Discover the secret of the water buffalo

Water buffalo is a familiar animal for agriculture, especially in Vietnam, however this species is distributed in many other countries and has many characteristics that not everyone knows.

Little known facts about water buffalo

1. Water buffalo live on every continent except Antarctica.

Domesticated water buffalo live in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North and South America. They are known as natural 'tractors' and work in the agricultural sector. However, the number of wild water buffalo populations is decreasing, these animals only live in certain natural environments in Asia and especially Southeast Asia. Therefore, you can find these wild buffalo in the reserves of India, Nepal, Thailand and Bhutan.

Water buffalo are known as nature's "tractors."

Due to habitat loss and extreme stunting due to lack of natural food sources, wild water buffalo now live only in remote or protected areas, but this is not their preferred habitat. The preferred habitat of wild water buffalo is dense forests and swamps, as these areas provide cover, water, and their preferred food sources. Water buffalo may occasionally migrate, especially during the rainy season.

2. Different subspecies of water buffalo live in different areas.

Water buffalo are native to India, Southeast Asia and China, they mainly have two subspecies living in different regions, river buffalo living in the Indian subcontinent, Balkans, Egypt and Italy and swamp buffalo living in Assam, Southeast Asia and China.

3. A water buffalo can weigh more than 2 grizzly bears.

Wild water buffalo can grow up to 3 meters long and 1.9 meters tall from the hoof to the shoulder. They are dark gray to black in color with huge horns. Wild male water buffalo horns can be 5 meters long. Males are usually larger than females and weigh around 1.2 tons. Domesticated water buffalo are usually smaller, weighing between 453 kg and 900 kg, but some can be heavier.

4. Water buffalo is a semi-aquatic mammal.

Water buffalo like to wallow in rivers and swamps, and sometimes they wallow like hippos. They do this because they do not have sweat glands to cool themselves. Instead, they use cool water to regulate their body temperature in warm, humid climates. They also wallow to avoid insect bites in low-lying, dense forest areas. Water buffalo also use their large horns to scoop up mud from the bottom of rivers and swamps . This behavior is called wallowing .

Water buffalo like to bask in river water, swamps.

Their diet consists mainly of grass. They also eat fruits, shrubs, bark, and leaves. Wild water buffalo feed at dusk and dawn in open areas. This feeding time helps them avoid the worst of the heat of the day.

5. Domesticated water buffalo are threatening the lives of wild water buffalo.

Domesticated water buffaloes have become a threat to wild water buffaloes because of interbreeding. If these species interbreed, wild water buffaloes will lose their genetic identity and face diseases from domesticated buffaloes and cattle. In addition, humans are also a significant threat to wild water buffaloes.

Wild water buffalo populations are in sharp decline as people hunt them for meat and horns. In addition, these animals face predators such as tigers, leopards and crocodiles in the wild.

Humans are also a significant threat to wild water buffalo.

6. Water buffaloes have a slightly longer pregnancy than humans.

Female water buffaloes typically give birth to one calf per year and are pregnant for 10 to 11 months. They typically live in herds of females and their calves. Males leave the mother herd after three years, but females usually remain with the herd for life. Wild water buffalo typically live for 25 years, while domesticated buffalo live for 40 years.

Researchers are not 100% sure how many water buffalo there are on our planet, but it is estimated that there are more than 165 million. Researchers are also uncertain about the current wild water buffalo population because they live in remote, inaccessible areas. However, researchers estimate that there are about 4,000 wild water buffalo. Their populations are declining due to wild water buffalo interbreeding with domestic buffalo.

It is estimated that there are more than 165 million water buffalo across the planet.

7. Water buffalo can be raised to provide milk for humans, just like dairy cows.

Water buffalo milk is higher in protein, calcium, lactose, phosphorus, and iron than regular cow's milk. It also has less cholesterol and water. An estimated 70 million tonnes of buffalo milk are produced each year. India produces a large portion of this, producing nearly 57 million tonnes of water buffalo milk in 2008. In addition, buffalo milk is used to make cheese, ghee, whey, and butter. People use buffalo milk to make Italian-style mozzarella cheese, domiati, kesong puti, and surti paneer.

8. Brazilian police use water buffalo as mounts

Brazilian military officers ride water buffalo on patrol.

People around the world have domesticated water buffalo and used them for agriculture. However, Brazil may have a different use for the animals. The country uses water buffalo as transportation for some military officers. On Marajó, an island in Brazil, water buffalo outnumber humans and are a part of daily life for the residents. Since the 1990s, military officers have ridden water buffalo on patrol. They have also become a preferred form of transportation because they swim better than dogs and are more agile than horses in swampy areas.