SANParks.org Forums

Hi everyone,

I have heard of big herds of buf. in KNP. I've read about herds up to 600 head. Is it true? If yes, I would like to know we to look for them?

Thanx TV

If you had asked me that question after my first visit I would have laughed and said there are only 9 buffs in Kruger! (Needed buff to complete the big 5, and none to be found till almost the last day.)

But now.... I've seen huge herds near Letaba on the S46 (That's the sandroad towards Engelhard dam), again a huge herd on Mahonie loop (around Punda Maria) and on the H1-6 above Mopani.

Oh yes! It is very true and in fact herds bigger than 600 individuals have been seen.

Good spots to find these large herds would be Satara and Mopani. I've seen them there before. As well as between Croc Bridge and Lower Sabie. Found a herd 300 strong there once.

Hi TV - there have been sightings by forum members of herds of at least 1000. I personally have seen a herd of 900 near Satara (this count was confirmed by the TB researches at the sighting). And I believe there was a herd of about 500 at Punda Maria last night

The very big herd - hitting 1000 was seen near Croc Bridge.

There's a big herd south of Shingwedzi - not sure of the exact numbers but at least a couple of hundred.

Also seen a huge herd at Lower Sabie - drinking in front of the camp. Would also have been a couple of hundred.

Hallo tsetse vlieg.

We got stuck in a herd crossing the road on the S28. Waited more than an hour and still they kept coming. Felt like much more than 600!
The H4-2 were covered in dung the next morning, we could hardly drive.

There is always buffalo at Mopani. If you stay at Mopani for a week or so you get so use to the buffalo they become like your morning coffee.

You'll know when you're close to a big herd - the tar road turns a different colour and texture!

Poop like you've never seen!

I must admit, during my trip in June I was beginning to wonder what had happened to the big herds of buffalo that I recalled from the 70's and 80's - up until we went north to Shingwedzi we only saw the odd two or three together.

However, about 20 klicks south of Shingwedzi on the main road we came across a herd of between 300 and 400 on the move - it was great to see.

I have seen huge herds myself.

But keep in mind that Buffalo actually live in family groups. Within that huge heard, there is a lot of smaller units, that keep together. When environmental circumstance dictate the herd will split in to smaller units.

A huge heard is not a stable unit!

I saw a herd of at least 300-400 strong between Olifants and Letaba...Scariest day of my life yeeesh

That reminds me of the big heard that we came across in March 'o8 on the corner of S93 & S44 at Olifants. They were scattered over both roads and caused a backup of about 5 cars. One of the 4x4 oaks decided that he wasnt going to wait and drove in between them, soon all the other cars followed. We watched how the buffalo scattered. Not even a minute afterwards 2 beautiful male lions crossed the road write in front of our car, they were following the buffalo!

I have had a wonderful experience with a big herd while we were walking near Sandrivier one day. When they spot you, they do the usual buffalo thing ... they come and have a look! We watched them for a while and they watched us.

When we decided to move on (we were clearly more interesting to them than them to us!) they started following us. This is a natural reaction ... keep the predator in sight so that it cannot surprise you.

Anyway, there us 10 were walking followed by say 250 - 300 buffalo. It was then that we walked in to three rhino. So we had to wait, rhino in front, buffalo at the back.

Eventually the rhino moved of, and we went through a gully, which persuaded the buffalo to remain behind.

It was actually wonderful ... no aggression ... only different species interacting in a mutually curios fashion!

This was just down the road from Lower Sabie in June.

Must have been a great experience Imberbe - you would've been fairly focused

Great thread with great informative comments.. as usual.