What is the difference between African Buffalo and Cape Buffalo?
Author: Oxford Safaris
Research: Wikipedia
Date: 7 November 2023
Blog detail: For the hunter, who wishes to travel to Africa. And wants to see a Cape Buffalo in real life or hunt a Cape Buffalo for a trophy. We serve the local as well as international hunter or family who wants to experience an Extraordinary African holiday/ or hunting trip. We are situated close to Botswana border, at Steenbokpan, Lephalale Limpopo Africa.
What is the difference between an African Buffalo and Cape Buffalo?
African buffalo vs cape buffalo
At Oxford Safaris you can hunt quality Cape Buffalo (the largest Buffalo in Africa).
What is the difference between an African buffalo and Cape Buffalo, I hear you ask...
The African buffalo - scientific name is Syncerus caffer. There are five subspecies of the Buffalo. Syncerus caffer caffer, the Cape buffalo, is the largest of the subspecies, and found in Southern and East Africa. Syncerus caffer nanus - the forest buffalo is the smallest subspecies of the buffalo, found in forest areas of Central and West Africa, while Syncerus caffer brachyceros is in West Africa and Syncerus caffer aequinoctialis is found in the savannas of East Africa.
An adult African buffalo's horns are its characteristic feature: fused bases, forming a continuous bone shield across the top of the head referred to as a "boss" - almost looking like a uni-brow.
The African buffalo is very bulky (muscular). The Buffalo's shoulder height can range from 1.0 to 1.7 m (3.3 to 5.6 ft) and their head-and-body length can range from 1.7 to 3.4 m (5.6 to 11.2 ft). Their tail can range from 70 to 110 cm (28 to 43 in) long. The Buffalo has a long but heavily build body and short but muscular legs, giving them the short standing height.
The Cape buffaloes weigh 425 to 870 kg (937 to 1,918 lb) (males weigh about 100 kg (220 lb) more than females). In comparison, African forest buffaloes, are only half that size. The Cape buffalo's head is carried low; and their top is located below the back-line. The front hooves of the buffalo are wider than the backside, the weight of the front part of the body, needs to be supported because it is heavier and more powerful than the back.
The African buffalo is more closely related to the American bison or domestic cattle, being related to the Asian water buffalo.
The buffalo is known for its unpredictable temper and very dangerous. The main reason, why African buffalo has never been domesticated for farm work etc.
The natural predators of adult African buffaloes include lions, hyenas, and Nile crocodiles.
As one of the Big Five game animals, the Cape buffalo is famous for trophy hunting.
So to conclude: What is the difference between the African Buffalo vs Cape Buffalo? It is all about the size!