Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

Water Buffalo

Bubalus bubalis

Not Evaluated

It has not yet been assessed against the IUCN criteria. See full glossary

Its fetlock joint is extremely flexible, an unusual adaptation that lets it move easily through the deep mud of rivers and swamps.

Weight

725 kg on average

Size

2.4 m – 3 m

Lifespan

25 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Irregular activity

Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.

Social structure

Herd

Lives in large groups as a strategy against predators.

Sighting difficulty

Unknown

FreshwaterGrasslandHerbivore Variable activity In herds Endangered Freshwater Grassland Mammal

11countries 17parks86same family

Fun facts

It is probably the direct ancestor of the domestic water buffalo, whose milk is higher in fat and protein than a dairy cow's.
Its scimitar-shaped horns span up to 120 cm, among the largest of any bovid.
It eats aquatic and terrestrial grasses, leaves and wetland vegetation.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Wetlands, swamps and floodplains of the Indian subcontinent and South East Asia
Birth weight: 35-40 kg
Size at birth: Already fawn-brown at birth, darkening gradually by 6 months
Sexual maturity: Male: 1.5-3 years | Female: 3 years
Gestation / incubation: 300-330 days (10-11 months)
Litter / clutch size: 1 young, with an interval between births of 2 years
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 29-34.9 years in captivity

Sources consulted: Animal Diversity Web; Animal Kingdom Wiki; Ultimate Ungulate; Animalia.bio; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); A-Z Animals; PMC (breeding management study)