Buffalo.

[TStone]

It’s interesting what emotions or intentions people project onto animals, because they don’t work that way. We view them from a point of our own knowledge matrix nothing more, as you see in videos where tourists act stupidly around wild animals and gets mauled or trampled because they don’t treat wild animals with respect.

I visited a private reserve once with buffalo and lion and many different animals, some you could interact with. I always find it curious to see other people’s responses or perceptions when it comes to something they don’t know or understand.

In this picture I only see a buffalo looking at a human, with no expression or anything other than wondering why the human stopped to look at it.

People also forget that animals, like humans, are individuals. This particular bull, along with two other bulls have been living in close proximity to my house for the past month. While we stay out of their fight or flight zones and are careful around them, they have never exhibited any aggression. They come around to drink and use the salt lick every morning and every afternoon, ignoring my dogs and human activity.
On the other hand, there is another bull, living in a valley in a remote part of the reserve, who have chased vehicles and once chased me up a large rock while I was hunting on foot.

And then, of course, the behaviour of any animal can change very quickly for various reasons. Cows with small calves, or bulls fighting each other for dominance are unpredictable. As an example, the three bulls now living like best buddies around my house will, in the presence of a hot cow, try their level best to kill each other, or anything that get in their way.

Not all buffalo are aggressive killing machines at all times but all of them have the potential to become that, although it very rarely happens. So, understanding their behaviour and respecting them are important.

[oafpatroll]

It’s interesting what emotions or intentions people project onto animals, because they don’t work that way. We view them from a point of our own knowledge matrix nothing more, as you see in videos where tourists act stupidly around wild animals and gets mauled or trampled because they don’t treat wild animals with respect.

I put that down to their parents outsourcing their upbringing to the Disney Channel.

[TStone]

With buffalo, specifically, there are a few signs to watch for. If a bull starts urinating in short spurts with his willy jerking back and forth, he is, well, pissed off and it is a good idea to take evasive action. Most buffalo will curl their tails over their backs just before they start a charge, and most buffalo will make a barking/coughing sound just before they charge.