Artwork © Frontier Developments
Cape Buffalo
Syncerus caffer · Africa
Requirements at a glance
- Scientific name
- Syncerus caffer
- Status
- Near Threatened
- Biomes
- Wetlands, Grassland
- Temperature
- 14–36 °C
- Land area
- 420 m²
- Shelter
- 15 m²
- Aquatic area
- 20 m²
- Barrier
- Grade 3 · 1.25 m
- Group size
- 3–15 (5♂ / 15♀)
- Temperament
- Neutral
- Food / period
- $290
Building the habitat
The land area is a hard floor: 420 m² for the enclosure itself, plus 15 m² of shelter on top. Barrier grade 3 at 1.25 m contains the animal without overspending on fencing you do not need.
Keep the habitat inside 14–36 °C. Temperature is one of the most common reasons a habitat quietly loses welfare, because it never triggers the alarm that hunger does.
Group limits matter more than most players expect: mixed groups run 3–15, capped at 5 male and 15 female. Exceeding the male cap is what causes fights — not total headcount.
Habitat temperature
Terrain mix
Land area vs. the roster
Species it can share a habitat with
The Zoopedia lists 3 neutral companions. Neutral means no welfare penalty, but no shared enrichment bonus either — build to the largest space requirement of the group.
HabitatWild Boar
HabitatRed Deer
HabitatGreater Flamingo
Budgeting this habitat
Food runs about $290 per period. See how that compares across the roster in our food cost ranking, or start from the best starter animals if this is a first zoo.
Similar species
HabitatAsian Elephant
HabitatAfrican Savannah Elephant
HabitatCommon Hippopotamus
HabitatWild Boar
Figures from the official Planet Zoo 2 Zoopedia, checked 2026-10-21; patches can change them — trust your in-game build menu if they differ. Official entry. Artwork © Frontier Developments; used here for identification.