The hard, fused horn structure on an African buffalo’s forehead is called a boss.
In the Cape buffalo, the horns grow outward from the head and develop a broad central shield, or boss, across the forehead. In mature males, the bosses can become especially solid and prominent, creating heavy protection during fights and defence. Females also have horns, but their bosses are generally less massive.
Cape buffalo use their horns for defence against predators and in conflicts with other buffalo. Large herds can react collectively when a member is threatened, making the species one of the most formidable animals encountered on safari.
The Cape buffalo is a subspecies or regional form of the African buffalo, depending on the classification system used. It is not the same species as the domesticated water buffalo found in Asia. The word “boss” here refers to the fused horn base, not to social rank or an individual leader.