Central African Savanna Buffalo | Online Record Book Preview

Syncerus caffer brachyceros

DESCRIPTION Shoulder height 49-55 inches (125-140 cm). Weight 880 - 1,100 lbs (400-500 kg).

Larger in body and horns than the West African savanna buffalo, but smaller than the Nile buffalo. These animals exhibit considerable individual variation in size, color and horn configuration. Body color can be brownish black, reddish, or tan. Horn shape can vary from the Nile type to the West African savanna type. Different colors and various horn configurations are often seen in the same herd.

DISTRIBUTION The savanna and woodland zone north of the high equatorial rain forest in southern Chad, the Central African Republic except in the far southwest; and the northern edge of Congo (K), adjacent to the C.A.R. and east of Bangui.

For convenience in record keeping, we use the eastern border of Cameroon to separate the Central African savanna buffalo from the West African savanna buffalo to the west, and western border of Sudan to separate it from the Nile buffalo to the east.

TAXONOMIC NOTES In previous editions, the Central African and West African savanna buffaloes were combined as the northwestern buffalo (S. c. brachyceros including planiceros). However, we now feel they are sufficiently different to merit separation.