5 Things You Didn't Know About Water Buffalo

Meet the older cousins of the bovine clan: water buffalo! They're big, they're mysterious, and they haven't been to the family reunion in a couple of years. Here are a few fun facts to help you get reacquainted:

Frequent mud baths are the best remedy for a hot day!

1. Water Buffalo Are Aptly Named

In the wild, water buffalo spend much of their day cooling off in the muddy waters of Asia’s tropical forest. Because of their proclivity for this marshy terrain, water buffalo have wide, splayed hooves that enable them to move freely in the mud without sinking too deeply. If food is scarce, buffalo will even dive for plants growing on the beds of lakes and rivers!

2. Water Buffalo = The World's Largest Bovines 

At their largest, bull water buffalo can clock in at 2,650 pounds with a height of 6 ft (not including their horns). Water buffalo cows are typically more petite ranging from 1,500 pounds and up. Their formidable stature has earned water
buffalo of both genders the nickname of "The Living Tractors of the East."

3. Water Buffalo can be Fast AND Furious 

Though domesticated buffalo are gentle enough to be milked (and even ridden), wild buffalo are notoriously aggressive and aren't afraid to face off with their only natural predators: tigers and lions. And they are fast — when threatened, water buffalo can reach speeds of 30 mph.

4. You Have Probably Consumed Water Buffalo Milk

Compared to standard cow's milk, water buffalo milk contains higher levels of protein, calcium and iron, while sporting less cholesterol and lactose. Though not yet a popular drink in America, it is commonly used to make delicious, Italian-style mozzarella cheeses.

Vistacion and her husband Paquito, along with their grand children, take a photo with the family water buffalo.

5. Water Buffalo have been Domesticated for over 5,000 Years

Around the world, water buffalo are still giving humans a helping hoof. Besides cows, water buffalo contribute a significant percentage of the global milk population. In some areas of the world (like South Asia), buffalo are even the principal source of milk!

Did you learn something new or interesting about these magnificent bovines? Consider donating a water buffalo to a family in need! With the help of one of these magnificent "Living Tractors of the East" a smallholder farmer can plant more than 4 times the crops than he or she could by hand. These additional crops (and the milk a buffalo can give) provide nutrition and income to a family struggling with poverty.