Most Dangerous Animal.

Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 3 January 1940, Page 8

Most Dangerous Animal.

The roost dangerous of .all animals is the buffalo,, which is fierce and vindictive, as well as extraordinarily powerful. The bull buffalo will attack, though unprovoked, and only, death can stop its rush. "A buffalo," says Sir Samuel Baker, "if not killed will assuredly destroy its adversary- There is no creature in e&isfcence that is so determined'to stamp out the life of its opponents, and the intensity of its fury is mi surpassed when a wounded bull-buffalo rushes forward upon the last desperate charge." ; A: lion will rarely attack a buffalo single-handed, and even then it generally gets the 'worstof the encounter. Instances have been known of elephants being knocked down and of. tigers trampled by buffaloes. .. The African-buffalo frequents marshes and rivers and wades about eating aquatic plants; It has a Iceeii sense of smell; The' buffalo^bird, or ox-pecker,*that always remains .near it iniarge numbers, 7 warns';it of the approach of; disturbers. The African buffalo has broad, flattened horns that meet as a buckler over its forehead and protects its skull. Thelhdian buffalo has much longer horns. Tremendous fights constantly tak:e place between rival bulls. No animal is more dreaded by the natives than the wild buffalo: The American bison is sometimes called a buffalo, but it.is not really one.