As we sat quietly at the small waterhole, a dusty haze muted the setting sun - way off to the west. The dust cloud became denser, and eventually a large mass of animals could be seen moving slowly towards us through the amber light. A murmuring hum became a bellowing and groaning mass, as a huge congregation of buffalo reached the water's edge. Looking like great ebony sculptures, they waded knee deep into the water to quench their thirst.
A large herd of buffalo is an unforgettable sight. Heads raised, horns glinting, massive fringed ears and noses twitching in search of danger. Closely related to the domestic cow, the African buffalo is one of the most successful and perhaps ecologically important mammals on the African continent. Buffalo are completely dependent upon surface water, so are absent from arid and semi-arid regions but are widespread and common in savannah, woodland and forest environments. Not surprisingly, however, they provide good meat and few now survive beyond the borders of wildlife reserves and other protected areas. Buffalo are also host to several diseases which are lethal to domestic cattle and so have been eliminated from areas suitable for ranchlands.
Buffalo bulls possess impressive horns - used in defense and display - and have been pursued by trophy hunters since the arrival of white hunters in Africa. Although they must be among the easiest of quarry when pursued during the light of day, injured or cornered animals are known to be highly belligerent and do not hesitate to charge. Few humans - armed or otherwise - could survive a surprise attack by an aggressive buffalo weighing up to 870kg, and their reputation has earned them a place among the so-called "big five". (Outside the field of trophy hunting, this qualification is not entirely appropriate, for most people on safari would probably prefer to see a cheetah, wild dog, hippo or even giraffe ahead of a buffalo!)
Buffalo are gregarious animals with herds typically numbering several hundred, but sometimes over 1000. They have a rather loose social system. Several adult bulls, in prime breeding condition, accompany the herd, which otherwise consists of cows, their calves and immature of both sexes. The dominant bulls operate under a hierarchical system, with the most powerful or aggressive being dominant and securing most mating opportunities. A large herd is typically made up of numerous stable groups of related cows. Old bulls, past their prime, keep each other company in bachelor herds - such individuals are often referred to as "daga boys" in Southern Africa.
Their large size and gregarious nature make buffalo difficult quarry for predators. Only the lion and very rarely the spotted hyena (which will prey on new-born calves and sick or old animals) are considered natural enemies. Studies in the Serengeti-Mara have revealed that lions kill up to nine times as many male buffalo as they do females - and this ratio can be expected in other ecosystems. The reason for this imbalance is not hard to pinpoint: the bulls are often loners or members of small groups and they are slower and more vulnerable in their old age, without the acute senses of younger beasts around them. Nevertheless, they rarely give in to lions without an inspired defense, and many a lion has lost its life at the end of a pair of buffalo horns. In some regions (parts of the Okavango Delta and Lake Manyara National Park, for example) lion prides become buffalo specialists, actively seeking out old bulls and even running at breeding herds to separate slower individuals.
Buffalo are bulk grazers and favour the long linear leaves of grass species such as Themeda, Cynodon, Heteropogon and Panicum (several varieties of the latter being known as "Buffalo Grass"). With their broad mouths, they are relatively non-selective in their feeding, however, and through the munching of long grass; they render conditions more suitable for selective grazers such as wildebeest and zebra. The trampling of swards of old dry grass can be similarly effective in exposing new grass growth for selective grazers. In common with many herbivores, buffalo move around in response to rainfall and the onset of nutritious grass growth. The large herds therefore often break up into smaller units during the wet season when grazing is widespread and plentiful. In areas where buffalo are absent or occur in low numbers, habitat managers often resort to burning or mowing to reduce grass cover for selective grazers.
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