The global population of African Buffaloes as of the end of 2021 was estimated to be about nine hundred thousand.
Approximately seventy-five percent of the buffaloes live in protected areas while the rest roam in the world.
There are many species of buffaloes in Africa roaming across the savanna grasslands. Four main ones stand out.
The following are eleven facts about buffaloes.
Fact Number 1: Where African Buffaloes Live
Buffaloes live in the vast open Savannah grasslands, with long grass. The buffaloes are found in the wild of East, Central, Southern, and West Africa.
Fact Number 2: Buffalo Social Life
Buffaloes live in large groups, sometimes up to two thousand members. A Buffalo group is referred to as a herd. In the herd, you find both male and female. There are male and female hierarchies in the group.
Fact Number 3: Food
Buffaloes are predominantly herbivorous, feeding on grass species.
Fact Number 4: Size
African buffaloes are large animals. They weigh different sizes. At maturity, male buffaloes have been found to weigh about eight hundred kilograms, while females have been found to weigh around seven hundred and fifty kilograms.
The size of the buffaloes is affected by many factors such as drought, diseases, etc.
Fact Number 5: Gestation period
The gestation period is the time that pregnancy is carried out. All animals have different gestation periods. The gestation period of the African buffaloes is about eleven months. Buffaloes give birth to one calf. Buffaloes have a two-year interval between breeding. This means that they can give birth after every two years.
Fact Number 6: Lifespan
African buffaloes do not live very long. The life of a buffalo is threatened every day by its many enemies. Many buffaloes die from diseases, the perennial draughts in the Savannah, predators such as lions and humans. However, some of the buffaloes have been found to live up to twenty-three years.
Fact Number 7: Favorite pastime
Every animal has a favorite pastime when they relax and do nothing else. African Buffaloes also have favorite pastimes to relax. You will find the buffaloes spending time wallowing in water and mud holes during such times.
Fact Number 8: Temperament
Unlike many other animals in the African Jungle, the African buffaloes are very aggressive animals. They are aggressive amongst themselves, other animals such as lions and intruders, for example, human beings.
When a buffalo is aggressive in the herd, it is chased away. That is why though buffaloes are social animals, you will occasionally find a lone buffalo in the wild. The African buffaloes also have a very poor sense of smell.
Fact Number 9: Swimming
The African buffaloes live in the savanna grasslands. In the grasslands, there are rivers. Some of those rivers are very wide. The buffaloes may need to cross the rivers in search of grass.
The problem with the many rivers is that they must cross the rivers at sometime. However, buffaloes are excellent swimmers and can cross large deep rivers searching for food.
Fact Number 10: Water
To survive, all animals need water and food. In addition to eating grass, buffaloes also drink water. A buffalo can drink up to thirty-five litres of water at a go.
Fact Number 11: Parasites
The African buffaloes live in the grasslands, where other animals are. Because of this, they get invested with ticks and other parasites. The buffaloes get rid of the ticks and other parasites by dipping in mud.
Buffaloes also get help. Birds such as Oxpeckers are often seen riding on the back of buffaloes. They remove fleas, lice, and other parasites from the skin of the buffaloes.
Those are the eleven facts about the African buffalo. Please note that these are not the only fact about the African buffaloes. There are many other facts about buffaloes.
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