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BUFFALO Worksheet
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Buffalo are the largest animals found in North America and can grow to 6-7 feet long, weighing up to 2,000lbs. True buffalo only live in Asia and Africa.

See the fact file below for more information on Buffalos or alternatively download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Buffalo Facts

COMMON NAME: Water Buffalo

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Bubalus bubalis

TYPE: Mammals

DIET: Herbivores

GROUP NAME: Herd

AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: Up to 25 years

SIZE: Head and body, 8 to 9 ft; tail 2 to 3.3 ft

WEIGHT: 1,500 to 2,650 lbs

  • Buffalo most commonly refers to Bubalina, a kind of wild cow, including most “Old World” buffalo, such as the water buffalo.
  • Bubalina also includes the different kinds of true buffalo species. These include: 
    • African buffalo, 
    • Anoas, 
    • Wild water buffalo, (including water buffalo, which is the domesticated variant).
  • Currently, buffalos can be found naturally in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
  • Domestic and feral populations have been introduced to Europe, America, and Australia.
  • Bubalinans have an extensive fossil record where remains have been found in much of Afro-Eurasia.
  • Buffaloes have a large hump on their back.
  • Bison are not members of the Bubalina.
  • To sustain its bulk, buffalo eat a lot of grass and therefore depend more on quantity than quality.
  • Buffalo are able to digest taller and coarser grass than most other ruminants.
  • They have a wide muzzle and a row of incisor teeth that enable them to take big bites and can use the tongue to bundle grass before swallowing it. 
  • When there is not enough grass to eat, or it isn’t very nutritious, buffaloes will browse woody vegetation. 
  • Buffalo are generally very sociable. African buffalo is one of the few ruminants that like to lie down touching each other.
  • Herds consist of both males and females. The females form smaller clans with their babies. 
  • All-male herds are predominately old and sedentary, as are lone bulls.
  • There is no real season for calves to be born – they can be born year-round after nine months of gestation.
  • Buffalo are protective and can be aggressive. They will work together to defend their members from predators. They have been known to kill lions that have attacked one of their herd.
  • Thick brown fur keeps them warm on the frigid and frozen plains during the winter months.
  • Buffalo can live to be 30 years old.

The African Buffalo

  • The African buffalo is a very robust species. 
  • Its shoulder height can range from 1.0 to 1.7 m (3.3 to 5.6 ft).
  • Its head-and-body length can range from 1.7 to 3.4 m (5.6 to 11.2 ft). 
  • The tail can range from 70 to 110 cm (28 to 43 in) long.
  • The front hooves of the buffalo are wider than the rear, which is associated with the need to support the weight of the front part of the body, which is heavier and more powerful than the back.
  • The adult African buffalo’s horns are its characteristic feature.
  • They have fused bases, forming a continuous bone shield across the top of the head referred to as a “boss”. 
  • It is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous animals on the African continent, and according to some estimates it gores, tramples, and kills over 200 people every year.
  • The African buffalo is not an ancestor of domestic cattle and is only distantly related to other larger bovines. 
  • Its unpredictable temperament may have been part of the reason that the African buffalo has never been domesticated, unlike its Asian counterpart, the water buffalo.
  • Natural predators of adult African buffaloes include hyenas, lions, and crocodiles.
  • As a member of the “big five game”, the Cape buffalo is a sought-after trophy in hunting.
  • The African buffalo is susceptible to many diseases, including those shared with domestic cattle, such as foot and mouth disease and bovine tuberculosis.
  • As with many diseases, these problems remain dormant within a population as long as the health of the animals is good. 
  • Some disease-free buffaloes in South Africa have been sold to breeders for close to US$130,000.

The Wild Water Buffalo

  • The wild water buffalo, also called Asian buffalo, Asiatic buffalo and wild Asian buffalo, is native to Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
  • It has been listed as endangered since 1986, as the remaining population totals less than 4,000. 
  • The global population has been estimated at 3,400 individuals, of which 3,100 (91%) live in India. 
  • The wild water buffalo is the most probable ancestor of the domestic water buffalo.
  • The wild water buffalo has an ash-gray to black skin. 
  • Both sexes carry horns that are heavy at the base and widely spread up to 2 m (79 in) along the outer edges, exceeding in size the horns of any other living bovid.
  • The average weight of a wild water buffalo is  900 kg (2,000 lb).
  • It is among the heaviest living wild bovid species.

Anoas

  • Anoa, also known as dwarf buffalo, is a subgenus of Bubalus.
  • It lives in undisturbed rainforest and is similar in appearance to miniature water buffalo.
  • It weighs 150–300 kg (330–660 lb).
  • Its horns are peculiar for their upright direction and comparative straightness.
  • White spots are sometimes present below the eyes and there may be white markings on the legs and back.
  • The horns of the cows are very small. 
  • The nearest allies of the anoa appear to be certain extinct Asian buffaloes.

Buffalo Products

  • Buffalo hides have been used for many years for clothing, blankets and shelters.
  • Their meat is used for food, and bones have been used for tools and toys.
  • Horns have been used for cups and spoons while tendons were used for thread and bowstrings. 
  • Buffalo’s milk is produced in commercial quantities in some countries, particularly India. 
  • Water buffalo have been domesticated for more than 5,000 years, used in plowing and transporting people and crops.

Buffalo Worksheets

This bundle contains 11 ready-to-use Buffalo Worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about one of the largest animals found in North America. Buffalos usually weigh up to 2000 lbs.

Download includes the following worksheets

  1. Buffalo Facts

Buffalo Breeds

  1. Buffalo Wordfind
  2. State Find

Bison Latifrons

  1. Bison Word Creator
  2. Buffalo Hunting Research
  3. 100% Useful

Holy Buffalo!

  1. The Legend of White Buffalo
  2. Reading Comprehension

The Buffalo Life

  1. Coloring the Herd
  2. Buffalo Maze

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Buffalo big or small?

 Buffalo are very large and can weigh up to 2,000lbs (1,200 kg ).

Do Buffalo make good pets?

Although they aren’t usually violent, unpredictable temperament deems buffalo unsuitable as a pet.

What color are buffalo?

Buffalo have ash-gray to black skin and brown fur ranging from light to dark.

Are buffalo mammals?

Yes, buffalo are mammals. They warm-blooded, give birth to live young and nurse them with milk.

Is Buffalo Bill a real buffalo?

No, Buffalo Bill is not a buffalo. It was the nickname of William Cody, an American buffalo hunter.

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Link will appear as Buffalo Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 25, 2017

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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