the Kaffernbüffel is the mightiest established game-cow Africa. One is inclined today to distinguishing 2 subtypes: the actual Kaffernbüffel (Syncerus caffer caffer), that is called also black-buffalos or steppe-buffalos, and the red or forest-buffalo (Syncerus caffer nanus). Between these two, clearly distinguishable forms, there are however numerous transition-forms.
Race-arrangement 1. Black-buffalos. it is the bigger subtype, its withers-height amounts by 165 cm, its weight for 680 kg. The fur is black. The big horns form a thick bulge, a so-called helmet, on the forehead. Black-buffalos are known from East-Africa and the northern South Africa.
2. Red or forest-buffalos. it forms the smaller subtype, its withers-height amounts to 120 cm, its weight for 320 kg. The fur is bay, the legs are dark. The horns lead in the simple bow outside from the vertex from and are bent to the back. Sometimes, a helmet appears. Red-buffalos live in west and equatorial-Africa's rain-forest-areas.
Physique The Kaffernbüffel is a massive cow with stocky legs. The fur is thin and coarse. Red-buffalos have a small back-mane. The claws form a wide step-surface, the additional-claws are big. The ears have clear hair-fringes at the edge. The long tail finishes in a tassel. Special skin-glandular-organs are missing.
Habitat Kaffernbüffel live in savannas, reeds and light forests; Red-buffalos are also in rain-forests and their clearings. In the mountains, buffalos climb until in 4000 m of height. they always live near water.
Way of life Kaffernbüffel form family-herds of 3-10 animals. However, they can join together also to stoves of several hundred animals. Leader is a female while an adult male earns the highest position. Some bulls are individually alive. Buffalos graze predominantly at night. During the day, they wallow, rest in the shadow or hike to new pasture-places within its residential-area, that it don't leave without necessity. On the presence of buffalos, an observer becomes easily aware through the cow-herons (Ardeola ibis) around-flying at a herd. The herons are after the insects and other small animals startled through the cows.
Maggot-hacker-starlings (type Buphagus) climb on the buffalos up and down. they free the Kaffernbüffel from tiresome insects. In the proximity of this of wallowing, the buffalos visit barn-trees in order to rub its fur at it. Buffalos are peaceful in general. Against enemies, they sit down to the weir vigorously, however. Wounded or into the narrowness of driven Kaffernbüffel, people attack without hesitating. There are more deadly hunt-accidents with them as with the lion. This earned them the reputation as "most dangerous game Africa" to injustice.
The single enemies of the Kaffernbüffel are the lions, calves are threatened also through hyenas and crocodiles. Buffalos suffer from various parasite. A thread-worm (Filarien) generates ulcers, that can cover the whole body.
The voice of the buffalos is a grunt.
Reproduction At the combination-time, the bulls fight together. they run loosely one on top of the other and clash with the horns.
The Tragzeit lasts 330-345 days. Usually the buffalo-cows place only a calf, twins are rare. The calf is a run-young, that can immediately follow its mother. The bull stays normally of mother and young. In East-Africa, the Setzzeit falls into the two rain-times. The herd defends its calves together.
Food Kaffernbüffel are grass-gluttons, who don't spurn also hard reed. Furthermore, they eat foliage and herbs. With the red-buffalo, the foliage-share should be relatively high.
Continuance In the national-parks, the stock of Kaffernbüffeln is at the moment secured.
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