Physical Characteristics
The African buffalo consists of the group called The "Big Five", alongside the elephant, rhino, lion and leopard. A popular trophy among hunters, these large and often dangerous animals have inspired awe and stir the imagination of many people. Buffaloes are unpredictable and  have earned a bad reputation from hunters and other people who come in close contact with them. They can be dangerous if cornered or wounded. Though they are often thought to be savage, and have been known to ambush men on slight  provocation, they are often placid if left alone.
In Africa there is only one species of buffalo, however two distinct subspecies exist: the large savannah buffalo and the much smaller forest buffalo. The forest subspecies is only found in central and West Africa.
The Savannah buffaloes are large and heavy and so much resemble the cow. There is a great variance in their size from one animal to another, the shapes of their horns and their skin colour. Adults are usually dot a dark grey or black (or even look red or white if they have been wallowing in mud of that colour) and the young are often reddish-brown. The smaller forest buffalo maintains the red colour even as an adult, although in western Uganda, many savannah buffaloes are also red or pale orange instead of black. Adults lose hair as they age.
Both the male and female buffaloes spot heavy and ridged horns that grow in a downward curve and then up from the head. Their horns are formidable weapons used in attacking against predators and for jostling for space within the herd; males use the horns in fights for dominance.
Natural Habitat
Both the savannah and forest buffaloes live close to water pads. Generally, buffaloes are found throughout the northern and southern savannah lands as well as in the lowland rain forest.
Habits and Behaviour
Buffaloes live in herds of a few hundred, but have been known to congregate in thousands in the Serengeti national park during the rainy season. The females and their offspring make up the bulk of the herd. Males may spend much of their time in bachelor groups. These groups are of two types, those that contain males from 4 to 7 years of age and those that have males 12 years and older. The older bulls often prefer to be on their own. Males do not reach their full weight until about age 10. After this, however, their body weight and condition decline, probably because the teeth become worn.
Buffalos have a strong sense of smell - scent, however their sense of sight and hearing are both poor. Although they exhibit quietness most of the time, the animals do communicate. In mating seasons they grunt and emit hoarse bellows. A calf in danger will bellow mournfully, bringing herd members running at a gallop to defend it.
Females have their first calves at age 4 or 5. They usually calve only once every two years. Although young may be born throughout the year, most births occur in the rainy season when abundant grass improves the nutritional level for the females when they are pregnant or nursing. The female and her offspring have an unusually intense and prolonged relationship. Calves are suckled for as long as a year and during this time are completely dependent on their mothers. Female offspring usually stay in the natal herd, but males leave when they are about 4 years old.
Diet
The African buffalo is mostly nocturnal  in feeding. Grass forms the greatest part of the diet. The night feeding seems to emanate from the their inability to regulate body temperature during the hot day temperatures. Food sources play very important role than predation in regulating buffalo numbers. Without fresh green grass, buffaloes lose condition faster than other savannah animals.
Predators and Threats

In East Africa, buffaloes frequently come into conflict with humans especially outside the national parks . They often break loose from the confines of the park fences and raid cultivated crops and sometimes spread bovine diseases to livestock. Although they are still numerous in many parts of East Africa, in some areas buffaloes have been eliminated or greatly reduced in number.
Thought You Should Know

• That the African buffalo differs from the domesticated water buffalo found in other parts of the world, although they both superficially resemble one another.

• Tat the buffalo is one of the most abundant of Africa's large herbivores. It depends on water and does not live in regions with less than 10 inches of rain a year.