#Cape buffalo

[inatungulates]

Cape buffalo Syncerus caffer

Observed by robshep, CC BY-NC

[antiqueanimals]

Wilhelm Kuhnert (1865 – 1926). Cape Buffalo at the Water Hole (1912). Oil on canvas.

Coeur d’Alene Art Auction

[ljingham]

[bovinefigureoftheday]

Bovine figure of the day: Mountain's Animal Studio/盧楓山 Cape Buffalo

[textless]

One morning we came across a group of lions gnawing away at a cape buffalo who was already past caring.

A couple of female lions and some cubs enjoyed breakfast while the male, who had already eaten, lazed in the grass. Over an hour or so, a whole parade of scavengers arrived to wait, sneak in for a nibble, and hold one another at bay, all while the lions remained focused on their meal.

It was gruesomely fascinating, and the photos are below so you can skip them if the whole thing is too red in tooth and claw.

In the last photo above, the lion is scratching dirt over the bloody ground where the buffalo met its demise. Our guide said that diminishes the scent of the kill and its siren call to every hungry creature, but it's safe to say plenty of creatures were already on the case.

Jackals had been close by since we arrived, but they got steadily bolder as the lions dawdled. Then an assortment of vultures arrived. Of course they flew in, but then they edged closer on foot. They were remarkably stealthy for such enormous birds.

The vultures pictured above include lappet-faced vultures and white-backed vultures.

Finally, the little jackals couldn't wait another minute. The lions had pushed the buffalo stomach off to one side, intact, and that is where the jackals made their move.

The big male lion had returned to the buffet by this time, and lost patience with the company.

Annoyed, the lion moved the buffalo a little. This left some bits and pieces behind, including the stomach, and the jackals and vultures went to town.

Just when it seemed the jackals would finally have a chance to dig in, the hyenas that had been creeping around the edges decided they had waited long enough.

It was interesting to see the one unfortunate buffalo provide a meal for the whole wild kingdom.

When we moved on to have our own breakfast, the male lion was still standing guard.

Masai Mara, Kenya, July 2023.

[trashrat176]

animal sketches! i’m having a really fun time doing these so feel free to give some recommendations!

[thegreatprinceoftheforest]

Cape Buffalo | Dan Arietti

[lost-lycaon]

A lion considering how to ambush a Cape Buffalo with the rest of the herd right there. Ambition this outsized and unrealistic is almost admirable.

[bruesselbach]

Cape Buffalo Skull, 2024, oil on canvas, 24x25.5

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Cape Buffalo, Zimaga Game Reserve, South Africa

by Pam Mullins

[asterwild]

cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer) with red-billed oxpeckers (Buphagus erythrorynchus)

[inatungulates]

Cape buffalo Syncerus caffer

Observed by craigpeter, CC BY-NC

[antiqueanimals]

Bob Kuhn (1920–2007), Cape Buffalo, graphite on paper.

MutualArt

[terry-the-insane]

Animal of the day for October 13: Cape Buffalo (Subspecies Syncerus caffer caffer)

These herbivores travel in large herds across the savannas of Africa, and a common target for predators and hunters, though they are very dangerous due to their size and horns, and are even known to get revenge for a fallen comrade.

[ilikevintagebooks]

The Cape Buffalo

-The Wild Beasts, Birds, and Reptiles of the World 1892

[textless]

Good morning, teeny buffalo.