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Bulls move into the clan just to breed and then go back to their bachelor groups.Ĭattle in large herds tend to do everything together.
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An experienced cow leads other cows and their young in a large clan. Water buffalo handle things a bit differently. Sometimes the "bachelor" bulls form small groups of their own for protection.
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Without the protection of the larger group, they often fall prey to large carnivores. Young males that don’t manage to take over the herd must head out on their own. Within most cattle herds there can only be one bull for all the cows. Often several herds may get together during the breeding season and then go their separate ways again. These small cattle prefer to live alone or in pairs, as their thick forest habitat that is not suitable to large herds. Cape buffalo live in herds of 50 to 500 members. American bison and European bison (or wisent) usually live in groups of 10 to 20 animals. Gaur, bantengs, and forest buffalo form small herds of up to 10 animals. Safety in numbers: Herd size depends on the species. Farmers and ranchers continue to develop new breeds of cattle that will be hardier, more disease-resistant, or produce more milk. These domesticated animals are descendants of wild cattle and live throughout the world. Humans have been using cattle species such as dairy cows, yaks, and oxen for thousands of years. In areas with an increased human presence, herds may become more nocturnal to avoid stressful (and perhaps fatal) interactions. Most wild cattle are active throughout the day and into the evening. Many consider it to be the most dangerous mammal in Africa. It defends its territory and herd at all costs, killing lions, leopards, hyenas, and even humans, if needed. The Cape buffalo (also called African buffalo) has a bad temper and won’t hesitate to fight. Still, wolves, bears, lions, leopards, hyenas, and crocodiles prey on their young. Larger wild cattle species hold their own through a combination of size, teamwork, and attitude. Sheep, goats, and antelope avoid or flee from predators. Their well-developed sense of smell, along with their eyes and ears, helps them tell when danger is near. But studies have shown that they only sleep from 2 to 10 minutes at a time, and they only get about an hour’s worth of sleep in a 24-hour period! Why don’t they sleep more? Because it’s not safe! Wild cattle must always be on the lookout for danger. It may seem that cattle species don’t do much but rest and eat. But remember: there is no species called American buffalo. These days either term is correct when referring to Bison bison. But early settlers of the West referred to them as buffalo, and somehow that name stuck. Huge herds of American bison ( Bison bison) once roamed the open plains of North America. In most species, the bull is also much larger than the cow. Cape buffalo have two horns joined so that they cover the whole top of the head. Both male and female wild cattle species have horns, but the bull’s (male) horns are much larger and thicker than the cow’s (female). This group includes Asian water buffalo, African or Cape buffalo, bantengs, gaur, yaks, bison, and all domestic cattle. Horns aplenty: Wild cattle are larger members of the family Bovidae, which also includes antelope, goats, and sheep.