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Animal profile

African Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

MammaliaSavanna, floodplain grassland, swamp and forest depending on subspeciesNear Threatened

Field profile

The African buffalo is a heavy bovid with fused horn bases forming a boss across the forehead in mature bulls. It lives in herds that can number in the hundreds and depends on regular water. Unlike the Asian water buffalo it has never been domesticated, and it is a significant reservoir of livestock diseases.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2025-12-03

African Buffalo

The African buffalo has never been domesticated

Asia's water buffalo has been a working animal for thousands of years. Its African counterpart, despite similar size and diet, has resisted every attempt, and the two are not closely related enough for the comparison to hold.

Read with evidence →

African Buffalo | Daily Animal Facts