buffalo

Buffalo is a common name for several large hoofed mammals in the Bovidae family. In scientific usage it often refers to two groups of true buffalo: the river and swamp buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) of Asia, domesticated and widely kept for milk, meat, and draft work; and the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), a wild bovine native to sub-Saharan Africa. In North America, animals commonly called buffalo are actually bison (genus Bison), notably the plains bison (Bison bison) and the wood bison (Bison athabascae). The term is widely used in everyday language, which can cause confusion between buffalo and bison.

Physical characteristics vary by group. River buffalo are large with broad horns that curve outward and upward; African buffalo have a stocky body and horns that extend outward and downward with a distinctive bony boss at the base. Plains bison are large, have a pronounced shoulder hump and a shaggy coat, and horns that curve downward and inward.

Habitat and ecology differ by group. True buffalo inhabit wetlands, grasslands, and agricultural areas across Asia and Africa; plains and wood bison occupy North American prairies and boreal forests. Diet is mainly grasses and herbaceous vegetation. Predators include large carnivores, and humans play a major role through hunting, farming, and habitat management.

Conservation and use: water buffalo are among the most important livestock species worldwide; African buffalo is protected in many areas but faces habitat loss and disease; bison have undergone extensive conservation recovery and hold cultural significance in North America.