Cape Buffalo

Their eyesight is poor as well as their hearing, but their sense of smell is exceptional, making up for the rest. Cape buffaloes are herbivores and their favorite snacks are grass and herbs. They can be found thriving in the dry savanna, swamps, lowland floodplains and even montane forests and glades as long as there is water nearby.The African buffalo is very resilient and in addition to being skillful in overcoming various terrain, they are also immune to many diseases, like the sleeping sickness (nagana), transmitted by the bloodsucking tsetse flies in Africa. Nasty little vermin.

Cape buffaloes are very fond of company and are one of the rare animals that lie touching. Then it’s no surprise that they live in herds of hundreds and even thousands in the Serengeti during the rainy season.

Just like people, buffaloes have a good and bad side. This is one aggressive herbivore, especially when they are agitated or wounded. They are extremely protective of each other and they take care of the elderly and ill members of their herd. When faced with predators, members of the herd form a circle around the young, old or weak animals, making sure that their sizable horns are facing outwards. They have also been known to kill lions, and just to make sure, they will track down and slaughter lion cubs as a precaution. As the saying goes, better safe than sorry.

Buffaloes are vengeful creatures and have been known to ambush hunters that have harmed them in some way even years after the event! More hunters have been killed by buffaloes than any other animal in Africa.

It is said that elephants never forget, if that is true than buffaloes never forgive. So if you plan on hunting this fiery member of the Big Five, make sure you finish the job.