[H&Hhunter]

Ladies and gentlemen,

I often see these two species being confused both in print on TV. Asian water buffalo do not live in Africa. You can not hunt water buffalo anywhere in Africa. They do not exist in the wild anywhere on the continent of Africa. The Asian water buffalo is found in the wild but has been extensively domesticated for use as both a food and draft animal. The water buffalo does not have a solid and conjoined boss like rather it has the horns coming out of either side of it's head and they have a characteristic sweep backward with no drop to the horn at all.

Asian water buffalo

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/GTAllyn/Waterbuffalo.jpg

The water buffalo can be found in the wild and as a feral animal in several countries that allow hunting of them. Australia being the prime water buffalo hunting destination. They are also hunted in South America and here in the USA. While the water buffalo is a large and potentially dangerous animal it doesn't have near the reputation for ferocity as the African cape buffalo.

The cape buffalo is the wild oxen of Africa. They are found throughout most of sub- Saharan African and are noted for their solid bosses which means the horns are joined at the top of the head and the cape buffaloes horns have a characteristic down sweep know as drops or sweeps. the cape buffalo is known for it's extremely aggressive attitude. Especially when harassed or wounded. There have been attempts to domesticate the cape buffalo but they tend to be very unpredictable and dangerous especially after they reach sexual maturity.

African Cape buffalo

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/GTAllyn/buffalo_portrait.gif

So when you see a report in the news about "water buffalo" in Africa you can rest assured that the reporter/reporting agency doesn't know a thing about wild African fauna.

Comparing an Asian water buff to cape buff is like comparing a Hereford bull to Spanish fighting bull. Both are big both are dangerous given the right circumstances. But the Fighting bull would really like to kill you just because.;)

[oregonhunter]

I have that there african one on my wall:D
they differ in looks greatly imo, but I grew up around big game hunting.

Nice rant, informational rants are rare.

[xd45gaper]

well why would an ASIAN waterbuff be in Africa anyways:rolleyes:

i agree though they look totally diff except for the color, and the horns are kinda the same..

[K3]

Bull riders are a crazy lot. How much do you think one of them would take to try and ride a Cape buff? I'd pay to see that. :D

[xd45gaper]

LOL after it bucked him off it would probably run its horn threw the cowboys leg then stomp the sh_t out of him!

[H&Hhunter]

I'd like to see a matador take on a cape buffalo.;)

[Triple S]

The other "big" misleading issue with the Buff's is their size. I do not know how many shows I have seen where the hunter's brag about killing a 2,000 pound (1 ton) Cape Buffalo. Simply put, the big ones might push 1,400 pounds. However, the Water Buffalo can reach it. The WB can be very large animals.

[H&Hhunter]

From Wikipedia,

"The African Buffalo or Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a bovid from the family of the Bovidae. It is up to 1.7 meters high, 3.4 meters long. Savannah type buffaloes weigh 500-900 kg, with only males, normally larger than females, reaching the upper weight range. Forest type buffaloes are only half that size.[1]The African Buffalo is not closely related to the slightly larger Wild Asian Water Buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear.[2] Owing to its unpredictable nature which makes it highly dangerous to humans, it has not been domesticated, unlike its Asian counterpart, the Domestic Asian Water Buffalo."



Yes on average the Water buffalo is larger than the cape buffalo.

[Art Eatman]

900 x 2.2 = 1,980.

Buying $1,980 worth out of a $2,000 bill doesn't leave much change from a ton of money. :D:D:D

[H&Hhunter]

I've hunted Cape buffalo in Tanzania and Zimbabwe. It is my limited observation that the bulls I killed in Tanzania and the ones I observed there were larger in body than the ones in Zimbabwe.

The elephants in the Zambezi valley are smaller than then the ones in Tanzania too.

It is documented that the Buff in the Masai steps of Tanzania tend to be larger in both horn and body than buff just slightly south in the Selous.


I'd definitely say that the average size of a buffalo bull in the Zambezi valley of Zimbabwe weighs about 1400 to 1600 lbs where the average buff in the part of Tanzania I hunted in was somewhat heavier.

[huntinstuff]

My mother in law is bigger than the buffalo of the Zambezi valley.......she's so fat, her school picture had to be taken by satellite

[Bitmap]

well why would an ASIAN waterbuff be in Africa anyways

Vacation.

[moosehunt]

I agree with the 1200-1400 lb figure, but admittedly, my experiences with Nyati are in Zim., not Tanzania. Maybeso they do approach a ton there, but I have always chuckled when I've heard that weight associated with buff, but I am open to learn if indeed they are that much bigger in Tanzania.

It indeed is comical/sad regarding the number of folks that look at my mount and say something along the lines of "wow, a water buffalo!". Ignorance just blows my mind!

[H&Hhunter]

Moose,

Where did you hunt in Zim?

[scout26]

Whichever one, I feel the need to quote Tom Lehrer:

For there is surely nothing more beautiful in this world than the sight of a lone man facing single-handedly a half a ton of angry pot roast!


And Bitmap wins the thread.......:D

[moosehunt]

H&Hhunter--2 trips to Zim, one in the Zambezi Valley, once down around Bulowayo. Both good hunts, but very different.

[H&Hhunter]

I've hunted in the Dande North in Zim where were you in the Zambezi?

[T.R.]

I've eaten many meals from water buffalo. Years ago, when I was stationed at Hickam AFB, Hawaii the news story broke that USAF was buying "beef" from Australia real cheap. Turned out to be feral water buffalo. It was okay eating as I recall.

I visited the Brady Ranch in Florida couple years ago and observed some extra large buffs as Frank called them. Impressive horns, too. Frank told me that he has seen a bull soak up 5 or more shots from 30-06 before toppling over. We're talking Premium bullets and good placement into the chest!

TR

[Cosmoline]

If you ever see anyone doing THIS with a Cape Buff:

http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=91927&rendTypeId=4

Make a mental note never to get in a fight with him.

[H&Hhunter]

T.R.

I've personally seen a cape buffalo take 11 heavy caliber (.458 Lott) hits with premium bullets all in the chest area before finally taking a head shot to kill it.

Most people don't believe it and neither did I until I saw it. But a cape buffalo is darn near unstoppable once they are pissed off.

I've heard that a Water buff can soak up some serious lead as well.

[Vern Humphrey]

So when you see a report in the news about "water buffalo" in Africa you can rest assured that the reporter/reporting agency doesn't know a thing about wild African fauna.
Not to pick nits, but the gamoose of Egypt is an African Water Buffalo.

[H&Hhunter]

I didn't know about that one.:)

Learn something new everyday!

My point being I am tired of seeing cape buffalo being called water buffalo by various wild life "experts" on TV and on the net.

[Vern Humphrey]

Anyone who watches TV will see "experts" make the most egregious mistakes.

My favorite is when they refer to "cordite" as if it were a synonim for "propellant."

[moosehunt]

I guess if we want to nitpicky, and I'm saying this with a grin, there are water buffalo in Africa--it seems that a few have been imported to RSA on a few game farms. I agree--that doesn't really count.