The Clash - Two African buffalo bulls lock horns in a brief contest of strength on the fringes of a large herd in Thornybush Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger.
Two African buffalo bulls test their strength on the fringes of a large herd in Thornybush Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger.
The first sound was the heavy scraping of hooves against the ground, followed by a sharp crack as two enormous heads banged together. The bulls pushed against one another, twisting their thick, powerful necks, their curved horns briefly locking before they separated and came together again.
It was a warm early morning in Thornybush Nature Reserve, in the Greater Kruger area, and the heat was already seeping through the bush. We had come across a large herd of African buffalo, scattered amongst the grass and surrounding veld vegetation. On the fringes of the herd, two bulls had become involved in what appeared to be a little test of strength, pushing and jostling each other with considerable enthusiasm.
Watching these great animals at such close quarters was quite something. Buffalo have an extraordinary physical presence, with their thickset shoulders, muscular necks and heavy, dark hides. Their magnificent curved horns sweep outwards and upwards from the head, with the mature bulls developing thick, hardened bases known as bosses. These provide considerable protection during contests with other males, particularly when several hundred kilograms of buffalo come together with some force like this.
To me, the two bulls appeared to be practising, testing one another's strength and perhaps establishing a little understanding of where each stood. There was plenty of pushing and twisting, and once or twice their heads met with a surprisingly loud crack. I could hear their hooves digging into the ground as they braced themselves, each animal leaning its enormous weight against the other.
For all the apparent aggression, there was also something oddly playful about the exchange.
This sort of sparring is quite normal amongst male African buffalo, although the behaviour does serve a serious purpose. Buffalo are highly social animals, and the relationships between males are influenced by age, physical condition and dominance. Bulls frequently test one another through displays, pushing and horn-locking, often without progressing to anything particularly dangerous. Genuine fights are much less common, but when they do occur, the consequences can be severe.
A fully grown African buffalo bull is a formidable animal, sometimes weighing more than 800 kilograms. Yet despite their reputation for strength and aggression, buffalo live within surprisingly complex social arrangements. Large mixed herds consist mostly of females, calves and younger animals, together with varying numbers of adult bulls. As males mature, many begin spending periods away from these herds in smaller bachelor groups, returning to mixed herds, particularly when breeding opportunities arise. Older bulls can also become more solitary, sometimes gathering in small groups often referred to in South Africa as dagga boys.
I find large buffalo herds quite fascinating to watch. There is a wonderful mixture of bulk, movement and individual behaviour amongst them. Hundreds of animals may be feeding or resting across a relatively small area, yet within the herd there are constant interactions, changing associations and subtle displays that are easily overlooked.
Their importance extends well beyond their impressive physical appearance and dangerous reputation. African buffalo, Syncerus caffer, are amongst the great grazers of the African savannah. They feed extensively on grasses, including the taller, coarser growth that some other grazing animals are less able to digest. As large herds move through the landscape, their grazing and trampling influence the condition of the grasslands, while their dung helps return valuable nutrients to the soil.
In a place such as Kruger, these animals are an important part of the wider ecological system. Their movements are influenced by the availability of grass and water, particularly as the seasons change, and their presence supports one of the most important predator-prey relationships in the African bush.
That was particularly evident on this morning because, not far from where the bulls were sparring, a pride of lions was quietly observing the herd.
Lions are among the few predators capable of bringing down a fully grown buffalo, although doing so is a dangerous undertaking. Buffalo are powerful, determined animals, capable of defending themselves with considerable force, and an adult bull is certainly no easy prey. Lions sometimes hunt cooperatively to take on buffalo, which have also been known to turn on their attackers, driving them away or occasionally inflicting serious injuries.
Interestingly, research conducted in Kruger has found that adult bulls living in bachelor groups face a substantially higher risk of lion predation than buffalo in mixed herds. Their smaller groups may offer greater opportunities to feed and recover their physical condition, but they can also leave the animals more exposed to predators.
It added an interesting twist to the scene. The two powerful bulls were absorbed in their own little contest, while nearby sat animals for whom buffalo could represent a substantial meal. I had seen the relationship between predator and prey unfold more directly during a wild dog hunt in Sabi Sand, but here it was present in a quieter way, with nothing particularly dramatic happening between the animals at that moment.
After a few brief exchanges, the two bulls then stopped. They stood almost motionless for about a minute, their great bodies close together, before one of them turned and moved on as though the confrontation had been nothing out of the ordinary.
I enjoyed this sudden change in behaviour. One moment there had been the forceful pushing of enormous animals, the sound of hooves digging into the ground and the unmistakable crack of their heads meeting. The next, everything was relatively quiet, if not peaceful, again.
When working on this image afterwards, I deliberately darkened the surrounding bush, concentrating the light on the powerful forms of the two animals and the physical intensity of their encounter. Although it had taken place in the warm early-morning light, I wanted to give that brief exchange a stronger visual presence, allowing the curves of their bodies, the heavy horns and the point of contact to emerge from the darkness.
I call this photograph The Clash.
It seemed an appropriate title for those few seconds of extraordinary strength and movement. Two buffalo had tested each other, exchanged a couple of powerful blows, and then quietly gone about their morning.
And somewhere nearby, the lions were still watching.
