Although they do not have many natural enemies, Cape buffalo are capable of defending themselves against lions.
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Humans are the Cape buffalo's biggest threat. A herd of Cape buffalo can become extremely dangerous when threatened.
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Cape buffalo live in the savannah woodlands and plains, and are never more than one day's walk from a water source.
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Cape buffalo are herbivores and depend on grass as their dietary staple. Because the buffaloes do not have many predators, the availability of grass regulates the buffalo population more than anything else.
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There are approximately 900,000 Cape buffalo across sub-Saharan and South Africa. Currently, their threats are minimal but include habitat loss, hunting and disease.
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Cape buffalo are very social animals and live in herds of a few hundred. However, the buffaloes are non-territorial and have been known to live in mixed herds up to 1,500 animals, especially in the Serengeti.
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As one of the "Big Five" game animals, the cowlike Cape buffalo have heavy, ridged horns and massive builds, weighing up to 1,500 pounds and standing 65 inches tall at the shoulder.
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The Cape buffalo is known as one of the "Big Five" game animals along with leopards, lions, rhinos and elephants. The name comes from hunters who wanted these large animals for trophies.
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Females and their young generally make up the majority of a herd while male buffaloes live in bachelor groups. When in danger, a young calf will bellow for its herd, which will defend it.
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Cape buffalo vary in color, usually dark brown or black, although the females tend to be lighter than the males. Color, horn size and horn shape are distinctions that can identify young buffaloes from old, and males from females.
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![As one of the "Big Five" game animals, the cowlike ...](http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/cape-buffalo-02.jpg "As one of the "Big Five" game animals, the cowlike ...")
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