Letter To The Editor

I'd like to make a small correction to the informative article on the Fermilab buffalo herd in the October 1, 1999, edition of FermiNews, which refers to water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) as being native to Africa and Asia. The water buffalo is native to Asia, but introduced into Africa during Roman times (see A Field Guide to the Mammals of Africa, T. Haltenorth and H. Dille). Its range is very limited, and the present population is reported to be the descendents of three survivors, the rest of the population having been shot in 1957. Much more common in Africa is the African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) with a number of subspecies of which the Cape Buffalo is the largest (up to 800 kg) and the most widespread. The African buffalo are, like the bison, unpredictable, and reportedly are responsible for more human deaths than are lions.

Phil Martin

(Phil Martin is Deputy Head of Fermilab's Beams Division.)