Female buffalo and her most recent offspring, Virunga National Park, Congo (Democratic Republic)

"The park includes: part of Lake Edward (Lake Rutangize), the Semliki River valley, parts of the Rwindi, Ishasha and Rutshuru valleys south of the lake, the Virunga area within former Zaïre, and part of the Rwenzori (Ruwenzori) range. Lake Edward belongs to the Nile river system and Lake Kivu to the Congo Basin river system. Some of the largest wild animal concentrations in Africa occur along the rivers of the park. Mammals in the savanna of the Rwindi area include: elephant, hippopotamus, buffalo (Syncerus caffer), numerous antelope including kob Kobus kob thomasi and Defassa waterbuck K.defassa, warthog, lion, spotted hyena, bushbuck, and various monkeys. Syncerus caffer breeds throughout the year in some areas, but births tend to be seasonal where rainfall is limited (Nowak, 1991). Gestation is approximately 340 days long, after which a single calf (rarely two) is born (Buchholtz, 1990; Nowak, 1991). An interbirth interval of two years is normal (Kingdon, 1997). Young are born reddish-brown or blackish-brown in color, and have a thick covering of hair (Buchholtz, 1990; Nowak, 1991). Birth weights for the species average 40 kilograms (Nowak, 1991). Calves share a strong bond with their mothers, who will protect their infant even when directly threatened by a predator (Kingdon, 1997; Alden et al., 1995). Calves are weaned around six months of age, and reach sexual maturity between 3.5 and 5 years of age (Buchholtz, 1990; Nowak, 1991)." This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon traveled to Africa from March 17, 1970 to July 17, 1970.