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Ruminant creatures like the buffalo still belonged to the Bovinae tribe. In some parts of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Thailand, you can still see wild buffalo, or arni as the Indians refer to it. In Asia, South America, North Africa, and Europe, taming of the buffalo is fairly widespread.
It is anticipated that there won't be any more wild buffalo populations in the future because the wild buffalo population in Asia is currently beginning to dwindle. Buffalo adults can weigh anything from 300 kg to 600 kg. Wild buffalo can weigh up to 1200 kg for males and 800 kg for females, depending on the gender. A male buffalo's typical weight is 900 kg, and its average height at the shoulder is 1.7 meters.
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Domesticated buffalo have a rounded belly, which is one way that wild buffalo differ from domesticated buffalo. The body weight of buffaloes might vary due to breed mixing across different populations.
Although the classification of the buffalo is still debated, some authorities list the following three subspecies of the Bubalus bubalis species:
- The South Asian-born river buffalo (B. bubalis bubalis).
- The swamp buffalo, also known as the Southeast Asian swamp buffalo (B. bubalis carabanesis).
- A wild boar (B. bubalis arnee).
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Southeast Asian swamp buffaloes have 48 chromosomes, and they can be found there. There are 50 chromosomes in the river buffalo. These two subspecies can create offspring and have offspring, however they cannot mate with cows because cows have 60 chromosomes.
Humans consume buffalo milk in large quantities. Mozzarella cheese is a prime illustration of this. In India, buffalo meat is another important export. Yet, due to its toughness, buffalo meat is less common in Asia. Buffalo skin is frequently used to make motorcycle helmets, shadow puppets, and shoes.
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Asia
Asia is where the buffalo originated. Asia is home to 95% of the world's buffalo population. This species is important to several Asian nations for meat, milk, and labor.
Asia's buffalo population was estimated to number 141 million in 1992. The amount of fat in buffalo milk is really high. The river buffalo, which may be found in Nepal up to a height of 2,800 m, and the swamp buffalo, which inhabits the lowlands, are the two subspecies that exist in Asia.
Buffaloes can survive when there is a food shortage because of their efficient way of living. Since they can maneuver through the muck considerably better than cows, buffaloes are frequently utilized to plow the fields.
Only a limited number of wild buffalo still exist in the wild. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Thailand are all countries where the Indian wild buffalo can be found. The horns on this buffalo are enormous, measuring an average of 1 m long. On the other hand, the horns of a buffalo that was killed in 1955 measured 4.24 meters in length. This is also one of the explanations for why meat-eating animals hardly ever attack buffalo.
A meat-eating mammal, the tiger can take down buffalo weighing up to 1000–1200 kg. And only skilled tigers will start their attack on the buffalo's legs. If attacked, the buffalo will line up and block the tiger with their horns and noses. The buffalo is another animal that has a reputation for frequently attacking even when not provoked. Due to this, buffaloes are still capable of posing a threat to people.
There are currently 4000 wild buffalo, according to estimates. However, this number also includes hybrid species and domesticated wild buffalo. Also, it is believed that there are hardly any wild buffalo left today. The national animal of the Philippines is the buffalo.
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Australia
First brought to northern Australia, where they managed to avoid domestication. Due to this status, buffalo in Australia are now considered game animals. There are about 4,000 buffalo populations on Melville Island, where they are frequently employed as hunting tools. Arnhem Land is also home to buffaloes. Buffaloes prefer to live near water, and during the rainy season, they can cover enormous territories. Buffaloes from Indonesia, where they originated, can differ in shape from those seen in Australia.
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Both The Middle East and Europe
In 600 AD, buffaloes were brought to North Africa and the Middle East. Buffalo were introduced to Europe during the Middle Ages and are still present today in Bulgaria and Italy. Buffalo dwell on broad pastures with little vegetation, just like in Asia. They are used by the family as both food and investment. They participate in the annual festival in some places. River buffalo make up the majority of the local species, however due to genetic isolation, they can take on many shapes. Buffalo milk is a component of mozzarella cheese as well.