How big does a African buffalo get? Here is an overview over the average adult age:
A grown African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) reaches an average size of 2.53 meter (8′ 4″).
When born, they have an average size of 0 cm (0′ 0″). During their lifetime of about 29.5 years, they grow from 39.82 kg (87.79 lbs) to 592.83 kg (1306.97 lbs). Talking about reproduction, African buffalos have 1 babies about 1 times per year. The African buffalo (genus: Syncerus) is a member of the family Bovidae.
As a reference: Humans reach an average body size of 1.65m (5′ 5″) while carrying 62 kg (137 lbs). A human woman is pregnant for 280 days (40 weeks) and on average become 75 years old.
The African buffalo or Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large sub-Saharan African bovine. Syncerus caffer caffer, the Cape buffalo, is the typical subspecies, and the largest one, found in Southern and East Africa. S. c. nanus (African forest buffalo) is the smallest subspecies, common in forest areas of Central and West Africa, while S. c. brachyceros is in West Africa and S. c. aequinoctialis is in the savannas of East Africa. The adult buffalo’s horns are its characteristic feature: they have fused bases, forming a continuous bone shield across the top of the head referred to as a “boss”. They are widely regarded as among the most dangerous animals on the African continent, and according to some estimates they gore, trample, and kill over 200 people every year.The African buffalo is not an ancestor of domestic cattle and is only distantly related to other larger bovines. Its unpredictable temperament means that the African buffalo has never been domesticated, unlike its Asian counterpart, the water buffalo. African Cape buffaloes have few predators aside from lions and large crocodiles. As a member of the big five game, the Cape buffalo is a sought-after trophy in hunting.
Animals of the same family as a African buffalo
We found other animals of the Bovidae family:
- Harvey’s duiker bringing 14.5 kilos (31.97 lbs) to the scale
- West Caucasian tur with 1 babies per litter
- Bluebuck bringing 150 kilos (330.69 lbs) to the scale
- Red gazelle bringing 40 kilos (88.18 lbs) to the scale
- Queen of Sheba’s gazelle with a size of 99.9 cm (3′ 4″)
- Blue duiker with a size of 69.3 cm (2′ 4″)
- Sitatunga with a size of 1.52 meter (5′ 0″)
- Tibetan antelope with 1 babies per litter
- Dama gazelle with a size of 1.46 meter (4′ 10″)
- Nilgiri tahr with a size of 1.39 meter (4′ 7″)
Animals with the same size as a African buffalo
Not that size really matters, but it makes things comparable. So here are a couple of animals that are as big as African buffalo:
- Striped dolphin with a size of 2.3 meter (7′ 7″)
- Dwarf sperm whale with a size of 2.16 meter (7′ 1″)
- South American sea lion with a size of 2.12 meter (7′ 0″)
- Gayal with a size of 2.7 meter (8′ 11″)
- Giant forest hog with a size of 2.03 meter (6′ 8″)
- Ross seal with a size of 2.07 meter (6′ 10″)
- Hawaiian monk seal with a size of 2.24 meter (7′ 5″)
- Hooded seal with a size of 2.33 meter (7′ 8″)
- Kouprey with a size of 2.18 meter (7′ 2″)
- South American sea lion with a size of 2.11 meter (7′ 0″)
Animals with the same litter size as a African buffalo
Here is a list of animals that have the same number of babies per litter (1) as a African buffalo:
- Javan rusa
- Maroon leaf monkey
- Midas free-tailed bat
- Red-rumped agouti
- Springbok
- Little free-tailed bat
- Southern elephant seal
- Mindanao treeshrew
- Buffy flower bat
- Maxwell’s duiker
Animals with the same life expectancy as a African buffalo
Completely different animals, but becoming as old as a African buffalo:
- Okapi with an average maximal age of 33 years
- Common eland with an average maximal age of 24.33 years
- Collared mangabey with an average maximal age of 30 years
- California sea lion with an average maximal age of 30 years
- Sea otter with an average maximal age of 30 years
- Black lemur with an average maximal age of 30 years
- Black-and-white ruffed lemur with an average maximal age of 32 years
- Sumatran rhinoceros with an average maximal age of 35 years
- African civet with an average maximal age of 28 years
- South American tapir with an average maximal age of 35 years
Animals with the same weight as a African buffalo
As a comparison, here are some other animals that weight as much as the Syncerus caffer:
- Giant eland with a weight of 644.51 kilos (1420.9 lbs)
- Cattle with a weight of 615.82 kilos (1357.65 lbs)
- Common eland with a weight of 561.8 kilos (1238.56 lbs)
- American bison with a weight of 622.29 kilos (1371.91 lbs)
- Banteng with a weight of 631.49 kilos (1392.2 lbs)
- European bison with a weight of 674.44 kilos (1486.88 lbs)
- Moose with a weight of 541.46 kilos (1193.71 lbs)
- Domestic yak with a weight of 500 kilos (1102.31 lbs)
- Dromedary with a weight of 490.36 kilos (1081.06 lbs)
- Bactrian camel with a weight of 550.76 kilos (1214.22 lbs)