Buffalo - Flanks of Ebony, Horns of Steel
Buffalo - Flanks of Ebony, Horns of Steel
Living Library
Wildwatch.com
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.
Bulk Grazers Benefit More Selective Feeders
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.
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