African Buffalo

African Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Mkomazi National Park
9 Verified records at Mkomazi National Park
June Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large species of true buffalo native to Sub-Saharan Africa, where it is found in a number of disconnected ranges stretching from south-eastern Senegal through West and Central Africa to South Africa. The adult African buffalo's horns are its characteristic feature: they have fused bases that form a continuous bone shield, referred to as a "boss", across the top of the head. The African buffalo is more closely related to Asian buffalo (Bubalus) species than it is to other bovids such as American bison or domestic cattle. Its unpredictable temperament may be part of the reason that the African buffalo has never been domesticated and has no domesticated descendants, unlike the wild yak and wild water buffalo, which are the ancestors of the domestic yak and water buffalo, respectively. 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 (Syncerus caffer caffer), the largest subspecies native to eastern and southern Africa, is a sought-after trophy in hunting. Wikipedia →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a African Buffalo sighting in Mkomazi National Park, based on 9 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
20–30
Feb
5–10
Mar
5–10
Apr
10–20
May
40–50
Jun
40–50
Jul
5–10
Aug
30–40
Sep
5–10
Oct
5–10
Nov
40–50
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
70–80%
2 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
60–70%
3 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
60–70%
4 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
60–70%
5 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
60–70%
6 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
60–70%
7 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
50–60%
8 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
50–60%
9 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
50–60%
10 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
50–60%
11 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
50–60%
12 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
50–60%
13 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
50–60%
14 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
50–60%
15 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
50–60%
16 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
50–60%
17 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
50–60%
18 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
50–60%
19 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
50–60%
20 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
50–60%
21 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
40–50%
22 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
40–50%
23 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
40–50%
24 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
40–50%
25 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
40–50%
26 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
40–50%
27 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
40–50%
28 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
40–50%
29 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
30–40%
30 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
30–40%
31 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
30–40%
32 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
30–40%
33 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
30–40%
34 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
30–40%
35 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
20–30%
36 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
20–30%
37 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
20–30%
38 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
39 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
40 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
41 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
Insufficient data
42 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
43 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a African Buffalo in Mkomazi National Park?

About 23% of wildlife watchers report a African Buffalo sighting in Mkomazi National Park, based on 9 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see African Buffalo in Mkomazi National Park?

June has the highest sighting rate for African Buffalo in Mkomazi National Park in our monthly data.

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