The
African buffalo or
Cape buffalo (
Syncerus caffer), is a large
African bovine. It is not closely related to the slightly larger
wild Asian water buffalo, and its ancestry remains unclear.
Syncerus caffer caffer, the Cape buffalo, is the typical subspecies, and the largest one, found in South and East Africa.
S. c. nanus (
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 Central Africa. The adult buffalo's horns are its characteristic feature; they have fused bases, forming a continuous bone shield referred to as a "boss". It is widely regarded as a very dangerous animal, as it gores and kills over 200 people every year.