Few people know that buffaloes live not only in Africa and Asia, and that they are tamed not only as a bull meat breed, but also for plowing lands, as well as for getting healthy fat milk.
These animals, despite their impressive size, are very friendly and peaceful creatures.
Most representatives and the eye will not lead in the direction of a person if he came to them with good intentions and is not going to take away life or freedom.
General characteristics of buffaloes
The buffalo is a massive ruminant, which is part of the detachment of the artiodactyls. The pride of these representatives are their hollow horns, which grow not up, but to the sides, and come in different shapes and sizes, depending on the breed of buffalo.
Did you know? This wild animal constantly needs water, both for drinking and for bathing, so the family of buffaloes cannot live where it is too dry and rainfall is less than 200 mm / year.
The closest relatives of the buffalo are gaurs, batengi and cuprey. This handsome man lives exclusively in hot countries, cold winters and strong northern winds are deadly for him, therefore it is impossible to meet a wild buffalo on the territory of Ukraine and Russia. 
In most countries of habitat, hunting for buffaloes is prohibited at the level of the law, because in recent years the population of all breeds has rapidly decreased due to global warming and drainage of water in the habitats of wild bulls.
Find out how this wild bull looks like and where the watusi lives.
These horned artiodactyls are herd animals, and there is a good reason for this: the goby itself cannot stand up for itself in a fight with a wild predator, but being in a herd, there is a huge probability that it will be possible to frighten enemies with its huge size and other wild animals just be afraid to attack such well-being.
The head of the family is the most mature female, therefore matriarchy reigns in these bulls. The livestock of a whole family can reach as many as 800 representatives (the number of heads depends on the breed).
Many consider buffaloes aggressive because of their large size and severe look, but in vain. Even in the wild, males and females are rather phlegmatic, unless, of course, their lives are in danger. 
Most of the day the flock is spent at the watering place, and the rest of the free time basking in the shade, eating grass.
Important! Buffaloes give very fat, healthy milk, which is popularly called “pure cream”. The fat content of this product sometimes exceeds 9%.
What are
There are 4 breeds of buffalo in the wild: African, Asian (or Indian water), Anoa (dwarf) and Tamarau. Each representative has its own characteristics, depending on the habitat.
African buffalo
The most popular representative that even a child recognizes is African.
Important! This breed is often confused with the bison, but it is completely different animals.
This representative densely settled the entire continent and feels great in a hot tropical climate. 
How it looks and how much it weighs:
- Weight. They have a large, muscular physique and an impressive weight: males - about 1200 kg, and females - 750 kg.
- Height. An adult animal can reach 2 meters.
- Body length The older the representative, the more he grows. Maximum body length - 5 m.
- Horn. The pride of the African buffalo: in form resemble the shape of a bow for shooting. On the head they form a dense shield for the struggle, the diameter of the widest part is about 35 cm, the sharp ends are raised up.
- Wool. Rough, dense, black or dark gray.
- Where lives: This breed lives exclusively in Africa, distributed almost throughout the continent (in places where there is enough greenery for food and water). Scientists who monitor the population of this animal, claim that herds of African buffalo were seen even at an altitude of 2500 m above sea level.
- What feeds on: Wild bulls are trying to grass and leaves of trees, which can reach. On the day, one individual can chew on the amount of grass, which is 2% of the mass of its own body.
- Population: Buffaloes, like all African wild animals, were partially destroyed by man, but after the ban on hunting for this animal, the population began to gradually revive. At the moment, more than 1 million wild representatives live in the territory of Africa and this number gradually increases every day.
Asian (Indian) water buffalo
The Indian bull is one of the largest representatives.
Find out more about how the water buffalo looks and what it eats.
These bulls are more often domesticated because they are dairy animals. 
How it looks and how much it weighs:
- Weight. It has a massive large muscular body, the average weight of males - 1200 kg, females - 900 kg.
- Height. About 2 meters.
- Body length On average, 3-3.5 meters.
- Horn. Large, laid back and raised up. In males, the length can reach 2 meters, in females they are much less or are completely absent.
- Wool. Rough, dense, black or dark gray.
- Where lives: In the wild, the animal can be found throughout Asia, but is most commonly found in India, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Cambodia. Domesticated representatives are found in Australia, as well as in the warm Russian and Ukrainian regions.
- What feeds on: This species likes to chew grass and leaves of low-growing trees, as well as some types of algae.
- Population: The animal is very common, in Asia there are about 10 thousand wild horned families.
Did you know? Wetlands as well as river valleys are the most favorite areas of water buffalo. Therefore, it is often called water.
Anoa (dwarf buffalo)
Unusual, but very cute breed of bulls, the main feature of which is low, even dwarf growth. 
How it looks and how much it weighs:
- Weight. Anoas males rarely gain more than 300 kg, and females 250 kg.
- Height. The average height of the male is 80 cm, the females are slightly lower - about 60 cm.
- Body length On average reaches 160 cm.
- Horn. Relatively small: 20-25 cm, pointing up (like antelopes) and have a characteristic bend.
- Wool. Coarse, dense, from brown to black.
- Where lives: Anoa is home to Indonesia. They live on the island of Sulawesi, both in mountainous areas (they are more compact in size) and on the plains. Also found in Africa.
- What feeds on: The diet includes grass and leaves of shrubs, fruits of some low trees.
- Population: In the past few decades, the population has declined sharply, mainly due to deforestation and poaching. However, at the moment, the Indonesian authorities have forbidden to hunt these animals, as well as destroy the green spaces in their habitat, so the number of individuals gradually grows.
Tamarau
Breed Tamarau is very similar to its Indonesian relatives - the breed Anoa. 
How it looks and how much it weighs:
- Weight. The maximum mass of adults is about 300 kg.
- Height. Tamarau have a height of about 0.8 meters.
- Body length The length of the whole body is 160 cm.
- Horn. Vertical, dense and thick, 30 cm long.
- Wool. Dense, gray-black or brown.
- Where lives: Dwarf Tamarau lives on the island of Mindoro (Philippines), both in the mountains and on the plains.
- What feeds on: This buffalo is chewing grass, tree leaves, fruits, and some types of algae.
- Population: Over the past hundred years, the population of this animal has fallen by half. Mainly due to the fact that poachers cunningly avoid the ban on killing this bull (referring to self-defense). However, the last 10 years, this buffalo is gradually being reborn, and, according to some information, over the next ten years, this horned representative of the wild nature will cease to be an endangered species.
Important! Pregnancy of this species lasts about 11 months, so it is quite difficult to revive the population.
So, most wild buffaloes are on the verge of extinction, what is the fault of the man himself, and this animal gives excellent milk, helps farmers in cultivating the land, and also destroys weeds and does not cause any harm by its existence.
Poaching is prohibited in all countries where these cute stag beetles live, but unscrupulous citizens still manage to kill the good big guy for its luxurious horns, depriving tourists of the opportunity to see this unusual animal.
