Is the African buffalo a dangerous animal?
The reason early trophy hunters included the African buffalo, as one of the big five is that they were considered to be one of the most dangerous species to hunt. When hunted by humans, buffalo have a reputation for circling back on their pursuers and counter attacking. Old males tend to wander solitary or to form small groups of up to about half a dozen and are probably more easily provoked into an attack. The reason relates to the fact that they lack the safety in numbers of the bigger herds. Buffalo in herds are placid, although some old bulls are easily angered and prone to charge when disturbed. How is dominance established in a large herd? The pecking order is established when the bulls start with a number of ritualized threats. Intention to confront is signaled by a head high pose with its nose pointing downwards and its shoulders hunched. If the bull wants to emphasize its size it may stand sideways to its opponent. A submissive buffalo will hold its head low and horizontal so
