The smallest buffalo. Small but daring: an overview of dwarf buffalo species

Helpful Hints 01.08.2019

Helpful Hints

Kira Stoletova

With the word "buffalo" we immediately imagine a large animal that lives in the mountains, forests or grazes in the field. In fact, not all representatives of this family of animals are huge. A striking example demonstrating this can be a dwarf buffalo, which is a mini prototype of a bull.

African mini buffalo

The forest dwarf buffalo is a prominent representative artiodactyl mammals. This species of animals is bovid, as it belongs to the family of bovids. This mini buffalo belongs to the African subspecies and in fact it has the smallest size among all bulls. If we take individual specimens of the family, then on average their body weight reaches 270 kg, and their height is about 120 cm. At the same time, the weight of females may not exceed 100 kg at all, which is surprising.

This dwarf forest buffalo is predominantly rufous in color, but dark patches are quite common on its shoulders and head. As for the horns, they are small and are about 40 cm, while they grow back and in upper part. Also, miniature tassels grow directly on the ears in the wool. The habitat of this species is the forests of the equatorial type of the central and western parts of the African continent. Distinctive features of this type are considered to be:

miniature body height - about 100-120 cm;
red coat color;
body weight, which varies between 100-270 kg depending on gender;
small horns on the head.

Due to the fact that these African pygmy buffaloes have a miniature size, they often become real prey for larger representatives of the fauna. Leopards are considered dangerous for them. In addition, such a dwarf suffers greatly due to the active influence of insects on his body. In order to be able to escape, small birds help him in this matter, otherwise the animal has to systematically bathe in the mud.

Anoa - what is he like: a brief description

Another midget buffalo of the family of artiodactyl mammals lives directly on the Eurasian continent. This is a dwarf buffalo from the island of Sulawesi under the name anoa. Very often, huge groups of these representatives can be found directly in Indonesia. Due to this, this variety is often called the famous pygmy buffalo from the island of Sulawesi.

Outwardly, the anoa is similar to an animal such as an antelope, since they have identical horns. This dwarf buffalo, which lives in Indonesia, has a very small horn, the length of which does not exceed 25 cm, which makes the anoa very similar to antelopes. The horns grow predominantly backward, which does not give them the opportunity to be threatening, like other representatives of the horned ones.

The dwarf buffalo, or anoa, has a truly small size. The weight of males reaches 280 kg, while in females it is 2 times less. As for their length, it averages 80 cm or a little more. The dwarf buffalo of the anoa variety is most often pure brown in color, but representatives with black hair are also sometimes found. At the same time, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the cubs of this animal from the island of Sulawesi are born golden and quite variegated, but the adults do not have a coat.

Dwarf anoa and species

This Indonesian dwarf buffalo, which mainly lives in the forests of Asia and its tropical part, has a completely calm character. It is this factor that does not give him the opportunity to protect himself in front of large animals. If a person meets this animal, then you should not be afraid of him, since he will not cause any harm. These Indonesian dwarf buffaloes move mainly in small groups, but sometimes you can also meet individual individuals. On average, this animal lives from Sulawesi for only 20 years, and therefore is on the verge of extinction.

This pygmy wild buffalo has been divided by scientists into the following species:

flat;
mountain.

Naturally, many consider such a classification conditional, but in fact they have distinctive features. The dwarf species that lives on the plains, in comparison with the mountain representative, is the owner of a very long tail and also the horn. Often such a small wild buffalo ends up in the bordering territories.

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This dwarf species prefers a solitary lifestyle, therefore it is extremely rare to notice it in groups, most often its representatives move alone. Together they can only be seen during the breeding season. The basis of the diet of these representatives from the Philippines is grass, and they lead an active lifestyle during the daytime. At night they sleep in fairly dense thickets. The number of this species is declining every year, as there is a systematic deforestation of tropical forests.

Considering animal world, Special attention it is worth paying attention to the buffalo. Despite the fact that we consider it a formidable and large representative of artiodactyls, in fact, miniature species are also found in nature.

The smallest buffalo lives in the region of the Indonesian islands. Historically, the smallest buffalo is found only on one island - Sulawesi. Despite the fact that this species is the closest relative of the huge Asian buffalo, which is also called the Indian buffalo, they are very different in appearance.

At first glance, it is hard to believe that anoas are buffalo. This is understandable, because with their small stature, rarely reaching one meter, they cannot match their Asian counterparts, whose height reaches two meters.

In the weight category, there are also striking differences. If a small Sulawesi buffalo reaches a weight of two hundred to three hundred kilograms, then an Asian relative boldly outweighs it three to five times. Against their background, the pygmy buffalo seems really short. The fact is that the complexion of the anoa does not correspond to the classical idea of \u200b\u200bwhat a real buffalo should be. They seem somewhat lean for such a mighty race as the buffalo.

But that's not all. A characteristic that is often confusing is that the little buffalo has an atypical horn appearance. They grow back from him, resembling the horns of goats, or antelopes. Then, when the horns of the Indian buffalo reach a mark of two meters, the length of the horns of the mini buffalo rarely exceeds 25 centimeters. The coloring of the dwarf buffalo is presented in a gradient from brown to black. Cubs, however, often have a brighter color, up to light brown, with a golden tint. By old age, the mini buffalo is almost completely deprived of hair.

Unlike their Indian relatives, mini buffaloes rarely huddle in a herd, preferring to exist alone, sometimes huddling in pairs. They prefer to live in the forest, which, alas, is actively deforested in Sulawesi. Some scientists are trying to divide anoa into two different species, referring to different conditions their residence. Biologists are trying to distinguish between mountainous and lowland anoas.

They are distinguished by only a few minor factors: the plains anoa is the proud owner of longer horns and an elongated tail. But these are not so important criteria, since both subspecies prefer to live in the forest, whether it is in the mountains or on the plain.

Females carry their offspring from two hundred and eighty to three hundred and twenty days. The life expectancy of these amazing animals is twenty to twenty-two years. To the deepest regret, the lines of their lives are often shortened. Despite the protection of animals by the legislation of the country, the mini buffalo often becomes a victim of poachers who make souvenirs from them for tourists. Zoos are trying to save the population of dwarf buffaloes, as the animals are already on the verge of extinction.

The word "buffalo" in most people is associated with a large animal. What is only black African subspecies, reaching 2 meters in height! However, among these animals there is also a representative with modest dimensions - a dwarf small buffalo. We have prepared a short overview of its varieties.

The African pygmy buffalo lives in Western and Central Africa. Like its big brothers, it feeds on grass and requires a huge amount of water. That is why he never moves far from the watering hole.

The dwarf buffalo at the withers does not exceed 1.2 meters, and weighs about 270 kilograms. The color is not frightening - red. He can not boast of horns: only no more than 40 centimeters in length. Nevertheless, he has a zest - flirty light tassels on his ears.

The first and worst enemies of the forest buffalo are leopards. No less anger is shown by the myriads of insects that vex him. Some birds and mud baths come to the rescue. In the zoo of Osnabrück, the African pygmy buffalo lives, of course, easier. But how exactly, you can see in the video from the Dietmar Möhle channel.

Malayan Lilliputian

Another representative of the bovid family, the Malay midget buffalo of the genus Anoa, we can find in Eurasia. Or rather, on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. When you see its horns, you wonder: is it really not an antelope?

The anoa's horns, indeed, are short - about 25 centimeters, grow back, without taking on those threateningly pretentious forms that its large relatives have. Yes, and he did not come out tall - about 70 centimeters. It also weighs a little: the female - up to 140 kilograms, the male - twice as much. Color varies from brown to black.

The Malay buffalo midget lives in tropical forests and has a calm disposition. Perhaps this is yes, plus the massive deforestation of the local forests and led to the fact that anoa in wild nature almost gone.

Tamarau

It is not easy to meet in your homeland the Philippine dwarf buffalo - tamarau. This is due to the destruction of forests. local residents and hunters. Tamarau meat is a real delicacy.

The animal has a dark brown or black color, straight short horns and a meter height. It weighs a little - 180-300 kilograms. The mini-buffalo leads a secluded lifestyle. Eats grass, loves mud baths. Able to run fast and give change when attacked.

The female brings one calf every two years, which she herself brings up. Tamarau live for about 20 years.

Photo gallery

Photo 1. Close-up of a female anoa

Unlike ordinary varieties, the dwarf buffalo hardly reaches the size of a domestic cow, although in appearance and behavior it is in many ways similar to a large fellow. There are several breeds of such cattle, and each of them has its own characteristics.

Characteristics and types

To date, the pygmy buffalo is represented by three main breeds. Each of them was formed in a particular region, the conditions of which influenced the development individual features animal.

Tamarou

The miniature buffalo tamarou is one of the most prominent representatives of the fauna of the island of Mindoro in the Philippines. The specificity of the island residence provided him with a compact size. An adult individual weighs no more than 300 kg and reaches 1 m at the withers.

As for the exterior features of the tamarou, these include:

exclusively black suit;
barrel-shaped strongly folded body;
small head with large triangular horns.

Reference. The number of this breed of animals is constantly declining, so Mindoro remains the only region in which their population has been preserved.

Anoa

The anoa buffalo is a midget even among other varieties of miniature cattle. His homeland is Indonesia, or rather, the island of Sulawesi, where animals lived for many years on the plains and in the mountains. Accordingly, two varieties of such buffaloes developed in parallel. In representatives of the plains, growth does not exceed 0.8 m, while the weight of the female is no more than 160 kg, and the male can reach a mass of 300 kg.

Animals from the mountainous region are even more compact in size. In such specimens, even the weight of males does not exceed 150 kg.

The color of all anoas is black with brown areas. They are distinguished by a fragile physique, a long neck, a small head.

Reference. Their main difference is the straight horns, which are more reminiscent of antelopes. They are directed strictly back and can grow up to 25 cm in length.

forest buffalo

This variety is common in the African forests. Most often, its representatives can be found in the central and western parts of the mainland.

The forest buffalo differs from the listed breeds in larger dimensions. The average height at the withers in such animals is 1.2 m. The weight of an adult can reach 270 kg. Among characteristic features appearance stand out:

red color, turning into black spots on the head and legs;
proportionality of the body;
curved horns;
tassels on the ears, which are formed from lighter wool.

To date, a large number of such livestock is kept in protected areas.

Nutrition and reproduction

Dwarf buffaloes are completely herbivores. The basis of their diet is grass from the plains, leaves and fruits of trees that they collect on the ground. The plains variety of anoa also feeds on a variety of aquatic plants and algae. Many representatives of the breed live in marshy forests, where there is free access to such food.

It should be noted that various breed lines of miniature wild cattle differ from each other in terms of activity time. In representatives of the forest African variety and anoa, feeding is carried out during the daytime. Tamarou feed mainly at night, and during the day they rest in the shade of trees.

Reproduction in dwarf buffalo is carried out at any time of the year, while the female has a pregnancy period of almost 12 months.

Causes of extinction

In the habitats of dwarf wild cattle, a steady decline in the number of animals can be traced. There are several reasons for this phenomenon:

Massive deforestation. For anoa and tamarou, the forest acts as a defense against humans and predators, as well as the main source of food. And as the amount of forest on the islands is reduced, the population of breeds is also decreasing.
Poaching. The local population of the Philippines, Africa and Indonesia widely use the horns and skins of mini-buffaloes in their rituals and ceremonies. In addition, their tender meat is also highly valued, so even the ban on killing these animals does not stop hunters.
Increasing the number of inhabitants of the islands. Despite the large size of Mindoro Island, due to the rapid growth of its population, the habitat of the tamarou is rapidly declining. Accordingly, such displacement of animals affects their numbers.

Conclusion

Dwarf buffaloes are a colorful component of the fauna of Africa and Asia. That is why many scientists seek to preserve and increase their population in certain protected areas and zoos. But today it is difficult to talk about the success of such activities.

The dwarf buffalo is an artiodactyl animal belonging to the bovid family. It attracts attention to itself by its relatively small size, which is unusual for other buffaloes. Let's talk in more detail about what these unusual midgets are remarkable for.

pygmy african buffalo

The African dwarf buffalo is common in African countries. Representatives meet at equatorial forests Western and Central parts of the continent. Also called forest or red mini-buffalo. Of the variety of subspecies of the African bull, this representative is the smallest.

Its height at the withers reaches only 120 centimeters, and its weight is 270 kilograms. The color of the hairline is red, where the head and shoulders are somewhat darkened. Fluffy fur forms tassels around the ears. The horns of the midget are directed upwards and backwards. The greatest threat is observed from leopards.

Malayan midget buffalo

Anoa is the second name of the Malay midget and he is the smallest buffalo in the world. Sulawesi Island is the only habitat for these pygmy bulls. Anoa belong to the class of mammals, the order of artiodactyls, the family of bovids. The Asian pygmy buffalo is the closest relative of the breed.

The appearance of the Malays is quite different from the appearance of their counterparts. They do not look intimidating and, oddly enough, resemble an antelope. First distinctive feature are unusual horns growing with a bend and striving upward. Their maximum length is only 25 centimeters. Their equipment is average: they are smaller than large buffaloes, but more powerful than antelopes. Anoa is a mini-buffalo, whose height usually does not reach a meter, and its weight is 2-2.5 centners.

The color of the Malay is diverse: it can go from brown to black. Surprisingly, in adult buffalo, there is practically no coat. Cubs of the mini-beast are born richly mottled, golden brown.

Animals are characterized by calm behavior without obvious manifestations of aggression. They prefer to move in small groups, less often alone. The forest is the habitat where they feel as comfortable and free as possible. Unfortunately, the animals are on the verge of extinction. The reason is the massive deforestation and poaching of the smallest buffaloes for making souvenirs. Twenty years is the average life span.

Anoa subspecies

Some scientists divide Lilliputians into two varieties: mountainous and flat. Them distinctive features not so remarkable, so often such a classification is omitted. However, you need to know that the plains representatives have a more elongated tail and elongated horns, which are twice the length of the horns of mountain individuals. Also, mountain buffaloes often wander into the territory of the neighboring island of Butona.

Pygmy Philippine Buffalo

Tamarau is a pygmy buffalo of the bovid family that lives in the Philippines. There is an opinion that it is a subspecies of the Asian buffalo, but scientists attribute it to an independent breed. The animal is threatened with extinction due to active economic activity person.

The total height at the withers is about 106 centimeters, the length of the body reaches 220 centimeters, and the tail - 60. Body weight has not been unequivocally established. Presumably ranges from 180 to 300 kilograms. The horns of the animal are straight, the length of which is 35-43 centimeters. It is noteworthy that in males they are located closer to each other and are denser and flatter in structure.

Philippine dwarfs prefer solitary movement, meeting with females only during the breeding season. Cubs can stay with their mother for several years, after which, creating small groups, they move together throughout the year.

They prefer to eat herbaceous plants. The active phase of the day for them is the day. At night they like to fall asleep in dense vegetation. Communication occurs through the exchange of auditory and chemical signals. Outbursts of aggression sometimes lead to fights between two bulls. Favorite pastime is taking mud baths.