Who is a dwarf buffalo?

Bulls (Latin Bovinae) belong to the subfamily of large vertebrates. In turn, they are divided into several genera, consisting of bulls, buffaloes, bison and antelope. The smallest representatives of the subfamily are Asian buffalo (Latin Bubalus) tamarow and anoa. It's about them that we'll talk today.

Tamarow

Tamarow (Anoa mindorensis) is a Filipino dwarf buffalo, a unique animal that lives on the island of Mindoro. In size it is slightly larger than a ram. The growth of a bull-lilliput at the withers is no more than one hundred and twenty centimeters. The neck is thick, the horns are small, triangular in shape, slightly curved back. Color of the body is dark brown. Despite its small size, the bull is considered the largest island animal.

Long before the Philippines became a Spanish colony, the dwarf wild buffalo tamarow was widespread on the islands and posed a serious threat to the inhabitants there. The bull had an excellent reaction, ran very fast, had excellent eyesight and acute hearing. The population size was quite significant, because the locals hunted buffalo-dwarfs very carefully.

The cause of extinction

With the appearance on the islands of representatives of the civilized world that own firearms, the situation with the tamarou population began to deteriorate rapidly. Hunters valued and tender and delicious meat of animals, as well as the skin from which to produce high-quality suede. Over the past hundred years, the population of the island of Mindoro has significantly increased, which has led to the growth of the developed territories where there are almost no places for the little bulls.

Today, the dwarf buffalo tamarow is on the verge of total extinction. At the end of the last century, the approximate number of individuals was no more than two hundred units. Bulls lived separately and remotely from each other, which prevented them from meeting during the breeding season. The huge territory of the island does not allow you to keep a strict record of the remaining animals. Trying to preserve and multiply the number of endangered buffaloes, world zoos with great difficulty can get them in the quantity necessary for reproduction in captivity.

Philippine government bodies have approved protected areas for small bulls and imposed a strict ban on their shooting. Despite the measures taken, rich tourists still allow themselves to arrange expensive hunting trips, destroying the remnants of the population.

Anoa

A dwarf buffalo from Indonesia is called anoa (Bubalus depressicornis). It is even smaller than the tamarou: the height at the withers is from sixty to one hundred centimeters. The weight of the largest individual reaches three hundred kilograms. Appearance of the bull-lilliput resembles a miniature antelope. The short, straight horns are flattened and directed a little back.

Its main habitat is Sulawesi Island. Small Indonesian bulls are divided into two varieties of anoah: plain and mountain. Adult specimens of buffaloes living in lowland forest areas are almost without wool and are covered with rare brown or black hairs. The head, neck and legs have white markings. Anoas very rarely go astray in small herds, they are often kept alone or in pairs. Cautious animals made a man who for many years mercilessly exterminated small bulls for valuable meat and skins.

Nutrition and reproduction

The dwarf wild buffalo (sulphus, as it is also called) is a herbivore that feeds on leaves, young shoots and fruits of trees, collecting them on the ground. Plain ana dwell in the swampy forests of the island. They are very fond of being by the water, especially in hot weather. There, the buffaloes eagerly eat aquatic plants, bathe and lie in the mud. Breeding small bulls regardless of the season. Fattenling lasts a little less than a year. Calves have a thick golden-brown hair. The average life span of a wild Asian bull is no more than twenty years. Unfortunately, they rarely live for a long time in the wild.

Despite prohibitions, the local population continues to hunt for rare animals. From hides and horns, national costumes are made for ritual events, as well as for sale to tourists.

Features

In comparison with the plains, the mountain pygmy buffalo anoa is even smaller and heavier. It belongs to him the palm of primacy among the little bulls of the world. The wool of adults remains thick and silky from a young age. Color of the body - from dark brown to black. The belly has a lighter shade than the back. White spots are absent. The horns are small, conical in shape, slightly bent backwards. Low-bulled bulls live alone in the mountain forests of Sulawesi. Due to remoteness, human access to them is difficult, so forest buffaloes are calmer than their plains counterparts.

The exact number of Indonesian anaos living in the wild is unknown. Accounting is only in the world zoos. In an effort to preserve the population, people are trying to breed animals in captivity.

All dwarf bulls are listed in the World Red Book as animals that are endangered.