Buffalo genus: There are 4 species, buffalo, mindoro buffalo, mountain buffalo and lowland buffalo. The classification of buffalo is controversial, with Mac Greger arguing in 1941 that there was only one species of buffalo, divided into two subspecies: river water
Cows and swamp buffaloes have different numbers of chromosomes because of their different appearances. They are 2n=50 and 2n=48. Buffalo has thick skin, sweat glands are extremely underdeveloped, and it needs to be immersed in water to dissipate heat when it is hot, so it is named buffalo
Buffalo (known as the Wild Buffalo of Asia) is a common animal power in Asia, with rare populations found in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Thailand, as well as in northern Australia. Wild male buffalo weigh up to 1200 kg and females weigh up to 800 kg;
Domesticated buffalo range from 250-550 kg. Males are slightly larger. The body is thick, the coat is sparse, mostly gray-black; the skin is thick, the sweat glands are extremely underdeveloped, and the heat needs to be immersed in water to dissipate heat, so it is named buffalo. It is often soaked and rolled in the pond to dissipate heat. Temperament is docile and easy to manage
Mountain buffalo: Is the smallest species of buffalo, also known as the buffalo. Mountain buffalo have horns for both male and female, and the conical horns curve backwards. Body length 150 cm, shoulder height 70 cm, tail length 24 cm; weight 150-290 kg.
Mountain buffalo live in tranquil mountain forests at high altitudes. Except during the breeding season, mountain buffalo prefer to live alone or in pairs rather than in groups. However, during the breeding period, they will move in groups, like water, and like to roll in the mud to dissipate heat and prevent insect bites. It is found on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The species is strictly protected by Indonesian law and hunting is strictly prohibited.
Mindoro Buffalo: Also known as a smaller buffalo. The body length is 220 cm, the average shoulder height is 100-105 cm, the tail is 60 cm long, and the female cow is estimated to weigh 200-300 kg. The appearance is typical of bovine. They have only mild differences between the sexes: males have thicker necks.
The Mindoro buffalo is rare and only lives in Mindoro, Philippines, making it a critically endangered species
Lowland buffalo: One of the smallest buffaloes in the world, with a body length of about 180 cm, a shoulder height of about 85 cm, a tail length of 40 cm, and a weight of 150-300 kg. Lowland buffalo have white markings on the head and lower limbs, and white crescent-shaped markings on the throat. Both male and female have a pair of dark green right angles, 18-37 cm long, flattened, born on the forehead, with the horns pointed backwards.
Lowland buffalo are mainly in the tropics and subtropics, where temperatures and humidity are high and buffalo are afraid of heat. Usually living alone or in pairs at the water's edge of tropical plains, it prefers to soak in water, and is a herbivorous mammal that prefers to eat the young branches and leaves of aquatic plants. Lowland buffalo are reclusive and irritable by nature, especially young buffalo during estrus. It is mainly found in the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and is an endangered species
The Chinese buffalo was originally an important service animal in the rice areas of southern China, and the vast majority of them were distributed in the southeast and southwest regions, with the largest number of rice-producing areas south of the Huai River, accounting for 97.7% of the total number of buffalo in the country. Chinese buffalo are swampy, thick in stature, sparsely coated, and mostly gray-black. The horns are thick and flattened and curved backwards.