In an effort to eliminate some of the confusion in regard to the races, distribution and color phase variation of African buffalo, I have compiled what I feel is a reasonably good description, gleaned in great part from the work �African Hunter� by James Mellon. I�ve made no attempt at updating location titles I know to have changed since time of publication..

Cape, or Southern Buffalo � Syncerous caffer caffer

General Distribution: From Mozambique, N.E. Transvaal, northern Botswana, Zimbabwe, central Namibia, and southern Angola northward through Zambia, Malawi, Katanga Province and border areas of eastern Zaire to Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Ankole District of southwest Uganda; in Kenya, northward through Masailand, Voi region, the coastal region, and the mountain forests to Laikipia region, Mt. Kulal, Marsabit Mountain, and Turkana region in the northwest: along the lower Juba River and south of Kismayu (southern Somalia), and in Karamoja District (northeastern Uganda).

Nile Buffalo � Syncerous caffer aequinoctiali

Distribution of Northeastern form: from the upper Bahr-el-Ghazal region eastward through the southern Sudan to the Omo River valley in southwestern Ethiopia and the lowland Gambela region of western Illubabor Province, extreme western Ethiopia: northward through the eastern Sudan to the Blue Nile, Dinder, and Setit river regions; in Uganda, southward along the Albert Nile to Lake Albert and the Semliki Flats: the neighboring border area of northeastern Zaire.

Distribution of Northwestern form: southern Chad and the northern Central African Republic

Dwarf Buffalo � Syncerous nanus

Distribution: From Novo Redondo, south of Luanda, northward through northern Angola, the equatorial rain forest zone of Zaire, the Congo (Brazzaville), Gabon, and the southern Central African Republic to Camaroon: westward through the rainforests and savannah woodland zones of West Africa to the Ivory Coast, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, and southern Senegal.

Selected Excerpts:

�The typical Nile race (Uganda) occurs in the northwest, principally along the Nile and Semliki. There is, however, no clear line of division between the ranges occupied by these two races (caffer caffer). In fact, the occurrence of reddish-brown individuals among the herds in the extreme west probably indicates some admixture of blood from the Dwarf buffalo common to neighboring Zaire and much of West Africa�.

�Nile buffalo are common throughout the savannah woodland zone both east and west of the Nile. Their nubers are reduced by periodic rinderpest epidemics, between which, the herds increase to vermin proportions in certain areas. A peculiarity of buffalo west of the Nile is the rufous coloration of approximately one in ten among both sexes (Sudan)�.

�Sudan buffalo belong to the Nile race and carry smaller horns than Cape buffalo from eastern and southern Africa. They occur in savannah country both east and west of the Nile. The Sudan record horn spread is 44�, but anything over 40� is very good�. And, Further on - �The Nile Buffalo, known to Azande locals as �gbe�, ranges into the rain forest zone as far as the Nile-Congo divide, where it begins to metamorphose into the dwarf buffalo, Syncerous nanus, of adjoining Zaire. In the rain forest areas along the border, herds frequently include one or more reddish-brown individuals, known as zunguma to the Avande, who take care to distinguish them from the pure Nile buffalo, which is black�.

�Buffalo remain abundant in Zaire, where one finds numerous local races. However, many of these races are of questionable scientific validity, and for a nonzoologist almost impossible to distinquish. I shall therefoe list only three races that, from the hunter�s point of view, are easily distinguishable. The typical southern, or Cape, buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer) is found in Katanga Province. This is the familiar form from eastern and southern Africa � the largest of the African buffalo both in horn length and body size. Its coloration is black. The Nile buffalo (Syncerus caffer aequinoctialis) is found in northeastern Zaire near the borders of Uganda, the Sudan, and the Central African Republic. This race is smaller in body and horn than the typical Cape buffalo but makes an interesting trophy, nonetheless. Some individuals have a reddish-brown coloration, but most are black. The Dwarf buffalo (Syncerous nanus) is by far the smallest of the three races; in horn and body it averages only half as large as the Cape race. Dwarf buffalo are abundant in most of the rain forest zone, especially in Monkoto, Lomela, Elimgampandu, Boene, and Opala districts, but are seldom seen in their dense habitat. In this race, the transition from black to reddish-brown is complete�.

�The pacaca, as this small reddish-brown buffalo is called in Angola, occurs in the northern districts bordering on Zaire. It ranges southward in bush and forest areas of the coastal region as far north as Novo Redondo (Cuanza-Sul District), the heaviest concentrations occurring in Quicama National Park, south of Luanda. Despite heavy poaching, this species remains abundant over much of its range. Heads with 20 inch spreads are not uncommon�.

Nickudu,

Thanks, this is very informative!

I think the forest buffalo (dwarf) is a subspecies of Cape Buff and the scientific name is "Syncerous caffer nanus". I was surprised to see that since they differ significantly in appearance.

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~Ann

Every day spent outdoors is the best day of my life.

Yes, Ann. These are direct quotes from the book and Mellon elected to omit "caffer", for whatever reason (?).

Syncerus caffer nanus

[This message has been edited by Nickudu (edited 12-11-2001).]

Thanks Nickudu, that was very interesting!

Nick it looks like those red buff give the same evil eye look at you that the cape buff does. When I look at your posted picture I can see they are related!

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~Ann

Every day spent outdoors is the best day of my life.

Nickudu,
Interesting comparisons for sure! Was wondering that since the Dwarf Buffalo (synerus caffer nanus) had a different horn configuration like the Asian Water Buffalo, could there be a relationship there? Also does anyone know where the Banteng, as found in Australia NT fit in?

The Safari Club Record Book divides them into:

Cape or Southern buffalo Syncerus caffer caffer

Nile buffalo S. caffer aequinoctialis

Northwestern buffalo S. caffer bracyceros

Dwarf forest buffalo s. caffer nanus

They not that there are intergrades where these species overlap.

I have measured Cape and the dwarf forest buff, but the other two varieties are not commonly taken.

jim

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"if you are to busy to
hunt, you are too busy."

I can not locate the classification utilized by the S.C.I. in any of my references. I suppose it may be a rather recent distinction and will show up further on if acknowledged as a credible addition by the scientific community. At any rate, here is a photo which shows the variation in the horn formation. Interbreeding occurs wherever ranges overlap and the number of localized variations are many.

North-Western Buffalo - Central African Republic

Ladies and Gentlemen,

There seems to be a wide variation in what constitutes a recognizable subspecies of the African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer).

The "National Audubon Society Field Guide to African Wildlife", "The Safari Companion" by Richard D. Estes and "Walker's Mammals of the World" recognize only two subspecies of the African Buffalo:

1. Cape or savanna buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer); and

2. Red or forest buffalo (Syncerus caffer nanus).

As noted in the previous posts, some other sources recognize other subspecies.

Safari Club International recognizes five "different" buffalo for its Inner Circle Award:

West African Savannah Buffalo
Central African Savannah Buffalo
Dwarf Forest Buffalo
Nile Buffalo
Cape Buffalo

Here is a quote from a website about the buffalo.

"The buffalo's taxonomy has been controverted, since great variations in size, color and horn shape can be found throughout Africa. Most authors agree in enclosing all African buffalos in a single species, Syncerus caffer, composed of animals probably derived from two different types that have interbred to different extents. These two types are considered different subspecies, the Cape buffalo, (Syncerus caffer caffer), and the dwarf forest buffalo or red buffalo, (Syncerus caffer nanus). Between both there is a wide range of intermediate morphologies."

The word "buffalo" is a Portuguese word that is derived from the French word "boeuf" which gave us the English word "beef".

"Syncerus" is from the Greek for "together horns". "Caffer" is a derivative of the Arabic word for "infidel". [Although, I suspect the use of the word "caffer" refers to the black color of the buffalo rather than to the buffalo's disbelief in the Prophet Mohammed].

Regards,

Terry

Here are a couple of pictures of a buffalo taken in Burkina Faso. It has been referred to as both a dwarf buffalo and as a forest buffalo. According to the PH who started the concession, it was the largest body weight ever taken in 27 years there at 550 kilos.

The bull was in a herd of approximately 50 animals, of which half were red to almost blonde. I tried to find a big red bull, but when the PH saw the body size of this fellow, he got all excited and told me it was a bull I needed to take.

I think these pictures, the weight and what I saw in Burkina Faso (formally Upper Volta) confirm all of the forum comments made above as to the size and color of those buffalo in old French Africa.

As the bottom picture anticipates, there were some happy villagers with full stew pots that night. You might also see that the tail of the buff had been cut off because it is big medicine in that part of the world and to avoid a jealous fight, the PH had the camp staff to draw lots for it. I seems that a fellow gets quite sexually potent if he can flog himself with the tail???

Although the smaller variety of buffalo is not so heavy as the Cape, rest assured that it is feared creature by those who live in its backyard. The head tracker with whom I hunted had lost an uncle to one and he had suffered 3 months of hospitalization at the hands of another.

[This message has been edited by judgeg (edited 12-14-2001).]

So many bovids, so little time and money!

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RAB

judgeg,

who did you hunt with?

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www.rifleshooter.com

Earlier I posted that the buffalo weighed 1050 kilos. That was supposed to be 550 kilos and I have edited the mistake. I guess I would have killed a giant dwarf buffalo.

I was hunting with a Canadian named Clark Lungren. He is the white fellow in the picture with the buff hanging. I believe that he can be reached through www.africanhuntingadventures.com if you e-mail the booking agent. The agent hunted with Clark last year and took roan, buffalo and 5 or 6 other animals. Lions are also available if you wish to stalk them. I believe there is no bait hunting. In parts of the country, they are quite huntable.

[This message has been edited by judgeg (edited 12-14-2001).]

[This message has been edited by judgeg (edited 12-15-2001).]

judgeg,

Mistake in the website address, it should be:

http://www.africanhuntingadventures.com/

Regards,

Terry

Thanks, Terry. I corrected it.

More buffalo.

Judge, I called those guys and the gentleman told me he hadn't spoken with his contact recently and couldn't book hunts until later. I was pretty disappointed. Wink recommended an outfitter, but there english is marginal and they were unable to reply with much information at this time. I also contact Alaska Bush Sports, but they are new to the game in Burkina Faso. I'm hoping we can still nail this one down for 2009. After you posted your pictures before, it looks like a great way to hunt the road less traveled. I'd like to hunt cape buffalo, but the savanah would be just to cool. What a conversation piece! Not to mention a Roan. Lion is out of the question, but the plains game and buff would be quite unique.