Basic Information
True buffalo are native to Africa and Asia, with the two main types being the African buffalo and the water buffalo!
True Buffalo - Facts for Kids
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Facts About True Buffalo For Kids
A group of buffalo is called a âherdâ or sometimes a âgangâ or âobstinacyâ of buffalo!
Male buffalo are called bulls, female buffalo are called cows, and baby buffalo are called calves!
African buffalo can live up to 25 years in the wild, while water buffalo can live up to 25â30 years in captivity!
The scientific name for the African buffalo is Syncerus caffer, while the water buffalo is Bubalus bubalis!
An adult male African buffalo can weigh up to 1,900 pounds (860 kg), which is about as heavy as a small car!
Water buffalo have been domesticated for over 5,000 years and are important farm animals in many parts of Asia!
African buffalo have never been successfully domesticated because of their unpredictable and sometimes aggressive nature!
Buffalo are herbivores, which means they only eat plants, and can spend up to 18 hours per day grazing and ruminating!
The African buffalo is considered one of the âBig Fiveâ game animals, along with the elephant, lion, leopard, and rhinoceros!
Buffalo can run at speeds up to 37 miles per hour (60 kilometers per hour) when threatened or charging!
Water buffalo are excellent swimmers and can cross rivers while fully submerged with only their nostrils above water!
Buffalo play important roles in their ecosystems by creating pathways through dense vegetation and dispersing plant seeds!
A buffaloâs horns can grow to be 5 feet (1.5 meters) wide from tip to tip on African buffalo bulls!
Buffalo have excellent hearing and sense of smell, which help them detect predators from great distances!
The scientific classification puts buffalo in the Class Mammalia, Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates), and Family Bovidae!
African buffalo are most active during early morning and late afternoon when temperatures are cooler!
There are four subspecies of African buffalo, with the Cape buffalo being the largest!
Physical Characteristics
African buffalo have black or dark brown coats, while water buffalo can range from gray to black in color!
A buffaloâs horn is made of keratin, the same material that makes up your fingernails and hair!
Adult African buffalo can be as tall as 5.6 feet (1.7 meters) at the shoulder, about the height of a tall human adult!
Buffalo have cloven (split) hooves that spread apart to help them walk in mud without sinking!
Water buffalo have the largest horns of any bovid, with some measuring over 6.6 feet (2 meters) from tip to tip â thatâs longer than a giraffeâs neck!
African buffalo have a distinctive joined (fused) horn base that forms a shield across their forehead called a âbossâ!
Just like humans, Buffalo have 32 teeth, including specialized molars that help them grind tough plant material!
A buffaloâs tail can be up to 3.3 feet (1 meter) long and helps them swat away biting insects!
Buffalo have a special third eyelid called a ânictitating membraneâ that protects their eyes while still allowing them to see!
The chest and shoulders of African buffalo are covered with a thick layer of muscle to support their heavy heads and horns!
Water buffalo have wide hooves that prevent them from sinking in muddy terrain where they often feed!
Buffalo have specialized stomach chambers that help them digest tough plant material through a process called rumination!
Cape buffalo can weigh up to 2,200 pounds (1,000 kg), which is as heavy as a small car!
Buffalo have a thick skin that can be up to 0.8 inches (2 centimeters) thick to protect them from insect bites and thorny vegetation!
Water buffalo can be distinguished from African buffalo by their curved, crescent-shaped horns!
Buffalo have excellent vision with eyes positioned on the sides of their head, giving them a wide field of view to spot predators!
African buffalo horns are different between males and females â males have thicker bases, while females have more slender horns!
Buffalo have large, sensitive ears that can detect sounds from over a mile away!
Water buffalo have been specially adapted with large splayed hooves that work like natural snowshoes in muddy areas!
Buffalo have a special four-chambered stomach that allows them to eat quickly and digest their food later when resting!
Behavior & Intelligence
Buffalo communicate with each other using various sounds, including grunts, bellows, and snorts!
African buffalo herds work together to protect their young, forming a circle with adults facing outward when threatened by predators!
Water buffalo love to wallow in mud, which helps keep them cool and protects their skin from biting insects!
Buffalo calves can stand and walk within 10 to 30 minutes of being born!
During mating season, male buffalo compete for females by showing off their size and engaging in head-pushing contests!
African buffalo herds can split into smaller groups during the day and reunite in the evening!
Buffalo take dust baths to remove parasites from their skin!
Buffalo can recognize individual herd members and form strong social bonds!
Buffalo mothers can identify their calvesâ calls from among hundreds of others in the herd!
When a buffalo is injured, other herd members will often try to help it stand up and stay with the group!
