The Cape Buffalo, the bosses of its huge curved horns held high with more than half a ton of buffalo behind them makes for a very intimidating animal. With its size, its aggressive ability, and its highly developed ruminating stomach, the buffalo has been one of Africa's most successful large mammals. Some people confuse this animal with the Water Buffalo of Asia Minor and North Africa, which is both a wild and domesticated animal. The Cape or African Buffalo is the larger of the two animals, and is, in fact, the second largest animal in the bovid class, second only to the Plains Buffalo of North America.
The Cape Buffalo lives throughout sub-Saharan Africa, from open grassland to forests, mountains, to coastal areas. In fact, buffalo and elephants have the widest range of any large African mammals. Buffalo do not have the water-saving adaptations of some other ruminants and so must drink regularly. They do best in grassy woodland with good available water sources. Under good conditions, buffalo mature and can have young at age 5, and can live to 18 years old. Buffalo are ruminants, which means they have anaerobic bacteria in a specially segmented stomach that break down rough and otherwise inedible food. Like domestic cows, buffalo have a lower row of teeth, wide hard lips, and a long flexible tongue which they use to gather the rough grasses which they prefer.

Buffalo Society
Buffalo are herding animals and can be found in groups of 1,000 or more in certain areas, though more often in herds of 100-300. Herds are non-territorial, and travel with the seasons, seeking good quality forage or water. Each herd is made up of several sub-herds, which range from 30-60 females with both their older and newborn young. Other groups within the herd are of similar aged males and females. Dominant males roam singly throughout the herd, searching for mating opportunities and challenging each other.
As males get older and are displaced by new dominant males, they leave the herd and live on their own. It is these old, grumpy males that hunters sought after for their prized horns and which gave the Cape Buffalo its fearsome reputation. The Cape Buffalo's only predators are lions and humans.
Buffalo communicate by body movements and by vocalizations. Their repertoire of sounds, like cows, is not broad. Most sounds are grunts and mumbling sounds that they make while feeding, probably to keep contact with each other. Mothers will make a gargling-like call to their calves in time of danger, which the calves reply to. Buffalo which are startled or angry will made a loud, explosive grunt. If you hear this sound while walking in Africa, it is time for you to climb the first available tree.
Like most large animals, buffalo will show you their side if they feel threatened. This allows you to see how enormous they are and leave quickly. Buffalo will also hold their heads high, with their muzzle pointed out towards you in an attitude as though sniffing the air. They may also point their heads downwards so that their horns face you and you can se how large those are as well. Again, like other horned animals, buffalo will rub their horns on the ground to threaten an opponent. If an animal is very threatened or angry, it might charge with its head high and face forward, turning down and hooking its smaller opponent into the air at the last moment.
Buffalo, when submitting to a threat, will lower their heads with their faces forward, and turn so they can run away if need be. Buffalo show their lower status to other buffalo by putting their heads below the dominant's belly. In extreme cases, buffalo simply turn tail and flee, packing into a dense herd and making for the nearest cover.