Buffalo Breeding Project

Clean Buffalo

The term ‘Clean Buffalo’ refers to disease free buffalo. Buffalo in Southern Africa's famous Kruger National Park are carriers of Foot and Mouth Disease. The Buffalo do not die from the disease but can spread the disease.

Breeding Buffalo

Carriers of diseases that pose a national threat to South Africa’s meat and cattle industry, all captured buffalo must undergo a quarantine period in a registered facility before being translocated to a new area to be released. During this time, two batches of blood samples will have been analysed to ensure that there is no threat of an outbreak from the group.

Volunteer at our Buffalo Breeding Project

Mabulani’s Buffalo Breeding Project has established a sought-after herd of disease-free buffalo.   The strong and imposing Cape Buffalo is Africa’s only wild cattle species.  They stand up to 1.7 meters high and can weigh up to 900 kg.  Known as one of the Big Five. With its bulky build and thick horns, the African buffalo is considered to be a dangerous animal.  This reputation is enforced by its propensity to attack and even kill humans when wounded. Buffalo are common carriers of  the endemic virus “Foot and Mouth Disease and the other exotics like Protozoal Corridor disease (CD), Bovine Tuberculosis (BTB) and Brusellosis.  The survival of Cape Buffalo will be ensured by the animal's value to  trophy hunters and tourists.  This funds conservation efforts through anti- poaching patrols, crop damage payouts and breeding projects.

Threats to Buffalo

While the African Buffalo still occur in considerable numbers, populations have been greatly reduced by hunting, habitat loss and disease. In several southern parts of its range, the African buffalo has never recovered from the devastating rinderpest epidemic that struck in the 1890s, and the potential for another rinderpest outbreak continues today. Another disease, bovine tuberculosis, is also known to affect African buffalo.  A recent outbreak has impacted populations in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Outside of national parks buffalos come into contact with humans, and in some areas will break fences, raid crops and potentially spread bovine diseases to livestock, and may be persecuted as a result.

Protecting Buffalo

The survival of most of the world’s wild cattle species rely on their residing in properly protected reserves. Fortunately, the African buffalo is well represented in most national parks and protected areas. As one of the ‘Big Five’, African buffalo are sought after by tourists on safaris and by hunters, which give people economic incentive to conserve them.