreak could lead to their extinction.
Human-wildlife conflict
Wild water buffalo are particularly vulnerable to human-wildlife conflict. As their food and water sources plummet because of droughts and habitat loss, buffalo increasingly invade farms and consume crops. To protect these crops and their livelihoods, farmers hunt and snare buffalo, contributing to their population decline.
Introgression
Introgression is the process in which the genes of one species are incorporated into the gene pool of another species due to hybridisation. In the case of the wild water buffalo, introgression between domestic and wild water buffalo dilutes the genetic integrity of the wild water buffalo. This then leads to a loss of unique genetic characteristics and may affect the survival of the wild population.
FAQs
Is a buffalo a predator or prey?
Buffalo are herbivores and therefore are not predators to other animals. Instead, they fall prey to humans, lions, leopards, hyenas, and wild dogs. However, they can fight back aggressively to defend themselves.
Are buffalo and bison the same?
Buffalo and bison are often confused and their names are frequently used interchangeably. However, despite both being members of the Bovidae family, they are not the same animal. When people reference ‘buffalo’ in North America, or American buffalo, they’re actually talking about bison.
Bison and buffalo can be distinguished by three key factors. First, they live in different regions. Buffalo are native to Africa and Asia, while bison are found in North America and Europe. Second, they have different horns. Buffalo have large, broad horns up to 100 centimetres (39 inches) long, while bison have smaller, curved horns. Third, buffalo don’t have humps at their shoulders, which bison do.
What do buffalo eat?
Buffalo are herbivores. Their diets consist mainly of grasses, but they also eat weeds, herbs, tree leaves, and other kinds of vegetation. Where food is harder to come by, they have been known to eat moss, lichens, and tree bark.
How big are buffalo?
African buffalo are up to 150 centimetres (4.9 feet) tall and weigh up to 870 kilograms (1,920 pounds). Female African buffalo weigh approximately 100 kilograms (220 pounds) less than the males. Within wild water buffalo populations, individuals weigh up to 1,200 kilograms (2,600 pounds), though cows weigh around two-thirds of that. Anoas are far smaller, weighing up to 300 kilograms (660 pounds) and reaching heights of 75 centimetres (29.5 inches).
Are buffalo extinct?
Thankfully, not yet. Their conservation status ranges from near threatened (in the case of African buffalo) to endangered (in the case of wild water buffalo and both species of anoa). However, the populations of each species are declining as they continue to be threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting, droughts, disease, human-animal conflict, and introgression.
How can you help?
Help save the declining wild buffalo populations by learning more about human-wildlife conflict and how climate change impacts animals. You can also learn more about why you should protect endangered animals. IFAW is pioneering nature-based climate solutions and works to protect vulnerable animals around the world.