Wild Water Buffalo

Bubalus arnee

Easy (Polygynous)

The **Wild Water Buffalo** or **Asian Water Buffalo** (*Bubalus arnee*) is a large Asian ungulate featured in the Wetlands Animal Pack DLC for *Planet Zoo*.

## Zoopedia Description

### General

**Population In Wild:** 3,400

The wild water buffalo (or Bubalus arnee), also known as the Asian water buffalo, is a very large species of bovine living in the marshes, swamps and flood plains of central east and southeast Asia. Its present range is extremely fragmented, with the majority of animals living in India, and other populations surviving in Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand and Cambodia. Wild water buffaloes have grey to black skin, with coarse dark hair covering the body sparsely, and an elongated head with small ears. Both sexes carry large, distinctively curved horns that point out horizontally from the skull and can have a span of 2m, though the horns of bulls can be larger than those of cows. Bulls measure between 2.4m and 3m in length, stand 1.5m to 1.9m tall at the shoulder and weigh up to 1200kg. Cows are about two-thirds the size of males, at 1.8m to 2.25m long, 1.13m to 1.43m tall at the shoulder and weighing up to 800kg.

As an endangered species, the wild water buffalo is protected across most of its range. The species is threatened by many different problems, including hunting, serious habitat fragmentation and loss, as well as hybridization with feral individuals of the domestic water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), a closely related and possible descendant species. Population numbers of wild water buffaloes are projected to decline further, though there are efforts to reintroduce small populations in certain areas.

### Social

Wild water buffalo congregate in herds made up of many smaller groups. There are matriarchal groups of up to 30 cows, known as clans, which are led by a mature female, while males herd form separate bachelor groups or follow female groups as solitary dominant bulls.

### Reproduction

During the breeding season from October to November, many clans, bachelor groups and solitary bulls may form a herd. Dominant bulls will attempt to join a clan in order to mate with them. They will compete for access to these groups with dominance displays including bellowing, stamping and charging at each other. If the matriarch accepts a bull into the clan, he will monitor all fertile female for signs of oestrus by scenting and tasting their urine; and mate with them when receptive. The clan will usually chase him away once he has mated with all fertile cows.

Following a pregnancy of 10 to 11 months, the female will give birth to one calf, rarely twins. Weaning of calves is complete by 6 to 9 months of age, but stay with their group until 1 to 1.5 years old. At this age, males will leave to join a separate bachelor herd, while females remain in their natal clan.

Wild water buffalo males are sexually mature at 1.5 years of age but are unlikely to mate until older and larger. They are likely to become more solitary with age, reaching their full body and horn size by 8 years old. Female buffaloes are sexually mature at 3 years of age and remain with their mother’s clan.

## Animal Care

 FEEDING STATIONS
 FOOD ENRICHMENT
Grazing Ball Feeder · Hanging Grazer Feeder · Large Barrel Feeder · Scarecrow Feeder
Grab Ball · Herb Scent Marker · Large Ball · Large Snow Ball · Mud Bath · Rubbing Pillar · Scratching Tree · Skittle · Snowman Skittle

## Trivia

### Zoopedia Facts

* Along with the gaur, the wild water buffalo is the heaviest bovine species.
* Wild water buffaloes tend to graze in the morning or evening, and can be active both during the day and night.
* Wild water buffalo populations are susceptible to diseases and parasites that are often passed to them by domestic cattle and other livestock.
* The vast majority of the remaining population of wild water buffaloes live in protected areas in Indian national parks.
* The horns of the wild water buffalo are up to 2m wide, giving them the largest horns of all living bovids.