WATER BUFFALOFeatured in the "Reptiles and Amphibians" episode of Life.
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Video: Watch komodo dragons hunt buffalo.
HowStuffWorks: How do African buffalo defend themselves from lions? The largest living bovine species on Earth isn't afraid to take on a tiger. The water buffalo or Asian buffalo can weigh up to 2,650 pounds (1,200 kilograms) and stands as tall as 6.2 feet (1.9 meters). Powerfully muscled, the males boast an enormous pair of backward-curving horns that typically span 5 feet (1.5 meters) across. These weapons provide quite a deterrent to potential predators, and water buffalo have even been known to gore predators to death with them.
SAFETY IN NUMBERS
As a herd animal, the water buffalo finds most of its protection in numbers. When threatened, they often stand together as a herd and charge their enemies like an attacking army. Even tigers won't necessarily take on a healthy herd, instead preying on lone young and injured animals.
Despite all their strength, the fate of the wild water buffalo is uncertain. Humans first domesticated the animal 5,000 years ago, and it is this tamer strain of the species that thrives throughout Asia. India, Nepal, Bhutan and Thailand all protect wild populations, but they are still considered endangered.
COOLING DOWN
As their name implies, water buffalos spend most of the day submerged in muddy marsh lands. Here, they enjoy cooler temperatures and rich aquatic forage. To avoid sinking too far into the mire, they developed wide-splayed hoofed feet to better distribute their weight. Still, they are more than happy to emerge from the mud if a field of appetizing grass presents itself.
Water buffalo lack good eyesight and instead depend on excellent hearing and, at least for mating purposes, a heightened sense of smell. In their herds, the animals often communicate through grunts, snorts and the rare bellow. In addition, the bulls often snort and stamp right before charging a foe or male competitor.
Written by Robert Lamb, HowStuffWorks
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