Black bulls animals list. Wild bull: types and photos. Real bulls What is the name of a bull with horns
There are more than a thousand different breeds of cattle in the world, most of which are domestic animals. Many of them do not exceed 1.5 meters in height and do not weigh more than 750 kilograms. But among them there are species that are truly giants, and can be compared with medium-sized elephants.
The top 10 includes the biggest bulls in the world. The list includes both domesticated individuals and representatives of the wild.
10. Tour | Height 1.8 m
The top ten largest bulls in the world opens with an extinct species from the genus of true bulls -. The species is considered the progenitor of cattle. The aurochs became extinct in the 17th century due to the raging epidemic to which they were susceptible. These were quite massive and large animals, reaching 180 centimeters at the withers and gaining up to 800 kilograms in weight. The closest relatives of the Tur are considered to be the Watussi breed, bred in Africa. What distinguishes the Watussi from its relatives is its massive and very long horns, which can grow up to 1.8 meters and weigh up to 100 kilograms.
9. Chianine | Height 1.9 m
It is the largest domestic bull breed from Italy. Another name is porcelain bull. The largest representatives reach 1.8 meters at the withers, and gain weight up to 1 ton or more. As a rule, porcelain bulls are white or cream in color. Large artiodactyl animals have well-developed muscle mass. They are incredibly strong and powerful, so it is better not to get in the way of an angry Chianine. However, this animal is not characterized by aggressiveness; on the contrary, they are very good-natured towards people. The record holder among the breed was a bull named Donneto, who weighed 1,700 kg and was 190 cm tall.
8. Kuprey | Height 1.8 m
An extinct species that was one of the largest bulls in the world. Height adult reached 180 centimeters at the withers, and body weight was about 800 kilograms. The horns of large males grew up to 80 centimeters. This species has been poorly studied by humans, since these artiodactyls preferred a secretive lifestyle in tropical forests Asia. Presumably, the kouprey was a hybrid of banteng and gaur, as it had many similar features with them. A distinctive feature of males from females was a large, long tuft of hanging hair in the neck area.
7. African buffalo | Height 1.8 m
6. Bison | Height 2.7 m
In sixth place among the largest bulls in the world is a representative of the bull subfamily -. The species is considered the last representative of wild bovids and the largest land mammal in Europe. At the withers, males grow up to 188 centimeters, and the body length can reach 2.7 meters. Bison weigh about 1 ton. A small population of bison is found in Spain, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia and Germany. In Russia, the species is on the verge of extinction and is kept in bison reserves. The sharp decline in the population has been associated with intensive hunting of artiodactyls since ancient times.
5. Banteng | Height 2.5 m
The top ten largest bulls in the world included a species with the name. The largest representatives reach 190 centimeters at the shoulders and 2.5 meters in length. Some individuals gain weight up to 900 kilograms. Bantengs have curved horns up to 70 centimeters in length. Wild representatives species live on the islands of Borneo and Java, as well as in South-East Asia. Domesticated bantengs are common in Indonesia. In nature, artiodactyls prefer to live in groups, which can include up to forty females and only one bull. On average they live no more than 25 years.
4. Bison | Height 2 m
Belonging to the bull tribe, it is one of the largest among its closest relatives. Males grow up to 2 meters and length up to 3 meters. The weight of large individuals can reach 1.2 tons. In the USA, Canada and Mexico, bison are found both in wildlife, and in agriculture.
3. Asiatic buffalo | Height 2 m
2. Yak | Height 2 m
Yak is one of the largest bull species in the world. In Russia, the breed is also called sarlyk, which means “grunting bull.” These are the only representatives of the genus of real bulls that can grunt when they are not happy. The largest yaks grow up to 2 meters at the withers, and can gain up to 1 ton in body weight. Old males reach a length of more than 4 meters. Long, widely spaced horns with curves, if straightened, will be almost 1 meter in length. The yaks look truly menacing. What distinguishes the artiodactyl from its relatives is its long, shaggy hair, which hangs down and almost completely covers its legs. Yaks are common in the republics of Tyva, Buryatia and Altai. The animal is popular in the countries of Tibet, Tajikistan, India and China.
29 8Evolution is a mechanism that nature came up with. Thousands of different animal species appeared, with hundreds of differences, but similar to each other. The family of wild true bulls and wild cows also contains many subspecies of wild bulls.
Bull families live in all corners globe: both in the snowy expanses of Tibet and in the desert of Africa. Why is the fate of these animals considered tragic? What are the features?
Wild bulls: what descendants of these ancient animals exist in nature?
The sad fate of the horned giant
In the vastness of Europe there was a wild bull - aurochs. This beast was beautiful and weighed almost a ton. Wild bull with huge horns made everyone tremble with fear except the man. Thanks to the latter, this species has not been preserved.
Tur was an excellent source of meat and skins, which is why it was hunted. The beast is slow, and every hunter could kill it. The memory of this species has been preserved, because it is the ancestor of all modern bulls.
Gallery: wild bulls (25 photos)
Bison - a relative of the aurochs, Belovezhskaya bull, bison of North America
The bison is the closest relative of the aurochs. A huge animal, about two meters at the withers. Its weight is just over a ton, which is why it is one of the largest representatives of their own species. The bison has a dark brown coat, which keeps him warm in any cold, even severe frosts.
Previously, this animal lived almost throughout Europe, Russia and the Caucasus. But the animal, like the aurochs, was attacked by people. Now these creatures live in reserves, under supervision and protection.
The bison is also a relative of the tur, but already overseas. This wild forest bull lives in North America and is similar in appearance to the bison. Only the fur is longer, reaching half a meter in length. Front massive body part, and the back one is much weaker. The chest, part of the back and head are often covered with felted hair.
Bison are horned, but the horns are often differently defined. The animals have a short tail with a tassel. There are forest and steppe bison. The steppe one is smaller than the forest one, has much more hair, and the horns are hidden under the bangs.
The North American loves semi-desert plains, spacious pastures, forest glades, well lit by the sun. The male weighs more than a ton, females are slightly smaller.
This species was also hunted. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the population numbered about 60 million individuals, and a century later, the number dropped to around one thousand. Why did it happen? The reason is the migrants.
The colonialists began to kill bulls in order to feed the workers who build railway. Further buffalo hunting turned into fun, not food production.
The bison were taken under protection and are provided with conditions for population growth.
In the mountains of Tibet
The snowy mountains of Tibet have become the home of an amazing animal - the yak.
- This is a bull with huge horns, about 80 cm in length.
- Brown thick wool protects it from severe frost and snowfall.
- With the help of his muscular legs, he moves from one to the second cliff without any problems.
Yak can be found in other regions Central Asia, for example, in Altai or Kyrgyzstan. But only in Tibet do animals feel at home, because contact with a person kept to a minimum.
Heat lovers: buffalo and gaur bull
The smallest one. The huge animals described above have relatives among dwarfs. These are anoa. The height of this creature does not exceed one meter, and its weight is within two hundred kilograms. Horns are the smallest part of their body. They reach no more than forty centimeters in length.
Anoas live in Indonesia, on the island of Sulawesi and are protected by animal rights organizations.
Indian bull
Zebu lives in India. This is an independent subspecies, not associated with the tour. This bull from India is used on the farm - it functions as transport and as an assistant to the landowner. In Madagascar, the zebu is also held in high esteem. There this Indian bull is considered sacred.
In some places, the wild bull of India is crossed with a domestic cow, resulting in hybrids that produce milk and great strength. Average weight animal about 800 kg, the body is smooth, there is a “hump” and a pectoral fold. Zebu is readily kept in nature reserves and zoos.
Attention, TODAY only!
Domestic cows and bulls have already become a part of our lives. Even city dwellers know what they look like, and have seen these animals more than once in villages grazing along the roads. Who was the ancestor of domestic cows and bulls?
Indian buffalo is widely used in agriculture
Tour
The famous wild forest bull is the aurochs, the ancestor of domestic cattle.
Habitat
Lived in the Eastern Hemisphere:
- throughout Europe;
- North Africa;
- Asia Minor;
- In the Caucasus.
However, he was exterminated. Only a few of these bulls remain in the forests of Central Europe. In 1400 they were met on the territory of Belarus, Poland, and Lithuania. But even there, the number of animals decreased every year; in 1627, the last representative of this species died.
Appearance
What did the famous wild forest bull look like? It was an animal weighing up to 800 kg. Its height is 170-180 cm. There were horns on its head. Mature males are black, but have a decoration along their back – a narrow white stripe. Females and young animals were brown, with a reddish tint. They preferred to live in forest-steppes, but gradually moved to forests. They ate grass and shoots. They gathered in herds.
Reconstruction of the appearance of the tour
Bulls are found everywhere. The famous wild American bull is the bison that was the master North America. Huge herds of these animals lived here. They had no natural enemies, except for wolves, and even those could not defeat an adult animal. But the first Europeans killed animals to local residents there was no food source. The number of animals fell from 600 million to 835.
Now the number of bison has increased to 30 thousand. But you can no longer find wild individuals in the USA and Canada.
Appearance
The bison is distinguished by its strength and size. Its body is up to 3 m in length. It is covered with gray-brown fur. It is distinguished by its thickness and length. Therefore, bison do not freeze in winter. The back is decorated with a hump. The head and neck are darker. Bulls are larger, their weight is up to 1.5 thousand kg.
Habitat and food
They live in North America. They choose flat areas, but are also found in forests. For them, the main thing is to have a source of food. They feed on herbaceous vegetation. In winter, they dig out food for themselves under layers of snow. They choose places where there is dense vegetation to live. They live in herds: males live separately, females with calves also live separately. In a herd, the oldest male is the leader.
Bison - North American wild bull
European bison
Appearance
This contemporary of the mammoth is an animal whose body length reaches 3 m, height – up to 2 m, weight up to 1 ton. There is a hump. Coat color is dark brown. Curly hairs adorn the head, chest and shoulders, and front legs. The mane is striking in males; in cows and calves it is not so pronounced.
About the animal
A bison can easily overcome an obstacle of 2 m. It can swim. He has no natural enemies. They have a keen sense of smell and hearing, but their eyesight is poor. They eat grass and tree leaves. They live in herds. If two people compete for the place of the leader, the issue is resolved by a fight. The loser leaves. Bison live 30-40 years.
European bison can swim and jump high
Yak
The main decoration of animals is horns. Wild bull with huge horns - this is a yak. This subspecies of bull was domesticated in the first millennium. Domestic yaks are not as large as wild ones, their character is calmer, and their colors are different.
Appearance
The height of the yak at the withers is up to 2 m, length – 4 m in males. Females are smaller: up to 2.8 m long and 1.6 m high. There is a hump on the back. The horns are long, look to the sides, and then bend, their length is up to 95 cm. The fur is long and shaggy, it completely covers the legs of the bull, brown or grayish-black, but white spots are visible on the muzzle.
About the animal
Wild yak has not been studied, because this subspecies lives only where there are no people. Now they are found only in high mountain Tibet. But there are not many of them left there either. They live in herds or families; old bulls prefer solitude. Life expectancy is 25 years. There are very few wild yaks left, because... they die out in territories developed by people. These are fierce and strong animals. Tibetan chronicles speak of them as animals dangerous to humans. He, without hesitation, attacks the person who attacks him, so such a hunt is deadly. Killing him is not easy, because... Yak is hardy.
Wild yak carefully avoids people
The largest wild forest bull is the gaur. This is also a rare animal. They live in India, there are 30 thousand Gaurs, in other countries there are fewer of them - only a few hundred.
Appearance
The largest bull amazes with its size. Its height at the withers is 1.7 - 2.2 m, and its weight is 700-1000 kg, but there are individuals that weigh 1.3 -1.5 tons. Females are slightly smaller. The horns are also huge, up to 90 cm, shaped like a crescent.
A ridge stands out on the back, which stretches from the shoulders to the middle of the body.
The skin is dark brown, covered with short hair. Older males are black. The top of the head is slightly lighter.
About the animal
They are active during the day, but where there are many people, they prefer to stay awake at night. Females and calves live in herds, while males live alone. They feed on grass, plant shoots and fruits. In hot weather they prefer to hide in the shade of trees. They live up to 30 years. Natural enemies are tigers and crocodiles.
Gaur can weigh up to one and a half tons
Buffaloes
They are also strong and brave large bulls. There are 4 types of buffalo:
- African.
- Indian.
- Dwarf (anoa).
- Tamaraw.
The largest subspecies among buffaloes. Its weight can reach 1200 kg, but this is rare. The height is relatively small - 1.5-1.6 m. Some subspecies are much smaller than these sizes. Males are always larger than females. Coat color is black. They have poor vision, they rely on their sense of smell.
The African buffalo does not see well, so it relies on smell
The length of adult individuals is more than 3 m, and the height reaches 2 m. The average weight is about 900 kg, but it can be more. The length of the horns reaches up to 2 m, they are directed backward and look like a crescent. Now there are not many representatives of this species left, because... people are destroying their habitat. These wild bulls eat grass early in the morning or in the evening. During the day they prefer to hide from the heat by immersing themselves in liquid mud.
They live in herds, but old bulls prefer solitude.
Tamaraw
This is an animal from the genus of Indian buffaloes, differing from them in its small stature and the shape of its horns. Its height is 106 cm, body length is 220 cm, it weighs from 180 to 300 kg. The color of the skin is black or dark brown, with a dark line visible on the back. This is an endangered species and is therefore protected by law. In captivity, they do not reproduce, so the number of animals is rapidly falling every year. Main threat– this is the lack of habitat for these animals. These are solitary animals; females and calves live in groups that remain throughout the year.
Tamaraw - Philippine buffalo
Anoa
The smallest bull is the anoa. Its body length is only 160 cm, and its height is 80 cm. Males weigh 300 kg, females are 2 times less. They are hairless, the skin is brown or black. Under threat of extinction. This animal is protected by law, but poachers shoot them in order to sell them to tourists. Therefore, the population size decreased by 90% (from 1079 to 1994).
Few people think when they see a modern cow, where it came from, and who was its ancestor. Let's look at what species of animals it came from, and how animals of the large species have changed over time. cattle.
Aurochs - an extinct wild ancestor of the domestic cow
All cows and bulls descended from already extinct primitive representatives of wild cattle - aurochs bulls. These animals lived for a very long time, but when people began to interfere with their habitat, namely, to cut down the forests where they lived, these bulls became less and less numerous. 
The last tour was seen in 1627, it was then that this species ceased to exist. Interestingly, the last representatives died due to diseases due to weak genetic inheritance.
During its existence, the tour was the most great representative species of ungulates. Scientific research and historical documents give an accurate description of these animals:
- height - up to 2 m;
- weight - not less than 800 kg;
- the body structure is muscular;
- there are large pointed horns on the head, they grew up to 100 cm;
- hump on the shoulders;
- color dark color with a brown tint.
Wild bulls of our time
Today in nature there are many modern descendants tours Let's consider what distinctive features each species has, as well as where they live and what they eat.
The bison is the most big beast modern fauna of Europe. This representative of cattle has the following external characteristics:
- The body length of an adult representative ranges from 230–350 cm;
- the height of the withers reaches 2 m;
- skull length - 50 cm;
- the neck is short and thick;
- live weight - up to 1 t;
- massive build;
- the front part is much more developed than the back part;
- the tail grows up to 60 cm in length;
- color is solid brown.
The modern bison is a descendant of the primitive bison priscus, which lived in Eurasia. At first, the spread of bison was noted over vast territories: from the Iberian Peninsula to Western Siberia, also capturing southern part Scandinavia and England. Now in Europe there are only two main subspecies: the European lowland bison and the Caucasian bison. Important! Today these animals can be found in thirty countries, where they live both in the wild and in pens. The main habitats are broad-leaved, deciduous and even mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, as well as meadows with developed grass cover.
Food for these animals is everything they find in the forest or on the edges. Animals need tree food throughout the year. They willingly eat different type willow, hornbeam, aspen and many other trees, namely their parts: leaves, bark and thin branches.
There are eight centers in Belarus that breed a subpopulation of the European bison. In Russia there are two regions where these animals can be found today: North Caucasus and the center of the European part. 
The bison is one of those animals that makes your skin shiver when you meet it. Its size is huge and its appearance is impressive. In addition, the North American bison is endowed with the following characteristics:
- body length - up to 3 m;
- height at withers reaches 2 m;
- the head is massive, the forehead is wide;
- there are short horns on both sides of the head, they diverge to the sides, with the ends bent inward;
- the neck is massive and short;
- there is a hump on the back of the neck;
- the front part is much more massive than the back;
- males weigh about 1.2 tons;
- females are slightly smaller - maximum 700 kg;
- legs are strong and squat;
- the tail is short, there is a tassel at the end;
- excellent hearing and sense of smell;
- the body is covered with gray hair with a brown tint;
- on the head, chest and beard the hair is darker and longer, which gives the bison more volume.
These animals appeared on the territory of modern southern Europe. Later they spread throughout Eurasia and even North America. The first bulls were 2 times larger than theirs modern representatives. They live in huge herds of up to 20 thousand individuals. 
Leadership in the herd is given to several old males. In the wild, their life expectancy is 20 years. Today in nature there are two subspecies: forest and steppe.
To expand their range, bison were moved to several areas of North America. Today they live in Northwestern Canada, in the province British Columbia. In the wild, North American bison are listed in the Red Book as a species that is on the verge of extinction. They are grown on farms for commercial use.
Yak
Tibet is considered the homeland of yaks. These are solitary pack animals that live in the wild in small herds or in splendid isolation. Life expectancy is several decades. The yak is endowed with expressive and memorable features:
- male body length - 4.3 m;
- the female reaches a length of no more than 3 m;
- the tail grows up to 1 m in length;
- the head is set low;
- because of the hump the back appears sloping;
- the height of the withers is 2 m;
- weight reaches 1 ton;
- on the head there are long, up to 95 cm, widely spaced horns, they are curved and directed in different directions;
- body color is dark brown or grayish-black;
- The fur is long, shaggy, and almost completely covers the limbs.
Today it can be found not only in the highlands of Tibet, to which it has adapted, but also in other places on the planet. Yaks are well tolerated low temperatures, thanks to long hair they can tolerate frosts down to -35 °C. They fell in love with the mountainous expanses of Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as farms in China and Iran, Nepal and Mongolia.
Single specimens are found in Altai and Buryatia. Due to the fact that humans are taking over their distribution area, their number has decreased significantly. Today the yak is listed in the Red Book.
Important! A wild bull is one of the most dangerous and evil animals, capable of fighting a person or other wild animal at any moment.
Wherever the Watussi bull appears, it attracts the attention of others. Its history goes back more than 6 thousand years. They are also called “bulls of kings.” The ancestors of the Watussi were the already extinct aura bulls. This species became the basis of African cattle. 
External characteristics:
- weight of adult bulls - 700 kg;
- cows grow up to 550 kg;
- long round horns that grow up to 3.7 m in length;
- the tail is long;
- body color can be varied;
- the wool is short.
Did you know? Since ancient times, bulls and cows of this breed were considered sacred. They were never killed for meat. The owner was considered rich based on how many live cattle he owned, since cows of this species produce a lot of milk.
In addition, they have a developed instinct to protect the young; when roosting for the night, adults lie down in a circle, with the calves in the center for safety. 
Zebu is an Asian cow that has adapted to life in hot and humid climate. The homeland of these animals is South Asia. Let's consider what distinctive characteristics of the zebu are known:
- height reaches 150 cm;
- body length - 160 cm;
- head and neck elongated;
- There is a noticeable fleshy fold under the neck;
- there is a large hump on the back of the neck;
- horns of different sizes and shapes;
- the head is elongated with a convex forehead;
- the weight of a bull is 900 kg, a cow is 300 kg lighter;
- the legs are high, which gives speed of movement;
- the skin is dense, covered with sparse hairs;
- the color is light, light brown or white.
Animals feed on grass, thin branches and leaves. They can travel long distances in search of food. They live in regions with tropical and subtropical climates. Today, in addition to India, they can be found in Asia and Africa, Japan, Korea, Madagascar, as well as in the USA, Brazil and other countries. 
Gaur - wild bull from Nepal
Another name is the Indian bison, this is the largest representative of the bull genus that has survived to this day. Gaur is native to South and Southeast Asia. The description of the appearance of a wild bison consists of the following indicators:
- body length - within 3 m;
- tail length - up to 1 m;
- height at withers - up to 2 m;
- there is a hump on the shoulders;
- weight ranges from 600–1500 kg;
- there are horns up to 1 m long on the head;
- wool is dyed different colors, “white stockings” on her feet.
Today, the population is declining in some parts of the range, this figure is 70%. The population is in decline as a result of uncontrolled hunting as well as the destruction of their habitat.
This buffalo is the largest on the entire planet. Its homeland is Africa. These animals live in the wild for about 16 years and are gregarious. They are endowed with the following characteristics:
- body length - 3.5 m;
- grow 1.8 m in height;
- weight reaches 1 ton or more;
- the body is muscular, the front part is much larger than the back;
- the head is large, set low;
- on the head there are huge horns that grow together and resemble a shell;
- fur color is reddish;
- the legs are powerful, the front legs are stronger than the hind legs;
- animals are endowed with good hearing, but poor vision.
The habitats of these bulls are savannas, mountains and forests. They need a lot of water. They feed on grass and leaves. In times of danger, they gather in a herd, place the young in the center and run away. It is known that their speed can reach 57 km/h. Today, African buffalos live in Southern and Eastern Africa. They need a lot of space near bodies of water. Did you know? Buffalo milk is better than cow milk in terms of protein content. Its fat content is 8%. On average, one buffalo produces 2 tons of milk per year.
Asian (Indian) buffalo
The Asiatic buffalo is a relative of wild bison, yaks and zebu. These are beautiful and powerful animals that fight with humans for the right to life. Asian buffalos are artiodactyl mammals that belong to the bovid family and are endowed with the following characteristics:
- the bull has a body length of 3 m;
- its height reaches 2 m;
- weight is in the range of 800–1200 kg;
- there are crescent-shaped horns on the head, the distance between them is 2 m;
- the tail grows 90 cm in length;
- the wool is coarse, thin, brown in color;
- limbs are tall and strong.
The character justifies the appearance, as the buffalo of this breed is very ferocious. He fights well against predators. These bulls live in herds. There is no strict subordination in them. They feed on underwater and coastal vegetation, doing this preferably in the evening, and during the day they like to just sit in the water. 3 times already helped
The buffalo is a large animal, its weight can reach more than 1000 kg, but not all of them have this weight. Speaking of height, on average this figure ranges from 1 to 1.5 m, while the buffalo’s limbs are short but powerful. Naturally, deviations from the average are acceptable, depending on the breed and habitat of the animal.
Interesting fact, that the older the buffalo, the more mass he manages to gain. Males are traditionally more massive, they are heavier than females, which allows them to fight for themselves and their herd. The average female weighs up to 600 kg, although some endemic species, such as the anoa, barely reach a weight of 300 kg.
A characteristic feature of buffaloes is the presence of horns. The most common breed, the African buffalo, has horns that are not too large, but are directed in different directions and have curves. Externally, the place where the horns grow together with the skull resembles a helmet. There are also species of animals, such as the Indian buffalo, whose horns reach record levels: about 2 m in length. At the same time, they are not directed upward, but also grow to the side, eventually turning back. There are also polled animals, but this is quite a rare occurrence.
Where do buffalos live?
The buffalo is an animal that belongs to the genus of bulls, but with a peculiarity: their horns are hollow. It is worth saying that in Russia or Ukraine it is rare to meet one individual, much less a family of buffaloes. This is explained by the fact that the natural habitat of the bovid animal is in countries with a hot climate, where there are no such harsh winters.
Currently, there are four subspecies of this animal:
- Tamarow.
- Endemic anoa or dwarf (small, small).
- Asian (another name for Indian), common on the Sulawesi islands.
- African buffalo (lives in Africa and is the most common).
Naturally, the habitat will influence the wild animal; it will be most adapted to its native climate.
However, currently the animal is protected by law in many states, as their numbers are declining massively. Some species, such as anoa, are forced to be included in the Red Book, as the species is on the verge of extinction. Some attribute this to global warming, someone sees the reason that these animals are being hunted and poached.
African buffalo
The African buffalo, or black buffalo (lat. Syncerus caffer) is a species of bull widely distributed in Africa. Being a typical representative of the bull subfamily, the African buffalo, however, is very distinctive and stands out in separate genus Syncerus is the only species (it is also the only one of the bovine subfamily found in Africa).
Appearance
To feel the full power and greatness of the African buffalo, just one look at it is enough. Judge for yourself: its height reaches two meters, and its length – three and a half. The weight of an adult male is about a ton, and the greatest threat is not the horns (which reach a meter in length), but the hooves. The front part looks more massive and has large area hooves than the hind. It is for this reason that an encounter with an African buffalo rushing towards high speed, becomes the last for the victim.
The most a prominent representative of five subspecies African giants is the Kaffir buffalo. It is significantly larger than its counterparts and almost completely corresponds to the above description. It has a very formidable disposition, which the black coat color warns of.
Habitat and lifestyle
Already from the name of the animals it is clear that they live on African continent. But it is impossible to clearly define the territory that African bulls prefer. They can live equally well in forests, savannas and mountains. The main requirement for the area is the proximity of water. It is in the savannas that Kaffir, Senegalese and Nile buffaloes prefer to stay.
In the natural environment, large colonies of African buffalo can only be found in protected areas located far from people. Animals do not trust them much and try in every possible way to avoid them, like any other threat. In this they are greatly helped by an excellent sense of smell and hearing, which cannot be said about vision, which can hardly be called ideal. Females with young offspring behave especially carefully.
The organization of the herd and the hierarchy within it deserve special attention. At the slightest danger, the calves move deep into the herd, and the oldest and most experienced ones cover them, forming a dense shield. They communicate with each other through special signals and clearly determine their further actions. In total, the herd can number from 20 to 30 individuals of different ages.
Human use
Despite the fact that African buffaloes pose a great danger and are very reluctant to make contact with people, the latter still managed to tame the giants and successfully use them in the household. Tribes use these animals as a traction force, cultivating large areas for crops of cereals and other crops.
Also, African buffalos are indispensable as cattle. They are raised for meat, and they do not always wait until the calf reaches its goal. maximum weight. Females produce milk of excellent quality, containing a large number of fat It is made into hard and soft cheese, similar to feta cheese, and they drink it just like that.
After the slaughter of African buffalos, in addition to meat, a lot of useful things also remain. For example, the skin can be used as bedding, decoration, or used for sewing clothes. Nowadays they decorate the interior with massive horns, but previously they were used to make primitive tools for cultivating the garden. Even bones are used - burned in the oven and ground, they are used as fertilizer and feed additive for other domestic animals.
Population status and threats
The African buffalo did not escape the common fate of large African ungulates, which were severely extirpated in the 19th - first half of the 20th century due to uncontrolled shooting. However, the buffalo population suffered significantly less than, for example, elephants - perhaps because, given the complexity and danger of hunting, the buffalo is not of commercial value (unlike the same elephant with valuable tusks or a rhinoceros with a valuable horn). Therefore, the number of buffaloes remained quite high. Much greater devastation among buffaloes was caused by epizootics of rinderpest, brought to Africa in late XIX centuries with the cattle of white settlers. The first outbreaks of this disease among buffaloes were noted in 1890.
The buffalo, although it has disappeared in many places of its former habitat, is still numerous in some places. Total The number of buffaloes of all subspecies in Africa is estimated at approximately one million. Estimated population status International Union nature conservation, “is under slight threat, but depends on conservation measures” (English: Lower risk, conservation dependent).
In a number of places in Africa, protected areas support stable and sustainable buffalo populations. There are a lot of buffalo in these famous nature reserves, like the Serengeti and Ngorongoro (Tanzania) and the national park. Kruger (South Africa). Large herds of buffalo are found in Zambia, in reserves in the Luangwa River valley.
Outside the reserves, the most serious threat to the buffalo is habitat destruction. Buffaloes do not tolerate the cultural landscape at all and try to stay away from agricultural land, so plowing and land development, inevitable with the constant growth of the population of Africa, have an extremely negative impact on the number of buffaloes.
Many buffalos are kept in zoos around the world. They reproduce well in captivity, but keeping them is quite difficult - buffaloes in the zoo are sometimes very aggressive. There have been cases when buffalo fights in the zoo led to death.
Asian buffalo
Asiatic buffalo, or Indian buffalo (lat. Bubalus arnee) – artiodactyl mammal from the bovid family. One of the largest bulls. Adults reach a length of more than 3 meters. The height at the withers reaches 2 m, and the weight can reach 1000 kg, in some cases up to 1200, on average an adult male weighs about 900 kg. The horns reach up to 2 m, they are directed to the sides and back and have a semi-lunar shape and a flattened cross-section. Cows have small or no horns.
Description of appearance
Despite the fact that the Indian buffalo species includes at least 6 subspecies, they all share similar appearance features. One of them is horns. Long, growing slightly backward, they curve smoothly upward and represent a serious weapon, equally dangerous for predators, people, and other animals.
Indian buffalo cows have horns that are not as prominent as those of bulls; they differ in shape - they are not curved, but straight. Sexual dimorphism is also manifested in size indicators - females are much smaller.
The Indian bull, with the exception of the dwarf variety, reaches a height of about 2 meters. Adult buffaloes weigh on average up to 900 kg. There are individual individuals weighing up to 1200 kg. The length of the barrel-shaped body is about 3–4 meters. Compared to other buffaloes, Indian bulls have relatively high legs. Representatives of the species have a long (up to 90 cm), massive tail.
In addition to large body dimensions, nature has awarded Indian buffaloes with decent long life, reaching up to 26 years in natural conditions.
Range and conservation problems of the species
Wild Asiatic buffalo are found in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, as well as Ceylon. Back in the middle of the 20th century, buffalos were found in Malaysia, but now, apparently, there are no wild animals left there. On the island of Mindoro (Philippines) in the special reserve Iglit lived a special, dwarf subspecies called tamaraw (B. b. mindorensis). This subspecies is apparently already extinct.
But the historical distribution area of the buffalo is huge. At the beginning of the first millennium AD. e. The Indian buffalo was found over a vast territory from Mesopotamia to southern China.
In most places, buffalo now live in strictly protected areas, where they have become accustomed to humans and are no longer wild in the strict sense of the word. The Indian buffalo was also brought to Australia in the 19th century and spread widely in the north of the continent.
In Asian countries, the range and number of Indian buffalo are constantly declining. The main reason for this is not hunting, which is usually limited and carried out according to strict quotas, but the destruction of habitat, plowing and settlement of remote areas. There are fewer and fewer places where wild buffalo can live in the wild. In fact, now in India and Sri Lanka the range of wild buffalo is completely confined to national parks (the famous Kaziranga National Park in the Indian state of Assam has a herd of buffalo of more than a thousand heads). The situation in Nepal and Bhutan is little better.
Other serious problem- constant crossing of wild buffaloes with domestic ones, due to which the wild species gradually loses the purity of blood. It is extremely difficult to avoid this due to the fact that almost everywhere wild buffalos have to live in proximity to people and, accordingly, domestic buffaloes kept on free grazing.
Lifestyle and behavior
Indian buffaloes are characterized by a herd lifestyle. Small groups are formed from a leader - the oldest bull, several young males, as well as calves and cows. When a threat appears, the herd tries to escape from its pursuers as quickly as possible. However, then the animals regroup and await enemies for a frontal attack, often on their own tracks. In any situation, older animals try to protect the young.
The Indian buffalo in nature associates its life with stagnant water: lakes or swamps; in extreme cases, it agrees to rivers with a slow flow.
At the same time, Indian bulls themselves are one of the irreplaceable sources of reproduction of natural resources. The manure they produce helps replenish nutrients and supports intensive growth of green mass.
Small island buffalo
In the Philippines, or rather, in small island Mindoro, lives a small dwarf buffalo tamaraw. Its height is only 110 cm, its body length is 2-3 meters, and its weight is 180-300 kg. By appearance it resembles an antelope more than a buffalo. The horns of the Tamarow buffalo are flat, curved back, each about 40 cm long. They form a triangle at the base. The wool is liquid, black or chocolate in color, sometimes gray.
Even 100-150 years ago, the places where the tamaraw buffalo lives were sparsely populated. On the island of Mindoro there was a very dangerous strain of malaria, they were afraid to develop it. Animals could calmly walk through the tropical thickets without fear of anything, because there is no large predators, and tamaraw is the most close-up view. But they learned to fight malaria, the island began to be actively populated, which led to a sharp decline in the population. Now there are no more than 100-200 individuals of this species in the world; it is listed in the Red Book.
Another small buffalo lives on the island of Sulawesi. It is called anoa, and is even smaller in size than tamarow. Anoa's height is only 80 cm, and its body length is 160 cm. Females weigh about 150 kg, males reach 300 kg. There is almost no fur on their body, their skin color is black. Calves are born almost red. There are two varieties of this buffalo: the mountain buffalo and the lowland anoa buffalo. Lowland anoa have straight horns with a triangular cut, about 25 cm long. Mountain anoa have twisted and round horns.
The small island buffalo has a lifespan of about 20 years, which is significantly longer than other species. Nowadays, anoas are extremely rare. Despite the fact that they are protected in Indonesia, the animals often become victims of poachers. Wherever a person appears, active development of the territory begins.
Sulawesi is one of the most densely populated islands, so there is less and less space for anoa, which is not in the best possible way affects the population. Perhaps soon this species will only be seen in photos and videos.
Number
Until the 19th century, the dwarf wild buffalo from the island of Sulawesi densely inhabited the territory. However, with the growth of agriculture, bulls began to leave coastal areas, moving away from people. The dwarf animals chose mountainous areas as their new habitat.
Before World War II, buffalo numbers were significant. Hunting rules protected the species from destruction, and local residents rarely killed anoa. The situation changed dramatically after World War II.
The local population acquired more serious firearms. Now hunting for anoa has become available to them. Hunting rules were constantly violated, and reserves built to protect buffaloes were abandoned.
Due to the shyness of the animals, it is not possible to thoroughly study the species. Both species are known to be critically endangered. The exact number of wild buffalo is unknown. There are much more mountain species in nature, thanks to the mountains, in which you can hide from danger. Plain species are susceptible to attacks by predators and local residents, so their numbers are constantly declining.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature records the number of animals living in captivity in a studbook. This allows for the creation of a minimum fund of small bulls.
Domestic bulls
The Indian buffalo was domesticated several thousand years ago. Images of buffalo-like animals can be found on ancient Greek vases and Sumerian tiles. Distributed throughout southern territory Eurasian continent, bulls are still preserved as livestock in both southern Europe and Southeast Asia. They were brought to Hawaii, Japan, and Latin America.
A local breed descended from Indian wild bulls has long lived in the Caucasus region. Currently, breeding work is being carried out to improve local animals: increasing meat yield and improving the milk quality of buffaloes. Traditionally, the population produced gatig or yogut, kaymag (specially processed heavy cream) and ayran from milk. Currently, industrial recipes for the production of different types of cheese are being developed, because it is known that Italian mozzarella original recipe It is made from buffalo milk.
Domestic bulls are common in Bulgaria (Indo-Bulgarian breeding group), and in Italy and the Balkan region. They are bred in Transcarpathia and the Lviv region (Ukraine). Both meat and milk of buffaloes are valuable food products.
In India, where is the meat ordinary cows considered prohibited, domestic buffalo serve as the source of this protein food. The ban does not apply to domesticated bulls, and they are bred as both dairy and beef cattle. In Southeast Asia and Latin America, powerful, hardy animals are the best draft force. With the help of bulls people process rice fields, harnessing the buffalo to primitive plows and harrows. In mountainous or swampy areas where horses cannot work, they are used to transport a variety of loads.
Domestic animals very often interbreed with wild buffaloes on their own, violating the purity of the latter's blood. Already rare, wild bulls lose their biological exclusivity, producing offspring with a mixed genotype. There are only about 1 thousand purebred wild bulls left.
Buffalo productivity
In almost all main indicators of productivity, buffaloes are significantly inferior to ordinary cows. Thus, the slaughter yield usually does not exceed 47%, while for ordinary cattle this figure fluctuates between 50-60%. At the same time, the characteristics of the meat are very mediocre, to say the least.
The meat of adult buffaloes is quite tough and also gives off a strong musk, so it cannot be used for food like regular beef. It must either be deeply processed (for example, to make sausages), or used to feed other animals (for example, to make dog food). But the meat of young animals is more or less similar to beef, although it is noticeably inferior to it in taste qualities. By the way, wild buffalos in Africa and Australia are objects of sport hunting, but their meat also has no special value.
Average milk yield is also not particularly encouraging - 1400-1700 liters per lactation, which is 2-3 times lower than that of ordinary meat and dairy cows (not to mention purely dairy breeds). However, the advantage of buffaloes is that their milk is very fatty. While regular cow's milk contains 2 to 4% fat, buffalo milk contains 8%. In fact, buffaloes do not even produce milk, but low-fat cream.
Buffalo skins are of some value. Average weight raw hides per animal - 25-30 kg with an average thickness of about 7 mm.
Features of keeping buffaloes
According to the conditions of detention, the Asian black buffalo is as close as possible to an ordinary cow. He grazes on the same pastures, lives in an ordinary cowshed and, in general, differs little from a cow. At the same time, among cattle breeders there were two diametrically opposed opinions regarding the nature of buffaloes.
Both the Indonesian dwarf buffalo and the domesticated Indian buffalo readily eat the coarsest and least valuable feed, which is usually unsuitable for cows. For example, straw and corn stalks can be fed to these animals. In addition, recall that domestic buffaloes are called “river type.” They can be safely grazed in marshy and wooded pastures where regular cows are not grazed. Buffaloes are very fond of coastal vegetation (reeds, sedges), and also eat nettles, ferns and even pine needles without any problems.
In swampy areas, where it is difficult to raise ordinary cattle, buffaloes feel very comfortable. Moreover, if there is at least a small body of water nearby, they will willingly swim in it in the summer heat.
It is believed that buffaloes tolerate cold well, but given the southern origin of this species, this should not be abused. In regions with cold winters, animals definitely need a warm permanent barn.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Buffaloes
Traditionally, the term “cattle” refers to ordinary cows and bulls, but the domesticated buffalo also belongs to this category of farm animals. And since cows are the main representative of this group, it makes sense to compare the advantages and disadvantages of buffaloes in relation to them.
The obvious advantages are:
- High fat content of milk. The average fat content is just over 8%, and if certain feeding rules are followed, this figure can easily be increased to 10% or more. Thus, buffalo milk is an ideal raw material for the production of butter and cheese. If 30-35 liters of cow's milk are needed to produce 1 kg of butter, then only 10-15 liters of buffalo milk are needed. Thus, the low milk yield of buffaloes is fully compensated
- Undemanding to feed. Cheap roughage, which is not suitable for cows, is readily eaten by buffaloes, which significantly reduces the cost of their maintenance. Especially in winter.
- Good health. Buffaloes are significantly less susceptible to infectious diseases of cattle. In addition, they can live in humid, hot climates, making them a preferred cattle species in marshy areas. Especially in the south of the country.
However, the significantly greater popularity of cows in Russia has quite objective reasons.
Buffaloes have a number of significant disadvantages, due to which the vast majority of farmers prefer cows:
- Small milk yield. Under similar housing and nutrition conditions, buffaloes produce 2-3 times less milk than meat and dairy cows, and 4-6 times less than dairy cows.
- Tasteless meat. Although over the past decades, breeders have developed new breeds of buffalo, in which the taste characteristics of the meat have been significantly improved, beef is still much tastier.
- Complex nature. According to reviews of many cattle breeders who have experience in breeding buffaloes, these animals are still more capricious and capricious than cows.
Notable Facts
- Famous Italian mozzarella cheese the right recipe made from buffalo milk.
- In India, where the cow is a sacred animal for the majority of the population and is not subject to slaughter for meat, however, you can often find beef and veal on sale. This paradox is explained by the fact that the religious prohibition does not apply to buffaloes, therefore, nothing more than buffalo meat is sold under the name beef. It tastes different from real beef, and buffalo is much tougher than beef.
- In a number of places in Southeast Asia (some areas of Vietnam, Thailand, Laos), domestic buffalo fights are among the favorite folk pastimes.
- The tallest buffaloes are prepared for competitions long ago, trained and fattened in a special way.
- Buffalo fight occurs without human participation - the bulls are brought onto the site one against the other and butt until one runs away from the battlefield or shows undoubted signs of defeat (for example, falls at the feet of the winner). The fight is very rarely bloody - usually the buffaloes do not cause any serious damage to each other. In recent decades, buffalo fights have also become a popular spectacle for tourists.