Adventures in South Africa: March of the Buffalo

It's always a game of chance when you drive through a game park looking for animals, like we did in Addo Elephant Park in South Africa. You might be in a park full of animals but see absolutely nothing. Or you might see everything. It just depends on who's out and about that day. When there's no fences, you never know who you're going to run into on the road, either.



Rounding the corner of the dirt road, we just about ran right into the noses of a group of rather grumpy looking buffalo. From all the people I've talked to who know (and some who don't), buffalo aren't the sort of creatures you want to encounter up close and personal. They can be mean and unpredictable. Thus my worry when we saw them coming right at us only a few yards away. I think my intelligent, cool-minded advice to my friend who was driving was “Back up! Back up!”.
We scooted away around a corner and stopped, only to see them marching, purposefully and at a good pace, towards us again. We did get out of there pretty quickly, but later learned from a park official that my advice was wrong.

So here it is: If you ever encounter a group of buffalo while driving through a game reserve (or maybe anywhere else, for that matter), DON'T back up. Stop your car and sit very still while they walk around your car. They won't bash your car in. But please don't blame me if you ever have to check if your car insurance covers “damage due to mad buffalo” because you took my advice!