AnimalTracks.wiki

What the sources say

African BuffaloSyncerus caffer

Every figure, record and mechanism on the African Buffalo profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 30 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

Profile updated

Source
01

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019

Syncerus caffer. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T21251A50195031.

The page saysNear Threatened
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Near Threatened (NT).Note: stats.conservationStatus; GBIF's copy of the Red List, checked against taxon id inside the DOI
The page saysThe IUCN Red List rates the species Near Threatened.
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Near Threatened (NT).Note: GBIF's copy of the Red List, checked against the taxon id inside the DOI

Source
02

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Syncerus caffer (African buffalo). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysGrazes grass and sedges
The source saysAfter grazing grass and sedgesNote: stats.diet
The page saysBulls that have been recorded fending off more than one lion
The source saysBulls have been recorded to successfully fend off more than one lionNote: stats.superpower
The page saysLions are the main predators of any buffalo more than a year old
The source saysLions (Panthera leo) are the primary predators of buffalo over a year in age.
The page saysMales have been known to approach lions from a kilometer away to chase them.
The source saysMales have been known to approach lions from one km away to chase them.Note: km spelled out
The page saysThey sometimes chase lions up trees and will kill a lion that fails to escape.
The source saysThey sometimes chase lions into trees and will kill lions that fail to escape.
The page saysBulls have been recorded fending off more than one lion, though they usually come away with severe injuries.
The source saysBulls have been recorded to successfully fend off more than one lion, though this usually results in severe injuries.
The page saysis a very large even-toed ungulate, a hoofed mammal with a stocky build and heavy horns
The source saysAfrican buffalo are very large, even-toed ungulates, characterized by their stocky build and heavy horns.Note: "hoofed mammals" is the page's gloss of ungulates
The page saysMales of the largest subspecies, the Cape buffalo (S. c. caffer), can top 835 kg, females reach up to 500 kg, and the horns can span 130 cm.
The source saysIn the largest subspecies, Syncerus caffer caffer , males can weight over 835 kg while females weigh up to 500 kg. Individuals in this subspecies stand 140 to 160 cm at the shoulder. The horn span is wide and can reach 130 cm.Note: "classic Cape or savannah buffalo" is S. c. caffer in the same account
The page saysThe forest buffalo (S. c. nanus) is much shorter, standing only 105 cm at the shoulder.
The source saysSyncerus caffer nanus individuals stand only 105 cm at the shoulderNote: nanus is the forest subspecies per the account ("rainforest regions")
The page saysBuffalo are grazing ruminants. After a meal of grass and sedges, they have to chew their cud to pull more nutrients out of their food.
The source saysAfrican buffalo are grazing ruminants ... After grazing grass and sedges, they must spend time chewing their cud, or bolus, to extract more nutrients from their food.Note: 'grazing ruminants' from 'African buffalo are grazing ruminants' in the sentence before
The page saysA herd can be a handful of animals or more than a thousand.
The source sayscongregate in herds ranging from a few individuals to over a thousand.
The page saysA stampede starts with one or a few buffalo and spreads as their neighbours join in. If the threat is confirmed and serious, it can run for up to a kilometer, or until the young buffalo are too tired to keep going.
The source saysStampedes begin with one or a few individuals and spread as those nearby join the stampede. Stampedes last varying distances depending on how clear the threat appears. For a confirmed serious threat, stampedes can last up to a kilometer, or until young buffalo are too tired to continue.
The page saysBuffalo once roamed most of sub-Saharan Africa. Their range is now much smaller, and in many areas it is largely limited to reserves.
The source saysHistorically, African buffalos were found throughout most of sub-Sahara Africa. Today their distribution is considerably reduced and in many areas largely limited to reserves.
The page saysThey can live almost anywhere with permanent water and grass, from dense lowland forest and montane forest to coastal savanna and semi-arid bushland.
The source saysAfrican buffalo can inhabit practically any habitat with permanent water and grass. They are found in dense lowland forests, lowland rainforests, montane forests and grasslands, Acacia grasslands, miombo ( Brachystegia ) woodlands, coastal savannas, plains and semi-arid bushland.
The page saysTheir size, aggressive nature and formidable horns make them dangerous animals.
The source saysAfrican buffalo are dangerous animals because of their size, aggressive nature, and formidable horns.
The page saysNewborns in captivity weighed 24 to 60 kg, 40 kg on average. Bigger mothers had heavier calves, and twins are very rare.
The source saysIn captivity, newborns weighed between 24 and 60 kg, with a mean of 40 kg. Larger cows gave birth to heavier offspring, and twins are very rare.
The page saysHow big depends on sex and subspecies.
The source saysAfrican buffalo exhibit variable sizes based on both sex and subspecies.Note: paraphrase
The page saysA buffalo stampede starts with one or a few animals and spreads as their neighbours join in.
The source saysStampedes begin with one or a few individuals and spread as those nearby join the stampede.

Source
03

African Wildlife Foundation

African buffalo. African Wildlife Foundation.

The page saysA heavyweight, cow-like grazer whose bulls sometimes chase lions into trees.
The source saysSavanna buffaloes are large, heavy cow-like animals.Note: tagline; "sometimes chase lions into trees" quoted at the Males claim below; "grazer" at the diet claim
The page saysDense forest to open plains
The source saysDense forest to open plainsNote: stats.habitat
The page saysIt weighs about 300 to 835 kilograms (660 to 1,840 pounds)
The source saysAbout 300 to 835 kilograms (660 to 1,840 pounds)
The page saysstands about 1 to 2 meters tall
The source saysAbout 1 to 2 meters tall (4 to 5 feet)
The page saysThe African Wildlife Foundation puts the lifespan at 11 to 22 years in the wild.
The source says11 to 22 years in the wildNote: attributed: AnAge says 'These animals live up to 18 years in the wild', so the wild maximum is disputed between the two current sources
The page saysHerding together in large numbers is one of the buffalo's many defences against predators. In a big herd, lions find it harder to single out any one animal.
The source saysCongregating in large herds is one of their many anti-predator adaptations. Large herds decrease the possibility of any individual being singled out by lions.
The page saysA female has her first calf at four or five years old, and usually calves only every two years. A calf may suckle for as long as a year.
The source saysFemales have their first calves at age four or five. They usually calve only every two years ... Calves are suckled for as long as a year

Source
04

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database

Syncerus caffer. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database.

The page saysThe record in captivity, listed by the AnAge database, is 32.8 years.
The source saysMaximum longevity 32.8 years (captivity)

Source
05

Condy et al. 1985

Condy et al. (1985). The duration of the foot-and-mouth disease virus carrier state in African buffalo (i) in the individual animal and (ii) in a free-living herd. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

The page saysFoot-and-mouth disease virus has been shown to persist in an individual African buffalo for at least five years.
The source saysfoot-and-mouth disease virus was shown to persist in individual African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) for up to at least five years
The page saysIn one small, isolated wild population of 30 to 100 buffalo, two types of the virus kept going for at least 24 years, through several generations of buffalo.
The source saysIn a small isolated free-living population which varied from 30 to 100 buffalo, two immunological types of foot-and-mouth disease virus were maintained for at least 24 years and through several generations.

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.