Wild Water Buffalo

The wild water buffalo is a large bovine with ash-grey to black skin, a tuft on the forehead, comparatively small ears and large splayed hooves. It is larger and heavier than the domestic water buffalo, at 600 to 1,200kg. Both sexes carry heavy, widely spreading horns up to 2m along the outer edges, exceeding those of any other living bovid (Wikipedia, general species account).

Nepal's only population lives in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and grew from 63 animals in 1976 to 219 in 2009. In 2016, 18 were translocated from Koshi Tappu to Chitwan National Park. Adult females and young form stable clans of as many as 30, led by old cows, while males form bachelor groups of up to ten. Tigers and mugger crocodiles prey on adults. Nationally Endangered (Nepal National Red List 2011).