African Buffalo

[H. erectus]

2 More:

This buff not only seems to be missing the tip of a horn,
also a chunk of ear seems to be dangling about like a lobe!!

This buff does not even seem to be that old.

[Amoli]

Glad we are staying with these tattered ears.

Do they just deteriorate, or are they bitten like that...

[H. erectus]

Not like buffs forever have a lion or two molesting
the ears, however maybe a irretation of another kind!!

Bugs or flies maybe???!! causing the animal to flick the
ears so as to rid itself from the pest. The way in which
some ears seem to deteriorate spells for a lot of flickking
of the head and ears.

[Amoli]

Thanks HE -O -O -O

While going through my pics,
I found an interesting factor....

Lots of hair when they young....


The hair line is residing - only a tuft left.....


Old age - no sign of hair...

[Dewi]

RP, I was interested in your comment regarding the largest herd being 1,500 near Tshokwane in the 80's.

On the 13th July 2010, we saw a large herd moving Southwest across the H1-7 between Babalala and the Sirheni turn off at Boyela. Others at the sighting said they had been passing through for half an hour and we stayed another half hour and there were still more Buff making their way across as we left, but in less numbers by then. We counted a range of 25 to 50 animals per minute passing us over a twenty minute period, giving a rough estimate of 1,500 to 3,000 animals if the same numbers were to have passed by over an hour. It was impressive to watch and even if we over-estimated how many were there, I still believe there were over 1,000 animals involved in this movement. We speculated at the time that this was probably several herds that had come together to find food or water. I wonder if anyone else recorded this movement?

A pic of some of the herd as they approached the road.


With reference to their ears being tattered, they often tear them on the thorns when they move through thick cover as well as other factord being involved.

[Flutterby]

I'm sure many of you have seen this in the museum at Skukuza....a genetic deviation.

[Amoli]

Dewi, that is a big herd.
We (MD and myself) saw a herd during our Phala meet and while she was struggling to get out of the pile up - it was more than half a hour - all the time the buffs were passing us. I didn't even try to calculate how many there were.

Thanks for your pics

FB - although I camped in Skukuza for 5 days, I hardly allowed myself the time to look around. I was on the road from sunup to sunset.
Thanks for the pic, I will make a definate plan to visit the museum.

[H. erectus]

The younger ones seems to have their horns elevated
above eye level with interest and the older ones seem
to bottom below eye level cantankerously like.

[Amoli]

Amazing PRWin... absolutly beautiful

I look at picture number 2 and wonder why there is red in the buffs eye.
Would this be an indication to some illness, or is it just tired?

[Amoli]

Extract from Smithers field guide MAMMALS OF S.A.

The largest herds contain 1000 – 2000 animals.

Herds of a few hundred are more common.

Large herds form in winter and split up in summer; individuals and social groups may move between herds.

Some adult bulls form small bachelor groups of 2-6, exceptionally 20-30, and old bulls may be solitary.

‘Bachelor’ bulls return to the herds for mating.
While in a herd, they lose body condition and dominance rank, which they build up again when they go back to a bachelor group, which moves only two-thirds as far as a mixed herd.