This sighting was the first natural birth Morné had seen in 14 years as a field guide.
Watch The Sighting:
Morné heard there was a herd of buffalo in the area, and so they drove to the sighting where they found a large herd of Cape Buffalo close to a thicket next to a dry riverbed. This was when the miracle began to unfold.
Buffalo Female Readies Herself To Give Birth
A female buffalo in the herd had positioned her legs slightly apart. Her stance was noticed by the viewers, and they soon realised she was standing this way for a good reason.
“We looked and realized that we could see the feet of a calf sticking out; she was giving birth,” he said.
Calf’s Hooves Emerge As Mother Travails In Labour
In awe, they decided to wait it out and watch the mom-to-be give birth.
“The sun was setting fast, night was coming. Night brings predators to life, so the thought of hyenas and lions passing by created a lot of tension and excitement as to what was going to happen next,” he said.
It was a breathtaking moment when the tiny hooves of the new calf started to show. They were much smaller than mom’s, and two spindly limbs could be seen jutting out, as the female buffalo continued with the birthing process.
World Welcomes New Buffalo Calf
The slithery newborn soon slid to the ground, wet and ready to be tended by mom.
The buffalo mother quickly attended to the calf, cleaning it up with gentleness. This act of licking the calf is typical for new buffalo mothers, strengthening the bond between mother and calf.
Cape buffalo females give birth to one calf at a time, which they will then raise. The calves weigh about 30 to 60 kilograms.
Female buffalo are incredibly maternal and have been known to adopt orphaned calves and raise them as their own.
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The magnificent animals are also highly sociable creatures. Their herds usually contain around 10 to 20 members.
Their herds typically consist of many females, their calves, and a smaller number of males. The females in the herd are usually related to each other.
More ‘Firsts’ Follow Miracle Moment
Morné explains that watching the birth wasn’t the end of the miracle. The miracle of life had just started for the little one.
He said they continued to watch the mother and her calf for long enough to see the newborn buffalo stand to its feet for the first time, and then suckle for the first time.
Unfortunately, these were the only firsts they got to witness. “We had to leave as it was getting too dark,” he said. “It was fantastic to experience this out in the wild, but sharing it with guests made it even better.”
No doubt, Morné will never forget this miracle moment, which was certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.