Wild Water Buffaloes

Wild Water Buffaloes

Subject : Environment

Section: Species in news

Context: The love for momos in Nepal is threatening endangered wild water buffaloes

More on the News:

• Dumplings (momos) filled with buffalo meat are popular in Nepal. They command a higher price if the meat comes from a crossbreed of wild and domestic buffalo.
• Crossbreeding domestic and endangered wild buffaloes is illegal and can threaten the wild population, but people do it because of the high demand for the meat as well as a belief that crossbred females produce more milk.
• People from India too sometimes leave their domestic water buffaloes out in the open near the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve in eastern Nepal, the country’s last remaining habitat for wild buffaloes, with the hope of crossbreeding with wild buffaloes.
• Authorities in the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve are challenged with controlling the mixing of wild and domestic animals inside the reserve.

Wild Water Buffaloes:

• Wild water buffaloes, also known as Asiatic water buffaloes, are large bovine animals that are native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. They are one of the two species of buffalo that exist, the other being the domesticated water buffalo.
• Wild water buffaloes prefer swampy and marshy habitats, such as grasslands, reed beds, and forests, near rivers, lakes, and other water bodies.
• They are typically found in areas with warm and humid climates, including India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia. In India, wild water buffaloes are found in the northeastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya.
• Wild water buffaloes are large and stocky animals that can weigh up to 1200 kg. They have a dark brown or black coat that is coarse and sparse, with tufts of hair on their head and neck. They also have large, curved horns that can span up to 2 meters. Wild water buffaloes are excellent swimmers and can move easily through water.
• Wild water buffaloes are social animals that live in herds of up to 30 individuals, typically led by a dominant male. They are mostly active at dawn and dusk and spend most of their day resting and feeding. They are herbivores and primarily feed on grasses, aquatic plants, and other vegetation. Wild water buffaloes are also known to wallow in mud and water, which helps them regulate their body temperature and avoid parasites.
• Threats: Wild water buffaloes are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation due to human activities, such as agriculture, infrastructure development, and logging. They are also at risk of poaching for their meat, horns, and other body parts. In addition, they are vulnerable to diseases, such as bovine tuberculosis and foot-and-mouth disease, which can be transmitted by domestic cattle.
• The population of wild water buffaloes in India is estimated to be around 3,400 individuals, with the majority of them living in Assam.
• The wild water buffalo is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.
• Conservation: Several conservation programs are in place to protect wild water buffaloes, including the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, which prohibits hunting and trade of wild water buffaloes and their products. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), are working to establish protected areas and captive breeding programs for wild water buffaloes.