BUFFALO SIGHTINGS - 2004

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LARGE HERD: APPROXIMATELY 600 ANIMALS – usually in the northern & central areas of Mala Mala
SMALL HERD: APPROXIMATELY 20 ANIMALS – southern regions of the reserve
NERVOUS HERD: 200 – 300 ANIMALS – usually in the north-eastern parts of the reserve.

The large herd of buffalo was conspicuous by its absence, until it reappeared on Mala Mala just two days before the end of this game report period.   The animals appeared to be in good condition, and no early births of calves have been recorded.  Typically, a very few calves are born as early as October, followed by a steady trickle through the summer months, with a peak of births around February, and a few late calves being born in May and June.

In the south of the reserve, the small herd of buffalo provided good, steady viewing.   As usual, sightings of these animals were often close to the Sand River.

Buffalo bulls, either single or in small groups, were seen every day.

August 2004

The larger herds of buffalo spent relatively little time on Mala Mala during August, but there was still good buffalo viewing, made up to a large extent of sightings of groups of impressive buffalo bulls.

Members of the large herd of buffalo were seen on nine occasions, while the herd of approximately 300 animals spent just 3 days on Mala Mala.   The small herd of buffalo was seen on at least 14 different days.

July 2004

The large herd of buffalo was seen on 8 occasions, mostly around the middle of the month.   With good late rains having fallen, there is plenty of surface water a long way from the Sand River, negating the need for buffaloes to come to the Sand River to drink.   There is also ample grazing throughout the reserve, and buffaloes are able to concentrate on areas further afield, which had not received much grazing pressure during the extended drought months last year.   The large herd of buffalo has, for the time being, split up into at least two sub-groups.

The small herd of buffalo provided consistently good viewing in the south of the reserve, being present for most of the month of July, and spending a lot of time along the banks of the Sand River.

There was just a single sighting of the nervous herd of buffalo, this being on the eastern boundary of the reserve, close to its northern end.

A herd of approximately 300 buffalo came into Mala Mala from the west, and these buffaloes provided fine viewing for 6 days in July.

There were regular sightings of buffalo bulls (either single or in small groups) throughout the month.

June 2004

Buffalo seen during June 2004

May 2004

May wasn't a good buffalo viewing month, with old males and the Small Herd in the south of the reserve supplying most of the sightings.

The Large Herd of buffaloes was seen on three successive days as they moved from west to east through the northern parts of the reserve, half-way through this trek picking up five young male lions which shadowed them into the Kruger National Park. But it's not surprising that this type of buffalo behaviour is witnessed at this time of year when water and grass far from the perennial Sand River and at the peripheries of the Large Herds' range are depleting.  The buffaloes seem to know that distant and relatively minor waterholes won't last into the dry season and need to be used, together with the surrounding grasslands, whilst they're still there.  Then, when there is nothing else, they'll return to the Sand River and its super-abundance of resources.

And its quite likely that this pattern of staying away from the Sand River and its immediate environs will continue for a few more weeks.  The only change which could happen would be when the first really cold nights occur and the grass starts to dry off.  Then the buffaloes might move rapidly over greater distances as they try to gobble up the last of the green leaves before being forced to depend upon the dry but still quite eatable material.  When this happens, the buffaloes might be expected to be around one day and then gone the next.  It may be a good for the lions too as the weaker buffaloes in the groups fall behind and become easier prey.

Lions mostly left the buffaloes alone this month and the only incident where one was recorded as having been killed was when five sub adult buffaloes, four males and a female, became separated from whatever herd they belonged to and, lacking group support, one was caught and killed by two male lions.

The Small Herd of buffaloes in the south spent most of their days close to the Sand River.  Having no other buffaloes regularly competing with them in this area, the twenty or so buffaloes of the Small Herd won't have to ration the grazing and water of the Sand River as carefully as the Large Herd does further to their north. What will be interesting to see is whether or not the Large Herd of buffaloes, which became familiar with the southern areas of the reserve during last years drought, returns to it and perhaps 'threatens' the exclusivity which the Small Herd currently has in this region.

April 2004

The Large Herd of Buffaloes spent little time on the reserve over this report-period - not surprising given the favourable grazing and water situation. As autumn approaches and watering holes deplete and the grasses grow slower and get drier, so it can be expected that these big herbivores will concentrate on those resources far from the perennial rivers which are most likely to disappear first.  This has been documented with other mega-herbivores too - first make use of those resources which will vanish anyway and leave for last that which is likely to be more sustainable. So perhaps this trend will continue for the next couple of months before the Sand River with its water and reed-beds becomes the focus of the herds' attention.

The buffaloes are in top condition, of course, and calving is proceeding well.  And, being so strong and having areas with food and water to retreat to if necessary, the buffaloes have been left pretty much alone by the lions.  At one stage, two old male lions followed the Large Herd for a couple of days this month before realising that they were onto a hiding for nothing and left the area without perhaps even getting the buffaloes attention. Interestingly, there were at least two occasions this month, both towards the upper parts of the Matshapiri River on northeastern Eyrefield, when members of the Large and Nervous herds amalgamated and moved together, seemingly content in each others' presence.  One wonders whether this has been a consequence of the dry conditions experienced last year when the various herds were forced to use the same resources and more or less had to meet and accommodate one another.  On these occasions, in an area usually used more by the Nervous Herd than the Large Herd, it was difficult to estimate just how many buffaloes were together in one area, but it could very well have been more than 700 animals.

Without doubt, the most consistently viewed herd of buffaloes on the reserve this month was the Small Herd of 20 or so animals and these were seen mostly in their traditional grounds of the southern parts.  Not having many mouths to feed and with a super-abundance of food, water and mud-wallows and an apparent lack of lion attention, the buffaloes of the Small Herd led a very sedentary life this month. The exact number of buffaloes in the Small Herd varies and this month counts ranged between 18 and 34 animals with four calves from this seasons crop counted with them.  The comings and goings of bulls has almost certainly been the cause for the variation in numbers and the count is probably most often closer to 20 animals.

As usual, there were also plenty of sightings of lone or small groups of buffalo bulls, either old males past their prime, or ones still not at their best, but away from the herds to take a break from the bullying which they would experience in these herds.  Quite interestingly, a single female buffalo and her less-than-two-month-old calf, separated from some or other herd approximately two months ago, have also been regularly viewed, always in the company of at least some of these 'outcast' bulls.  This mother and calf and their 'minders' have been seen on many different locations of the reserve, ranging from the north near the causeway, to as far south as the confluence of the Chellahanga and Sand Rivers.

March 2004

The only buffalo herd to be viewed with any great regularity this month was the small herd and this hung around towards the southern parts, as expected.  With conditions close to being as ideal as can be for buffaloes, there was really no great need to wander far and wide.  The only incident which these buffaloes were seen to have with any lions occurred near the end of the report-period when a single lioness from the Charleston Pride found herself in amongst them.  She very wisely showed little interest in the buffaloes and although they certainly chased her, there wasn't much aggression.

The large herd of buffaloes, on the other hand, spent relatively little time on Mala Mala and, towards the middle of March and thanks to lion harassment on the reserve and a plentiful supply of grazing and water all over the place, decided to head north over Mala Mala's northern border. A few days before they moved off the reserve, the large herd of buffaloes, or at least the majority of the animals, was found near the lower parts of the Kapen River on SW Flockfield, watched by at least fourteen lions, including two or three adult males and perhaps as many as five sub adult males.  But, in spite of such a force, the buffaloes held firm and the lions weren't seen to penetrate their defences.  The next day, however, the lions continued with their attack and the buffaloes decided to turn and run.  And so, with lions following, the buffaloes retreated, moving southwards, towards southwestern Charleston, an area of the reserve very seldom visited by the large herd of buffaloes. An injured calf near the end of the herd suggested that the lions had attacked, but had been chased off, and it was surely this wounded calf which was keeping them on the chase.  Eventually, however, the buffaloes found themselves approaching the Sand River, a natural ambush position for the lions.  Perhaps realising this, the herd stopped and faced the lions, which, also on the edge of their range and no doubt getting tired, suddenly lost the will to continue with the confrontation, turned and walked away.

Following this, the buffaloes headed even further south, into areas of the reserve which they entered for a few days last year when the drought was particularly severe and a lack of food and water supplies forced them to explore.  After recovering for a couple of days, the buffaloes turned and headed northwards, probably moving up the eastern side of the reserve, no doubt trying to skirt any lions which may have been waiting in ambush to the west. When they reached the Matshapiri River, the herd seemed to settle down, but only for a few days, before lions were once more after them, tracks suggesting a couple of male lions on this occasion.  This time the buffaloes headed northwards and were last seen crossing the northern border of Mala Mala. But at least the buffaloes have the option of retreat; with grass, water and mudholes in plentiful supply, they are wanting for nothing.  Calving appears to be proceeding well and viewing towards months beginning indicated that mating is also in full swing.  Indications are that the large herd is still moving about in two groups, one perhaps three or four times as large as the other.

There was only one sighting of the 'nervous herd' of buffaloes, and this on eastern Flockfield, an area not really associated with this group.

February 2004

Thanks to the good late-season rains which have fallen, the buffaloes suddenly have a fine year ahead of them, this completely in contrast to what was the case for most of last year.  Not only is grass super-abundant, but waterholes are filled and streams running - as close to ideal as it can get for buffaloes.  Under such conditions, the only rapid, long-distance travel which buffaloes could be expected to undertake would be when they are pursued by lions.  Under current conditions, when the buffaloes are fit and healthy, this is unlikely.

The large herd of buffaloes spent the month in two units, one numbering approximately 100 animals, the other, larger group the remainder of the herd.  These two groups were not seen to interact and almost moved around the reserve as if they were deliberately trying to avoid one another.  This pattern of movement and herd-break-up is expected from the large herd of buffaloes at this time of year.

Calving appears to be going well, although there are perhaps not quite the number of new-borns as can be expected following a more normal rainfall year.

The small herd of buffaloes, which typically stays towards the southern areas of the reserve, also appeared to have a very normal month, wandering around the area, enjoying the sudden abundance of resources.

The 'nervous' herd of buffaloes appears to have amalgamated, and seems to have moved back to the northeastern parts of the reserve, the area where they apparently feel more at home.  During the months of dry conditions which characterised 2003, this herd fragmented and was forced to use resources in areas where they typically don't venture.

In short, conditions close to normal appear to have returned to the every-day life of the buffaloes in the area.

January 2004

The best news for the buffaloes (and other animals for that matter) was that good rains fell in the first month of this year.  These rains weren't only sufficient to get the grass growing again, but also enough to fill water-holes away from the river. In a matter of only a few weeks, Mala Mala has been transformed from a nearly barren wasteland to a lush savannah and the buffaloes have been making the most of it, using those parts of their range that up until now they really had no or only very limited access to. As a result, buffalo herds wandered far and wide.  They also remained divided into the sub-groups which formed during the dry period of 2003 and one wonders when they will regroup again.

Although quite a number of calves have been born (a birth was witnessed on one occasion this month), things are not in full swing yet and if this is to occur, perhaps it will be seen next month.  But, with the dry conditions seen last year during the mating period, perhaps this year will see only a small crop of calves produced compared with previous years. One interesting sighting involving a small calf was of it being attacked by another cow whilst its mother looked on and made no attempt to intervene.  The young calf was tossed into the air several times by the attacking cow and finally left lying on the ground, apparently quite badly injured.  It wasn't seen with the herd that afternoon.  On this same day, lions killed an adult female buffalo close to where the rest of the herd was grazing and although they didn't intervene then (the cow was caught on its own by the lions), they arrived later and chased the lions from the carcass and then nuzzled the dead buffalo and tried to raise it again.

Sub-groups of both the 'large herd' and 'nervous herd' stayed mostly towards the northern and eastern parts of the reserve this month. Lions worried the buffaloes on some occasions, particularly towards the beginning of the month, before the benefits of the good grazing kicked in, but, thereafter, they appeared to have had a relatively easy time.

The small herd of buffaloes wasn't seen very often this month, perhaps due to an incident at the very beginning of the report-period when lions attacked them.  The lions tried repeatedly to catch a young calf, but were beaten off every time and finally abandoned the attempt.  But for the buffaloes, this must have been quite traumatic and they vanished for over three weeks before reappearing on the reserve again.

Throughout the month there were many sightings of groups of buffalo bulls, some of these nearly two-dozen strong.  With mating season within the herds of buffaloes not yet on the go, this abundance of bachelor males is not unexpected.  Of all the buffaloes, these ones in particular seem to enjoy the wallowing opportunities provided by the recent rains.

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