Endangered Species Guide : Mammals : Animal Planet

Endangered Mammals

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ASIAN BUFFALO, aka WATER BUFFALO (Bubalus bubalis)

The Asian buffalo is a cattle species that occurs in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Thailand, but its range was once much larger. It is a massive animal with heavy, flattened horns that are used to shovel and fling mud onto its back. Its preferred habitat is grasslands with abundant plant life and nearby watering pools for wallowing. The Asian buffalo is threatened by hunting, interbreeding with domestic stocks and loss of habitat, and there may be only a few thousand individuals left in the wild.

NEXT MAMMAL: Asian Elephant »

IUCN Status: Endangered
Major Threats: Hunting, interbreeding with domestic stocks and habitat loss
Habitat: Abundant grasslands near watering pools
Location: India, Nepal, Bhutan and Thailand
Diet: Grasses and other vegetation

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