The horns of the cape buffalo are an excellent indication of age and gender. The females and young males do not have the hard shielding that protects the base of the skull in large adult males. Both sexes have a separate hierarchy, with males dominant over females. Members of the same subgroup will stay in direct contact with each other and will often sleep with their heads resting on one another. The African buffalo, which is often confused with the Asian water buffalo, shares many of the same characteristics but is considered a separate species.
Cape buffalo are always within a day's walk of a water source.
This is especially true in the dry season when they are eating dried grasses. Cape buffalo have the reputation of being dangerous when they are cornered or injured. There are many tales told by big game hunters earlier this century of injuried buffalo turning back and goring or killing the shooter. Ecology and Conservation Cape buffalo, by living in large herds and eating tall coarse grasses, play a vital role in the ecology of the grasslands. Many of the smaller grazers are unable to digest the tall grasses, and the tall grasses may prevent them from getting to the shorter, more palatable grasses in the absence of buffalo.