Cape Buffalo
The African or Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a very powerful creature, demanding respect from even a pride of lions should their paths meet. Bulls at ten years of age or older can reach or exceed 900 kg!
Buffalo have earned a bad reputation from hunters as they are unpredictable and can be dangerous if cornered or wounded. Though they have been known to ambush people and are often accused of deliberate savagery, they are usually placid if left undisturbed.
Cape Buffalo are large, heavy bovine animals. Adults are usually dark grey or black reddish-brown. Both male and female buffalo have heavy, ridged horns.
We keep our buffalo in a separate camp in order to monitor their condition better and prevent competition with other species.
Cape Buffalo occur from open savannah to thickly wooded country, and wallow in mud when the opportunity presents itself. The varied terrain and abundant water at Otterskloof make for an ideal buffalo habitat. Grass forms the biggest part of the diet of the Cape Buffalo. Without fresh green fodder, buffalo lose condition faster than other savanna ungulates. We keep our buffalo in a separate camp in order to monitor their condition better and prevent competition with other species.
Although the population of Cape Buffalo once counted in the millions, it now stands at about 900,000. Buffalo are not considered to be in danger of extinction as long as it remains protected in parks and reserves as the animals are too dangerous to be allowed to roam free. Buffalo are carriers of foot and mouth disease and corridor disease and cannot be kept in close proximity to domesticated cattle. This further limits the area in which they can be kept. At Otterskloof our buffalo are disease free and their progeny can be sold to reserves in areas where commercial cattle farming is practised. This makes the Otterskloof herd particularly important for the survival and expansion of the range of the species.
