The Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer)
- Deon Furstenburg
- May 27
- 2 min read
Updated: May 30
The Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is one of four living subspecies—alongside the red forest buffalo (S. c. nanus), the Nile buffalo (S. c. aequinoctialis), and the North-West buffalo (S. c. brachyceros). It traces its lineage back to the extinct long-horned buffalo (Syncerus antiquus), which roamed the Cape region from roughly 107 000 to 6 000 years ago.
In evolutionary terms, Cape buffalo share a deep ancestral root with today’s domestic cattle (Bos taurus), linking them to a broader bovine family tree that also includes Asia’s water buffalo (Bubalus spp.), the Indian bison (Bos spp.), and the European and North American bison (Bison spp.).
Adult Cape buffalo can reach impressive weights of up to 860 kg. They thrive in the verdant flood-plain grasses lining rivers and lakeshores, often wading shoulder-deep into water to graze on reeds and cool their bodies. A habitual wallow in mud serves multiple purposes—regulating body temperature and forming a protective barrier against biting flies and ticks.
Socially, Cape buffalo are gregarious creatures that form massive herds of hundreds or even thousands. These migrating groups move vast distances whenever grass and drinking water become scarce, ensuring the survival of both young and old. However, a solitary or wounded buffalo is among the most dangerous of Africa’s big game: it will slip into thick bush and, when a pursuer comes too close, launch a sudden, full-force charge.
Younger breeding males drive older bulls—affectionately nicknamed “dagga-boys” for their mud-caked hides that resemble hardened cement—from the main herd. These outcast elders may band together in small “grandpa” packs of two to four, and their unpredictable aggression has earned them a formidable reputation among hunters and rangers alike.
Historically, Cape buffalo populations were devastated by the rinderpest epidemic of 1890–1910, which wiped out some 80% of the species across Africa. Thanks to concerted conservation efforts and natural resilience, their numbers have rebounded to an estimated 900 000 today. Yet the species’ reliance on extensive grazing land and reliable water sources, combined with risks such as veld fires, indicates that they require proactive habitat management and fire-risk mitigation to secure their future.
Additional important information is available at:
Furstenburg, D. 2020. African buffalo Syncerus caffer (Sparrman 1779). Hunt the Wildland 2020(#0002):44-57. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345164214_African_Buffalo_Syncerus_caffer_Sparrman_1779
Furstenburg, D. 2010. Focus on the African buffalo Syncerus caffer. S A Hunter 05040:46-49. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316154793_Focus_on_the_African_Buffalo_Syncerus_caffer
Furstenburg, D. Gadwina, E., Oberem, P.A., & Oberem P.E. 2023. African buffalo production systems. In: Caron, A., Cornélis, F.D., Chardonnet, F.P. & Prins, H.H.T. Ecology and Management of the African Buffalo. Pp355-381. Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation, Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009006828.019
Furstenburg, D. 2023. Wildlife & Game Southern Africa: No 14 – Animal phylogeography last 20 000 years. Veteran SA 2023(Aug):23-29. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373659541_Wildlife_Game_southern_Africa_PART_14_-_Animal_phylogeography_last_20_000_yrs_CITATION_Furstenburg_D_2023_Wildlife_Game_southern_Africa_PART_14_-_Animal_phylogeography_last_20_000_yrs_Veteran-SA_2023A
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