An oxpecker sits on an African buffalo in Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
© Susan Portnoy/Offse
Teamwork makes the dream work. An unlikely tag team
The oxpecker bird and the African buffalo, while starkly different sizes, make a good team. The oxpecker feeds exclusively on the buffalo’s body, removing bothersome parasites and bugs while getting a steady supply of food for itself, rarely ever leaving the animal’s side, as you can see in today’s photo taken from the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Some scientists believe it to be an example of a symbiotic relationship, but others believe the oxpecker behaves more like a parasite.
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