Buffaloes, including African and Asian species, are large herbivorous mammals whose diets center on plant matter. While American Bison are sometimes called buffalo, this article focuses on the African and Asian species. Their reliance on vegetation is key to their ecological roles in native habitats, from African savannas to Asian wetlands.
Primary Forage
A buffalo’s diet primarily consists of roughage. Both African and Asian buffaloes are grazers, consuming significant quantities of grasses, sedges, and other herbaceous plants. They possess specialized adaptations, such as a wide incisor row and a mobile tongue, allowing them to efficiently crop large amounts of grass. Their diet can also include leaves and shoots from shrubs and trees, particularly when preferred grasses are less available.
Buffaloes, especially African buffalo, are considered “bulk grazers” due to their consumption of large quantities of coarse vegetation. This strategy allows them to thrive on pastures too tough or tall for other herbivores. The specific types of grasses they consume can vary seasonally, with certain species becoming more important during dry periods.
Species-Specific Diets
While both African and Asian buffaloes are primarily grazers, their diets vary based on habitat. African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) largely prefer coarse, tall grasses, clearing pathways for more selective feeders. Their diet can consist of 75-100% grass, though they may incorporate more browse, such as woody shrubs, during dry seasons or in woodlands. During dry periods, African buffalo might consume less digestible forage like tall robust grasses, sedges, and reeds.
Asian Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), found in wetlands and floodplains, have a more varied diet including significant aquatic vegetation. They feed on marsh grasses, reeds, and other aquatic plants, and can even graze underwater during floods. In addition to grasses, their diet may also include herbs, leaves, bark, and sometimes agricultural crops like rice or sugarcane, potentially leading to human-wildlife conflict. Wild water buffalo have been observed consuming water hyacinth, an invasive aquatic plant.
Grazing Habits and Water Needs
Buffaloes dedicate a substantial portion of their day to grazing. They are ruminants, possessing a multi-chambered stomach system that allows them to efficiently digest fibrous plant material. After initial ingestion, they regurgitate and re-chew their food, known as cud, to further break it down and extract more nutrients. This rumination process, coupled with microbial action in their rumen, enables them to utilize complex carbohydrates like cellulose found in grasses.
Water is important for the diet and survival of buffaloes. They require daily access for hydration and to aid digestion. African buffalo, for instance, can consume up to 35 liters in minutes. Water buffalo often spend hot parts of the day wallowing in mudholes or submerging themselves, with only their nostrils and eyes exposed. This helps regulate their body temperature and offers protection from insects.