African buffalo

Rare card · No. 40824

The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large bovine native to sub-Saharan Africa. First described in 1779 by Anders Sparrman, it is the only extant species of the genus Syncerus. Four subspecies are currently recognized: the Cape buffalo, West African savanna buffalo, Central African savanna buffalo, and African forest buffalo. It is a heavily built animal with a broad head and torso, a strong neck, large horns, and a bony armor or "boss" between the horns of males. The fur ranges in color from rusty to black, and the tail ends with a dark, hairy tuft. The African buffalo occurs in a variety of habitats, such as woodlands, savannas, forests, grasslands, shrublands, and wetlands. It is a ruminant and a grazer, primarily feeding on grass and dietary fiber. A social animal, the African buffalo forms herds ranging in size from a few individuals to over a thousand members. Herds typically consist of adult females and their young, and a number of adult males that temporarily join herds for...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0