My Favorite Animal

Last year while on safari, we had my 5 year old grandson along. For some reason everyone we me asked him two questions: how old are you, and what's your favorite animal? The first question was easily answered since kids are asked that constantly from a very early age. He had trouble with the second, I think he never understood why there should be a favorite animal, aren't they all pretty neat?

I have a favorite animal and it's pictured here. The buffalo, or cape buffalo to westerners. They are well know as extremely dangerous to the hunter, and I respect that. An animal should be dangerous to anything that is trying to kill it.

In the herd these guys are mostly docile. On one occasion our guide drove us right into the middle of a large herd of buffalo that were grazing along the river. It was quite a treat to be surrounded by these huge things all of which were tearing off huge mouthfuls of grass. The sound alone was impressive. The guide told us we were safe because in the herd the buffalo feels secure.

Another day we came across two large males off by themselves in the bush. The guide stopped our jeep a long way off so we could observe. They weren't doing much but the guide let use know this was a potentially dangerous situation and he wasn't getting any closer. The older males like this can get kicked out of the herd at some point and become loners or as in this case pair up with another.

Buffalo in this situation are anything but secure. Without the herd to protect them they are vulnerable to attack from lions or even an ambitious leopard. This puts them in a bad mood and they can charge at most anything with the slightest provocation. These big ones with their magnificent horns are the ones most targeted by hunters. A wounded buffalo will typically run away and then hide waiting for a chance to ambush the hunters. I applaud the buffalo for this, we've got plenty of hunters and maybe less game all the time.

For only $12,500 you too can kill one of these beasts. But I suggest you don't, let them live to impress us with their strength and cunning.