What is the scientific name of the African buffalo?

The African buffalo’s scientific name is Syncerus caffer.

Syncerus caffer is a large bovine native to sub-Saharan Africa. Unlike the domestic water buffalo, which belongs to the genus Bubalus, the African buffalo is the only living species in the genus Syncerus. It is therefore a distinct wild cattle relative, not simply an African version of a farm buffalo.

Several forms or subspecies are recognized, including the large Cape buffalo of eastern and southern Africa, the smaller forest buffalo, and intermediate populations. Their size, horn shape, and coat color vary across habitats, but all are powerful grazers that can live in grasslands, woodlands, and forest edges.

The species is famous for its heavy horns, which meet across the forehead in mature adults to form a hardened shield called a boss. That feature helps distinguish adult African buffalo from many other bovids. Despite their bulky appearance, buffalo can run quickly and are strongly social, often traveling in herds.