Nyati

Pronounced NYAH-tee

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He is a Cape Buffalo from the country of Kenya. His name is a Swahili word which means “buffalo”. Because he is so big and strong, others think that he is also very brave, but he isn’t. He pretends to be, but really he is frightened of many things. Sometimes he has a temper (especially when he is scared!), but he is loyal to his friends, and he cares very much for them.

Cape Buffalo are found in Southern and Eastern Africa. They are very large, and roam freely in the wild, as they are too dangerous to be trained for farming like Asian Water Buffalo. They have large horns that curve in a circle back towards their heads, although sometimes the horns are so big that the tips can be three feet apart! The horns come together in the middle and make a thick shield out of bone to protect their head. Cape Buffalo live in herds, and are very protective of one another. The only animals brave enough to try to eat a Cape Buffalo are lions and crocodiles, but if they pick on one buffalo, the rest of the herd will come to the rescue.

Kenya (KEHN-yah) is a country on the east coast of Africa that sits right on the Equator. The capital city of Kenya is Nairobi (nai-ROH-bee). People speak many languages in Kenya, but the most common are Swahili, English, and Kikuyu. The main religion in Kenya is Christianity, but there are also many Muslims and followers of tribal religions who need to hear about Jesus. Kenya is home to Africa’s second-tallest mountain—Mount Kenya—and also the deepest tropical lake in the world—Lake Victoria. There are many different kinds of animals in Kenya, and people come from all over the world to go on safaris there. There are also many good athletes in Kenya—their runners are very famous at the Olympics! The money in Kenya is called the Shilling.

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