The Ornery Cape Buffalo

Meet one of the orneriest critters in the bush, the predictably unpredictable Cape Buffalo, who shares the title of 'the most dangerous animal in the bush' with the hippopotamus - both herbivores, btw.

Look at this big boy's face. The coffee brown eyes highlighted with age lines might make one think this nearly 1-ton brute is a wise old man. The creased, wide-nostrilled, wet nose designed to sniff out the most delicious grasses atop a mere slit of a mouth built for munching and crunching looks normal enough - for a buffalo. And how about the droopy, scarred ear that reveals a history of a fight or two, or three. Maybe more. But the headdress is what makes this creature magnificent and dangerous. Hard as granite and sharp as a spear, even lions shy away from the horns of fully grown buffalos.

They are slow stepping, tail swishing, peaceful grazers that might make an uninformed human passer-by consider approaching to say a little hello. That would be a big NO!

With superior strength and a hissy-fit attitude, this volatile animal scares even the most seasoned rangers because they don't warn when they charge. Elephants, lions, and most predators will false charge, do a little 'I'm gonna get you' dance to alert humans to back off. Not buffalo; when they come, there is no stopping them, and unless there's a nearby scoot-upable tree, the target needs to run like a demon is chasing them.

The most dangerous buffalos are called 'Dagga Boys' - grumpy old farts, kicked out from the main herd because they can't do the things they used to do - fight, mate, and wield control. So, they wander off alone, find partnerships with others like them, and spend their days roaming the landscape and wallowing in mud holes to keep cool.

But even the most irascible being needs a friend. In this guy's case, its symbiotic mate is the helpful and annoying, little, tick-picking Oxpecker. I loved seeing the natural pesticide flitting about this buffalo's giant head because there was not one dang thing this mighty, hard-headed dude could do to get rid of his bothersom buddy!

I guess that means, no matter who we are, we are all vulnerable to the little annoyances, even if they are good for us, that are outside of our control. Accept, and move on!

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