A conservation biologist investigated the mutualistic relationship between yellow-billed oxpeckers (Buphagus africanus) and different species of wild mammalian hosts of varying body sizes in an African savanna reserve.
The table below shows the maximum number of oxpeckers observed on a single host individual of each species.
| Mammalian Host | Maximum number of oxpeckers observed |
|---|---|
| African elephant | 12 |
| Cape buffalo | 6 |
| Impala | 2 |
| Dwarf mongoose | 0 |
Give one biological reason why more oxpeckers were observed on Cape buffalo than on dwarf mongooses.
