Giant African buffalo

when did it become extinc:3060-2470 BCE

***Syncerus antiquus***, is an extinct species of bovid from the Pleistocene of Africa. It was one of the largest species in its family, potentially weighing up to 2,000 kilograms (4,400 lb). Due to this fact, it is sometimes known as the **African giant buffalo**. *Syncerus antiquus* became extinct at the end of the Late Pleistocene about 12,000 years ago or even during the Holocene, some 4,000 years ago.

Taxonomy:*Syncerus antiquus* was described by Georges Louis Duvernoy in 1851 from a skull discovered along the Bou Sellam River near the city of Sétif, Algeria. It was found at one meter in depth, when excavating the foundations of a new mill, and subsequently sent to Paris. Duvernoy believed this species to be closely related to the Asian water buffalo *(Bubalus bubalis)* and classified it as *Bubalus antiquus*. Several other fossils of *S. antiquus* were described under the names *Bubalus bainii* and *Bubalus nilssoni*.

In 1949, Dorothy Bate recognized that these buffaloes were conspecific and not related to *Bubalus*. She placed these fossils in a new genus, *Homoioceras*. However, the type species of *Homoiceros* was found to be synonymous with the Cape buffalo, invalidating the genus. It was subsequently moved to *Pelorovis* in 1978. However, a link with the living Cape buffalo has been noted based on morphological and systematic grounds, and since 1994 it has been suggested that *P. antiquus* be moved into *Syncerus.* This proposal has since gained widespread acceptance.

Description:*Syncerus antiquus* holds the distinction of being the largest bovid described from the African continent. According to Auguste Pomel, who was able to examine numerous fossils in Algeria, *S. antiquus* may have reached 3 metres (9.8 ft) in length from muzzle to the end of the tail, 1.85 metres (6.1 ft) in height at the withers, and 1.7 metres (5.6 ft) in height at the hindquarters. It probably weighed about 1,200 kilograms (2,600 lb) on average, though the largest males could have potentially attained weights of up to 2,000 kilograms (4,400 lb).

One of the defining features of *Syncerus antiquus* are its massive horns. The largest horn cores can reach sizes of as much as 3 metres (9.8 ft) from tip to tip. The horns resembled those of the Wild Water Buffalo in shape.

Distribution:This buffalo had the broadest geographic distribution of any recently extinct species of African bovid, being widespread throughout eastern, southern and northern Africa. Material has been dated to the Late Pleistocene, between 107 and 13 ka.

However, rock art from North Africa seemingly depicting *Syncerus antiquus* suggests that this species survived into the Holocene. Possible fossils of *S. antiquus* have been found in Holocene deposits, but these may instead belong to domestic cattle or Aurochs.

Recent survival and extinction:A large amount of rock art has been found illustrating the species *Syncerus antiquus* in the Maghreb, the Atlas, the Sahara and near to the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of North Africa. The art is found in a wide band stretching from Tunisia through Algeria to Morocco. This art not only indicates that the buffalo may have survived until recent times, it also indicates these animals were being actively hunted with spears, possibly by the first of the Berber peoples.

Its extinction has been variously attributed to human predation, climatic change, or some combination of the two.