88-396: S. c. caffer S. c. nanus S. c. brachyceros S. c. aequinoctialis S. c. mathewsi The African buffalo ( Syncerus caffer ) is a large sub-Saharan African bovine . There are five subspecies that are recognized as valid by most authorities: The adult African buffalo's horns are its characteristic feature: they have fused bases, forming a continuous bone shield across
176-489: A foal is brown and white and the brown darkens with age. Various abnormalities of the patterns have been documented in plains zebras. Melanistic zebras have high concentrations of dark stripes on the torso but low concentrations on the legs. "Spotted" individuals display interruptions in black striping patterns. There have even been morphs with white spots on dark backgrounds. Striping abnormalities have been linked to inbreeding . Albino zebras have been recorded in
264-509: A combination of marshes, grassy savannas and the wet African rainforests. Savannas are the area where the buffalo graze, while the marshes serve as wallows and help the animals handle insects. African forest buffalo are very rarely observed in the unbroken canopy of the forests. They instead spend most of their time in clearings, grazing on grasses and sedges. Consequently, their diet is primarily made up of grasses and other plants that grow in clearings and savannas. The mixture of habitats
352-424: A cow that comes into heat, while keeping other bulls at bay. This is difficult, as cows are quite evasive and attract many males to the scene. By the time a cow is in full estrus, only the most dominant bull in the herd/subherd is there. Cows first calve at five years of age, after a gestation period of 11.5 months. Newborn calves remain hidden in vegetation for the first few weeks while being nursed occasionally by
440-488: A distinct species, Syncerus nanus . The African forest buffalo is a small subspecies of the African buffalo. Cape buffaloes weigh 425 to 870 kg (937 to 1,918 lb), whereas African forest buffaloes are much lighter, weighing in at 250 to 320 kg (550–705 lbs). Weight is not the only differentiation, however; this subspecies has a reddish-brown hide that is darker in the facial area. The shape and size of
528-475: A herd, allowing individuals to interact with those outside their group. Among harem-holding species, this has only been observed in primates such as the gelada and the hamadryas baboon . Bachelor groups tend to be at the periphery of herds and when the herd moves, the bachelors trail behind. Stallions form and expand their harems by abducting young mares from their natal harems. When a mare reaches sexual maturity and has her first oestrous cycle, she attracts
616-463: A lesser extent, leopards , cheetahs and African wild dogs . Plains zebras are a highly social species, forming harems with a single stallion , several mares and their recent offspring; bachelor groups also form. Groups may come together to form herds. The animals keep watch for predators; they bark or snort when they see a predator and the harem stallion attacks predators to defend his harem. The plains zebra remains common in game reserves , but
704-434: A long but stocky body (the body length can exceed the wild water buffalo , which is heavier and taller) and short but thickset legs, resulting in a relatively short standing height. Cape buffaloes weigh 425 to 870 kg (937 to 1,918 lb) (males weigh about 100 kg (220 lb) more than females). In comparison, African forest buffaloes , at 250 to 450 kg (600 to 1,000 lb), are only half that size. Its head
792-417: A population as long as the health of the animals is good. These diseases do, however, restrict the legal movements of the animals and fencing infected areas from unaffected areas is enforced. Some wardens and game managers have managed to protect and breed "disease-free" herds which become very valuable because they can be transported. Most well-known are Lindsay Hunt 's efforts to source uninfected animals from
880-642: A premarital school meant to initiate women into adulthood. In the Shona language , the name "madhuve" means "woman/women of the zebra totem" and is a given name for girls in Zimbabwe. Zebras have also been represented in Western culture. They have been thought of as a more exotic alternative to horse; the comic book character Sheena, Queen of the Jungle is depicted riding a zebra. The film Racing Stripes features
968-399: A single adult buffalo, and the entire pride may join in the hunt. However, several incidents have been reported in which lone adult male lions have successfully brought down adult buffaloes. On very rare occasions, buffaloes and white rhinos will fight over territory; due to the rhino's strength and size advantage, the rhino typically wins and the buffalo can die from injuries sustained during
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#17327765578561056-520: A single hyena is allowed to come within a few metres. To escape from predators, an adult zebra can run at 60–70 km/h (37–43 mph). When being hunted by hyenas or wild dogs, a zebra harem stays close together and cooperates to protect threatened members, particularly the young. The harem stallion goes on the offensive and attacks the dogs or hyenas. Plains zebras are nomadic and non-territorial, home ranges vary from 30 km (12 sq mi) to 600 km (230 sq mi), depending on
1144-785: A single stallion, several mares and their recent offspring. The adult membership of a harem is highly stable, typically remaining together for months to years. Groups of all-male " bachelors " also exist. These are stable groups of up to 15 males with an age-based hierarchy, led by a young male. These males stay in their groups until they are ready to start a harem. The bachelors prepare for their adult roles with play fights and greeting/challenge rituals, which take up most of their activities. Multiple harems and bachelor groups come together to form larger herds of hundreds of animals, especially during migrations. Plains zebras are unusual among harem-holding species in forming these groups. In addition, pairs of harems may create temporarily stable subgroups within
1232-458: A sort of "voting behavior". During resting time, the females stand up, shuffle around, and sit back down again. They sit in the direction they think they should move. After an hour of more shuffling, the females travel in the direction they decide. This decision is communal and not based on hierarchy or dominance. When chased by predators , a herd sticks close together and makes it hard for the predators to pick off one member. Calves are gathered in
1320-474: A subspecies structure in plains zebras but, instead, observed a north–south genetic continuum. Modern plains zebra populations appear to have originated from Southern Africa around 370,000 years ago with plains zebras in Uganda, the most northern population, being the most distinct. The plains zebra stands at a height of 127–140 cm (50–55 in) with a head-body length of 217–246 cm (85–97 in) and
1408-489: A tail length of 47–56.5 cm (18.5–22.2 in). Males weigh 220–322 kg (485–710 lb) while females weigh 175–250 kg (386–551 lb). The species is intermediate in size between the larger Grévy's zebra and the smaller mountain zebra. It is dumpy bodied with relatively short legs and a skull with a convex forehead and a somewhat concave nose profile. The neck is thicker in males than in females. The ears are upright and have rounded tips. They are shorter than in
1496-476: A threat only to newborn calves, though larger clans of hyenas have been recorded killing cows (mainly pregnant ones) and, on rare occasions, full-grown bulls. Large packs of wild dogs have been observed to hunt calves and sick adults. The African buffalo is susceptible to many diseases, including those shared with domestic cattle, such as bovine tuberculosis , corridor disease , and foot-and-mouth disease . As with many diseases, these problems remain dormant within
1584-788: A water source. Zebras also live in elevations from sea level to 4,300 ft on Mount Kenya . Depending on the population, zebra herds may be sedentary, being highly dense with small ranges, or migratory , being less populated with separate, extensive dry and wet home ranges. When migrating, zebras appear to rely on some memory of the locations where foraging conditions were best and may predict conditions months before their arrival. The loss of open grasslands due to woody plant encroachment increases predation risk and therewith habitat. Plains zebras primarily feed on grass ; preferred species being Themeda triandra , Cynodon dactylon , Eragrostis superba and Cenchrus ciliaris . Zebra sometimes browse or dig for corms and rhizomes during
1672-484: Is a phantom". Careful study of the original zebra populations in Zululand and Eswatini and of skins harvested on game farms in Zululand and Natal has revealed that a certain small proportion shows similarity to what now is regarded as typical burchellii . The type localities of the subspecies Equus quagga burchellii and Equus quagga antiquorum are so close to each other that the two are in fact one and that, therefore,
1760-449: Is also made of hippopotamuses and crocodiles . These numbers may be somewhat overestimated; for example, in the country of Mozambique , attacks, especially fatal ones, were much less frequent on humans than those by hippos, and especially, Nile crocodiles. In Uganda , on the other hand, large herbivores were found to attack more people on average than lions or leopards and have a higher rate of inflicting fatalities during attacks than
1848-531: Is carried low; its top is located below the backline. The front hooves of the buffalo are wider than the rear, which is associated with the need to support the weight of the front part of the body, which is heavier and more powerful than the back. Savannah-type buffaloes have black or dark brown coats with age. Old bulls often have whitish circles around their eyes and on their face. Females tend to have more reddish coats. Forest-type buffaloes are 30–40% smaller, reddish brown in colour, with much more hair growth around
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#17327765578561936-474: Is dependent on the animal's value to both trophy hunters and tourists, paving the way for conservation efforts through anti-poaching patrols, village crop damage payouts, and CAMPFIRE payback programs to local areas. The African buffalo is listed as Near threatened by the IUCN , with a decreasing population of 400,000 individuals. While some populations (subspecies) are decreasing, others will remain unchanged in
2024-404: Is essential for the African forest buffalo. Expansion and encroachment of the rainforest on the surrounding savannas and openings are major difficulties of maintaining the ecosystem. African forest buffalo enjoy old logging roads and tracks, where the forest is thinner and grass and other foods can grow. In these areas, African forest buffalo depend on the grass that is able to develop as a result of
2112-431: Is high in their first year of life and is usually caused by predation. However, zebra young are afforded more protection than those of species like wildebeest and hartebeest . A foal is usually weaned at around eleven months, but may suckle for longer. Females reach puberty before three years, and males after five or six. Young male zebras eventually leave their family groups as the relationship with their mothers fades after
2200-399: Is less need to devote time to alert behavior. A herd of African forest buffalo typically consists of one or occasionally two bulls and a harem of adult females, juveniles and young calves. Unlike Cape buffalo bulls, African forest buffalo bulls remain with the herd continually, year round. On the other hand, Cape buffalo bulls stay in bachelor herds until the wet season, when young bulls join
2288-424: Is made when moving in cover of potential danger. When in contentment, a zebra makes a more drawn-out snort. Males make a short, high-pitched squeal when hurt, and foals emit a drawn-out wail when in distress. Two main facial expressions are made by zebras; the greeting and threat. In both cases, the lips are pulled back and chewing motions are made. Greeting involves the ears sticking up and directing forward; while
2376-674: Is often the first grazing species to appear in a well-vegetated area. The flexible upper lip allows them to push plant material between the incisors to cut. Zebras have a less efficient digestive system than ruminants but food passage is twice as fast. Thus, zebras are less selective in foraging, but they do spend much time eating. The zebra is a pioneer grazer and prepares the way for more specialised grazers such as blue wildebeests and Thomson's gazelles . The plains zebra's major predators are lions and spotted hyenas . Lions are most successful when targeting lone individuals, usually an old male while hyenas chase and isolate an individual from
2464-487: Is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra . Its range is fragmented, but spans much of southern and eastern Africa south of the Sahara . Six or seven subspecies have been recognised, including the extinct quagga which was thought to be a separate species. More recent research supports variations in zebra populations being clines rather than subspecies. Plains zebras are intermediate in size between
2552-483: Is threatened by human activities, such as hunting for its meat and hide, as well as competition with livestock and encroachment by farming on much of its habitat . The loss of open grasslands due to woody plant encroachment increases predation risk and therewith habitat. Plains zebra are listed as near threatened by the IUCN as of 2016. The species population is stable and not endangered, though populations in most countries have declined sharply. The plains zebra
2640-616: The Battle at Kruger , a calf survived an attack by both lions and a crocodile after intervention of the herd. Males have a linear dominance hierarchy based on age and size. Since a buffalo is safer when a herd is larger, dominant bulls may rely on subordinate bulls and sometimes tolerate their copulation. The young males keep their distance from the dominant bull, which is recognizable by the thickness of his horns. Adult bulls spar in play, dominance interactions, or actual fights. A bull approaches another, lowing, with his horns down, and waits for
2728-699: The Kruger National Park in South Africa . Some disease-free buffaloes in South Africa have been sold to breeders for close to US$ 130,000. Herd size is highly variable. The core of the herds is made up of related females, and their offspring, in an almost linear dominance hierarchy . The basic herds are surrounded by subherds of subordinate males, high-ranking males and females, and old or invalid animals. African buffaloes engage in several types of group behavior. Females appear to exhibit
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2816-526: The Neolithic era . Plains zebras generally live in treeless grasslands and savanna woodlands, but can be found in a variety of habitats, both tropical and temperate. However, they are generally absent from deserts, dense rainforests, and permanent wetlands. They generally prefer Acacieae woodlands over Commiphora . They are water-dependent and live in more mesic environments than other African equids. They seldom wander 10–12 km (6.2–7.5 mi) from
2904-788: The Pleistocene and, possibly, the penultimate glacial maximum. Its distinct coat pattern may have evolved rapidly because of geographical isolation and/or adaptation to a drier environment. In addition, plains zebra subspecies tend to have less striping the further south they live, and the quagga was the most southern-living of them all. The simplified cladogram below is based on the 2005 analysis (some taxa shared haplotypes and could therefore not be differentiated): Mountain zebra ( E. zebra ) Grévy's zebra ( E. grevyi ) Quagga ( E. q. quagga ) Damara zebra ( E. q. antiquorum )- Chapman's zebra ( E. q. chapmani ) Grant's zebra ( E. q. boehmi ) A 2018 DNA study found no evidence for
2992-606: The Quagga Project is trying to recreate the phenotype of hair coat pattern and related characteristics by selectively breeding Burchell's zebras. Zebras have been featured in African art and culture for millennia. They have been depicted in rock art in Southern Africa (modern Botswana, Namibia and South Africa) dating from 20,000–28,000 years ago, though not as commonly as antelope species like eland . How
3080-642: The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, Tsavo and Masai Mara in Kenya, Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, Etosha National Park in Namibia, and Kruger National Park in South Africa. Some stable populations live in unprotected areas. The quagga was hunted by early Dutch settlers and later by Afrikaners to provide meat or for their skins. The skins were traded or used locally. The quagga
3168-506: The afterbirth is rarely consumed. A newborn is capable of standing almost immediately and starts to eat grass within a week. Early on, a mother zebra keeps any other zebra away from her foal, including the stallion, the other mares, and even her previous offspring. Later, though, they all bond. Within the group, a foal has the same rank as its mother. The stallion is generally intolerant of foals that are not his, and zebras may practice infanticide and feticide . Mortality for foals
3256-685: The dwarf buffalo or the Congo buffalo , is the smallest subspecies of the African buffalo . It is related to the Cape buffalo ( Syncerus caffer caffer ), the Sudan buffalo ( Syncerus caffer brachyceros ), and the Nile buffalo ( Syncerus caffer aequinoctialis ). However, it is the only subspecies that occurs mainly in the rainforests of Central Africa and Western Africa , with an annual rainfall around 1,500 mm (59 in). It has been proposed to represent
3344-746: The wild yak and wild water buffalo which are the ancestors of the domestic yak and water buffalo . Natural predators of adult African buffaloes include lions , African wild dogs , spotted hyenas , and Nile crocodiles . As one of the Big Five game animals, the Cape buffalo is a sought-after trophy in hunting. The African buffalo is a very robust species. Its shoulder height can range from 1.0 to 1.7 m (3.3 to 5.6 ft) and its head-and-body length can range from 1.7 to 3.4 m (5.6 to 11.2 ft). The tail can range from 70 to 110 cm (28 to 43 in) long. Compared with other large bovids , it has
3432-938: The 17 countries where it is native. They are stable in Ethiopia , Malawi , and South Africa and possibly Angola ; stable or increasing in Mozambique , Namibia and Eswatini ; and decreasing in Botswana , DR Congo , Kenya , Rwanda , Somalia , South Sudan , Tanzania , Uganda , Zambia , and Zimbabwe . They are extinct in Burundi , Lesotho and possibly Somalia. Zebras are threatened by hunting for their hide and meat, and habitat change from farming. They also compete with livestock for food, and fencing blocks migration routes. Civil wars in some countries have also caused declines in zebra populations. The zebra can be found in numerous protected areas across its range, including
3520-401: The actual home range boundaries of these animals is relatively recent, so only time will tell how these boundaries remain over large lengths of time; however, studies have shown almost no movement in range boundaries from one year to the next. Although the area included in a home range is relatively constant over time, the preferences in regard to what part of the range is most used shift with
3608-477: The area and if the population is migratory. They are more active during the day and spend most of their time feeding. Other activities include dust bathing , rubbing, drinking and intermittent resting which is very brief. At night, zebra activity is subdued except when threatened by predators. They may rest or sleep laying down, while one individual keeps guard. The plains zebra is highly social and usually forms small family groups called harems , which consist of
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3696-492: The areas that have been previously clear-cut . In some areas park management staff burn off the savannas on a regular basis to keep the rainforest from growing onto the savannas and changing the ecosystem of the area. Large home ranges can be associated with less-productive habitats; however, a larger area of open grassland has been observed to have a positive relationship with herd size. Home ranges remain remarkably constant and stable year after year. The only documentation of
3784-406: The attention of nearby stallions, both bachelors and harem leaders. Her family stallion (likely her father) chases off or fights stallions attempting to abduct her. Even after a young mare is isolated from her natal harem, the fight over her continues until her oestrous cycle is over and it starts again with the next oestrous cycle. It is rare that the mare's original abductor keeps her for long. When
3872-400: The bachelor groups. Young calves, unusually for bovids, suckle from behind their mothers, pushing their heads between the mothers' legs. In the wild African buffaloes have an average lifespan of 11 years but they've been recorded to reach 22 years of age. In captivity they can live for a maximum of 29.5 years though they only live 16 years on average. The current status of the African buffalo
3960-503: The birth of a sibling. The young stallion then seeks out other young stallions for company. Young females may stay in the harem until they are abducted by another stallion. Plains zebras have an average lifespan of 25 years in the wild. In 2016, the plains zebra was classified as near threatened by the IUCN . As of that year, the total population is estimated to be around 500,000 individuals. The species remains common throughout its range but has experienced population declines in 10 of
4048-460: The buffalo makes use of its tongue and wide incisor row to eat grass more quickly than most other African herbivores. Buffaloes do not stay on trampled or depleted areas for long. Other than humans, African buffaloes have few predators and are capable of defending themselves against (and killing) lions . Lions kill and eat buffaloes regularly, and in some regions, the buffaloes are the lions' primary prey. It often takes several lions to bring down
4136-511: The calves are most likely to be killed by the elephant attack as they are defenseless when facing an elephant alone, whereas adults will try to fight back and may survive (or succumb to injuries afterward). The average-sized Nile crocodile typically attacks only old solitary animals and young calves, though they can kill healthy adults. Exceptionally large, old male crocodiles may become semi-habitual predators of buffaloes. The cheetah , leopard , African wild dog and spotted hyena are normally
4224-406: The distance between the ends of the horns can reach upwards of one metre (the record being 64.5 inches 164 cm). The horns form fully when the animal reaches the age of 5 or 6 years old, but the bosses do not become "hard" until it reaches the age of 8 to 9 years old. In cows, the horns are, on average, 10–20% smaller, and they do not have a boss. Forest-type buffalo horns are smaller than those of
4312-426: The dry season. They appear to partial to eating scorched Colophospermum mopane and Pterocarpus rotundifolius , consuming both the leaves and twigs. Plains zebras are adapted for grazing on both long, tough grass stems and newly emerging short grass. In some areas, it rarely feeds below 100–150 mm (3.9–5.9 in) to ground level. It ranges more widely than many other species, even into woodlands , and it
4400-432: The ears and with horns that curve back and slightly up. Calves of both types have red coats. A characteristic feature of the horns of adult male African buffalo (southern and eastern populations) is that the bases come very close together, forming a shield referred to as a "boss". From the base, the horns diverge downwards, then smoothly curve upwards and outwards and in some cases inwards and or backwards. In large bulls,
4488-500: The encounter. Rhinos live solitary lives, whereas buffalo (excluding solitary adult bulls) primarily live social lives and thus they do not usually recognize each other as threats. Hippopotamuses and buffalo also do not normally interact, but if the buffalo provokes the hippo or makes it feel threatened, a fight can break out, but this is also rare. Adolescent bull African elephants may harass or kill Cape buffalo, either out of territorial aggression or while in musth ; when they do this,
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#17327765578564576-431: The females, mate, help protect the young calves and then leave. Animals usually remain in the same herd for their entire lives. Herd-switching in cows has been observed; however, this is not a common occurrence. Herds can split into two groups for a short period of time before merging back together. African forest buffalo are relatively unaffected by seasonal cycles. However, in the wet season, herds are more spread out in
4664-553: The forest and these animals tend to use resting places based on sand during the wet season, but use dirt and leaves during the dry season. Moreover, in open habitats such as clearings, herds are more aggregated when resting and are more rounded in shape than herds in forest habitats during the wet season. Plains zebra E. q. quagga † E. q. burchellii E. q. boehmi E. q. borensis E. q. chapmani E. q. crawshayi E. q. selousi The plains zebra ( Equus quagga , formerly Equus burchellii )
4752-554: The forests of Mount Kenya , with the dark stripes being blonde. The quagga had brown and white stripes on the head and neck, brown upper parts and a white belly, tail and legs. The plains zebra's range stops short of the Sahara from South Sudan and southern Ethiopia extending south along eastern Africa, as far as Zambia, Mozambique, and Malawi, before spreading into most southern African countries. They may have lived in Algeria in
4840-455: The forests of the major mountains of Africa . This buffalo prefers a habitat with dense cover, such as reeds and thickets, but can also be found in open woodland. While not particularly demanding in regard to habitat, they require water daily, and so they depend on perennial sources of water. Like the plains zebra , the buffalo can live on tall, coarse grasses. Herds of buffalo mow down grasses and make way for more selective grazers. When feeding,
4928-428: The ground as if surrendering, but once the other male lets up, he strikes and continues the fight. Most fighting occurs over young mares in oestrus and as long as a harem stallion is healthy, he usually is not challenged. Only unhealthy stallions have their harems taken over and even then, the new stallion gradually takes over, pushing the old one out without a fight. At least six different calls have been documented for
5016-490: The group, usually a female or foal. Nile crocodiles also prey on zebras when they are near water. Less common predators include leopards , cheetahs and African wild dogs , which mostly hunt foals. When in the presence of a lion, zebras remain alert and stand in a semi-circle at as much as 100 m (330 ft) and no less than 50 m (160 ft). Stallions sometimes try to drive lions away with bluff charges. By contrast, zebras may approach cheetahs and wild dogs and
5104-456: The group. When new mares are added to the group, they are met with hostility by the other mares. Thus, the harem stallion must shield the new mares until the aggression subsides. The most recently added females rank lowest. Females that become unfit or weak may drop in their rank, though. The female membership of a harem stays intact, even if a new stallion takes over. During herd gatherings, family stallions may be cordial towards each other, while
5192-578: The herd to move. To signal to the herd to change direction, leaders emit "gritty", "creaking gate" sounds. When moving to drinking places, some individuals make long "maaa" calls up to 20 times a minute. When being aggressive, they make explosive grunts that may last long or turn into a rumbling growl. Cows produce croaking calls when looking for their calves. Calves make a similar call of a higher pitch when in distress. When threatened by predators, they make drawn-out "waaaa" calls. Dominant individuals make calls to announce their presence and location. A version of
5280-409: The horns distinguish African forest buffalo from the other subspecies. African forest buffalo have much smaller horns than their savanna counterparts the Cape, Sudan and Nile buffalo. Cape buffalo horns often grow and fuse together, but African forest buffalo horns rarely fuse. African forest buffalo live in the rainforests of West and Central Africa; however, their home ranges typically consist of
5368-461: The larger Grévy's zebra and the smaller mountain zebra and tend to have broader stripes than both. Great variation in coat patterns exists between clines and individuals. The plains zebra's habitat is generally, but not exclusively, treeless grasslands and savanna woodlands, both tropical and temperate. They generally avoid desert, dense rainforest and permanent wetlands. Zebras are preyed upon by lions and spotted hyenas , Nile crocodiles and, to
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#17327765578565456-425: The long term if large, healthy populations continue to persist in a substantial number of national parks, equivalent reserves and hunting zones in southern and eastern Africa." In the most recent and available census data at continental scale, the total estimated numbers of the three savanna-type African buffalo subspecies ( S. c. caffer , S. c. brachyceros and S. c. aequinoctialis ) are at 513,000 individuals. In
5544-407: The mare finally ovulates , the male that impregnates her keeps her for good. Thus, the mare becomes a permanent member of a new harem. Oestrus in a female becomes less noticeable to outside males as she gets older, hence competition for older females is virtually nonexistent. Mares exist in a hierarchy, with the alpha female being the first to mate with the harem stallion and being the one to lead
5632-415: The mares are less tolerant. A stallion defends his harem from other males. When challenged, the stallion issues a warning to the invader by rubbing nose or shoulder with him. If the warning is not heeded, a fight breaks out. Zebra fights often become very violent, with the animals biting at each other's necks, heads, or legs, wrestling to the ground and occasional kicking. Sometimes, a stallion lies still on
5720-489: The middle. A buffalo herd responds to the distress call of a threatened member and tries to rescue it. A calf's distress call gets the attention of not only the mother, but also the herd. Buffaloes engage in mobbing behavior when fighting off predators. They have been recorded killing lions and chasing lions up trees and keeping them there for two hours, after the lions have killed a member of their group. Lion cubs can get trampled and killed. In one videotaped instance, known as
5808-424: The mother before joining the main herd. Older calves are held in the centre of the herd for safety. The maternal bond between mother and calf lasts longer than in most bovids. That bonding ends when a new calf is born, and the mother then keeps her previous offspring at bay with horn jabs. Nevertheless, the yearling follows its mother for another year or so. Males leave their mothers when they are two years old and join
5896-491: The mountain zebra and narrower than in Grévy's zebra. As with all wild equids, the plains zebra has an erect mane along the neck and a tuft of hair at the end of the tail. The body hair of a zebra is 9.4 ± 4 mm (0.37 ± 0.16 in), shorter than in other African ungulates. Like all zebras, they are boldly striped in black and white and no two individuals look exactly alike. Compared to other species,
5984-406: The older of the two names should take precedence over the younger. They suggested that the correct name for the subspecies must be burchellii , not antiquorum . A 2005 genetic study confirmed the quagga being the same species as the plains zebra. It showed that the quagga had little genetic diversity and that it diverged from the other plains zebra subspecies only 120,000–290,000 years ago, during
6072-519: The opportunity to hunt one. The larger bulls are targeted for their trophy value, although in some areas, buffaloes are still hunted for meat. One of the "big five" African game , it is known as "the Black Death" or "the widowmaker", and is widely regarded as a very dangerous animal. African buffaloes are sometimes reported to kill more people in Africa than any other animal, although the same claim
6160-440: The opportunity. The Nile crocodile is the only predator which is capable of killing an adult buffalo. African forest buffalo have relatively small herds compared to the well-studied Cape buffalo. Cape buffalo can have herds of over 1,000 members; however, African forest buffalo stay in much smaller groups—as small as three and rarely over 30. If African forest buffalo are in a large group, they spend more time grazing, since there
6248-517: The other bull to do the same thing. When sparring, the bulls twist their horns from side to side. If the sparring is for play, the bull may rub his opponent's face and body during the sparring session. Actual fights are violent but rare and brief. Calves may also spar in play, but adult females rarely spar at all. During the dry season, males split from the herd and form bachelor groups. Two types of bachelor herds occur: ones made of males aged four to seven years and those of males 12 years or older. During
6336-432: The past, numbers of African buffaloes suffered their most severe collapse during the great rinderpest epidemic of the 1890s , which, coupled with pleuro-pneumonia , caused mortalities as high as 95% among livestock and wild ungulates. Being a member of the big five game group, a term used to describe the five most dangerous animals to hunt, the Cape buffalo is a sought-after trophy, with some hunters paying over $ 10,000 for
6424-496: The plains zebra has broader stripes. The stripes are vertical on the fore part of the body, and tend towards the horizontal on the hindquarters. Northern zebra populations have narrower and more defined striping; southern populations have varied but lesser amounts of striping on the under parts, the legs and the hindquarters. Southern populations also have brown "shadow" stripes between the black and white colouring. These are absent or poorly expressed in northern zebras. The natal coat of
6512-455: The plains zebra. One is its distinctive, high-pitched, contact call (commonly called " barking ") heard as "a- ha , a- ha , a- ha " or "kwa-ha, kaw-ha, ha, ha" also transcribed as "kwahaah", or "oug-ga". The species name quagga is derived from the Khoikhoi word for "zebra" and is onomatopoeic for its call. When a predator is sighted, a zebra makes a two-syllable alarm call. A loud snort
6600-608: The predators (the African buffalo, in particular, killing humans in 49.5% of attacks on them), but hippos and even elephants may still kill more people per annum than buffaloes. African buffaloes are notorious among big-game hunters as very dangerous animals, with wounded animals reported to ambush and attack pursuers. The Cape buffalo hybridized with Indian water buffalo to create the Jafarabadi buffalo breed. African forest buffalo Syncerus nanus The African forest buffalo ( Syncerus caffer nanus ), also known as
6688-444: The same call, but more intense, is emitted as a warning to an encroaching inferior. When grazing, they make various sounds, such as brief bellows, grunts, honks, and croaks. Females reach sexual maturity at around five years of age while males are sexually matured at four to six. African buffaloes mate and give birth only during the rainy seasons. Birth peak takes place early in the season, while mating peaks later. A bull closely guards
6776-416: The same herds is not unusual, and fertile hybrids occur. In their 2004 study of cranial and pelage differences between specimens, Groves and Bell found support for the division of the plains zebra into six subspecies: *Sometimes a seventh subspecies is recognised. Burchell's zebra was thought to have been hunted to extinction. However, Groves and Bell concluded that "the extinct true Burchell's zebra
6864-523: The savanna-type buffaloes from Southern and East Africa, usually measuring less than 40 cm (16 in), and are almost never fused. Unlike other large bovines, African buffalo have 52 chromosomes (for comparison, American bison and domestic cattle have 60). This means domestic cattle and bison are unable to create hybrid offspring with cape buffalo. The African buffalo is one of the most successful grazers in Africa. It lives in savannas , swamps and floodplains , as well as mopane grasslands , and
6952-468: The seasons. From March until August, African forest buffalo spend most of their time in the forest, while from September through February, they favor the savannas and marshes. African forest buffalo arrange themselves into herds, which help in defense against predators; however, they are not immune to assault. Among predators, the African leopard is the most common, but is generally only a threat to young buffaloes and will feast on them only when they have
7040-433: The threat involves the ears down. Zebras strengthen their social bonds with grooming . Members of a harem nip and scrape along the neck, withers, and back with their teeth and lips. Mothers and foals groom the most often, followed by siblings. Grooming shows social status and eases aggressive behaviour. The stallion mates with all his mares. Males exhibit the flehmen response to test for female receptivity, which involves
7128-509: The top of the head, referred to as a "boss". The African buffalo is more closely related to other buffalo species than it is to other bovids such as American bison or domestic cattle , with its closest living relative being the Asian water buffalo . Its unpredictable temperament may be part of the reason that the African buffalo has never been domesticated , which would also explain why the African buffalo has no domesticated descendants, unlike
7216-487: The upper lip curling back to smell for urine (via the vomeronasal organ ). The female signals her readiness for copulation by straddling her legs and raising her tail. The gestation period lasts around a year, and a single young is produced. Mares may give birth to one foal every twelve months. The birthing peak is during the rainy season. A mare gives birth within the vicinity of her group and while lying down on her side. The newborn foal weighs 30–35 kg (66–77 lb) and
7304-593: The wet season, the younger bulls rejoin a herd to mate with the females. They stay with them throughout the season to protect the calves. Some older bulls cease to rejoin the herd, as they can no longer compete with the younger, more aggressive males. The old bachelors are called dagga boy s ("mud covered"), and are considered the most dangerous to humans. African buffaloes make various vocalizations. Many calls are lower-pitched versions of those emitted by domestic cattle . They emit low-pitched, two- to four-second calls intermittently at three- to six-second intervals to signal
7392-406: The women of various societies would paint much of their bodies in stripes. For the Shona people of Zimbabwe, the zebra is a totem animal, along with the eland, buffalo, lion and monkey. The zebra is praised in a poem as an "iridescent and glittering creature". Its stripes have symbolised the joining of male and female and at Great Zimbabwe , zebra stripes decorate what is believed to be a domba ,
7480-510: The zebra got its stripes has been the subject of folk tales , some of which involve it being scorched by fire. The San people associated zebra stripes with water, rain and lighting due to its dazzling pattern. The plains zebra is the national animal of the Republic of Botswana and its stripes are depicted on the country's flag. The flag stripes also represent racial harmony in the country. The zebra has also been associated with beauty and
7568-415: Was considered the sole species of the subgenus Dolichohippus ; however, recent (2013) phylogenetic evidence finds that plains zebras are more closely related to Grévy's zebras than mountain zebras. Groves and Bell (2004) place all three species in the subgenus Hippotigris , and zebras appear to be a monophyletic lineage. In areas where plains zebras are sympatric with Grévy's zebras, finding them in
7656-430: Was formally classified by British zoologist John Edward Gray in 1824 as Equus burchellii . After the quagga, described by Pieter Boddaert in 1785, was found to be the same species in the 21st century, the plains zebra was reclassified as Equus quagga due to the principle of priority . The plains zebra and mountain zebra were traditionally placed in the subgenus Hippotigris , in contrast to Grévy's zebra , which
7744-496: Was probably vulnerable to extinction due to its limited distribution, and it may have competed with domestic livestock for forage. The last known wild quagga died in 1878. The last captive quagga, a female in Amsterdam's Natura Artis Magistra zoo, lived there from 9 May 1867 until it died on 12 August 1883, but its origin and cause of death are unclear. In 1984, the quagga was the first extinct animal to have its DNA analysed, and
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