Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis) is a wild water buffalo endemic to the island of Mindoro, Philippines. It is one of the world’s critically endangered species.
Tamaraw is a small buffalo; females have been estimated to weigh approximately 300 kg. It closely resembles the Philippine water buffalo (carabao) except for its massive horns, which grow upward and caudally forming a V.
82% of adult males were lone individuals, while 66% of adult females were either solitary or accompanied by calves. Tamaraw feed primarily on grasses and young bamboo shoots in open grasslands.
The main current threat to the Tamaraw is habitat loss due to farming by resettled and local people. Historically, this species was hunted for both subsistence and sport, which led to a period of drastic decline in numbers of individuals and populations. The introduction of cattle in the past also caused a rinderpest epidemic that contributed to a further decline in numbers.
Wild water buffalo: tamaraw
Popular Posts
-
Badgers are carnivores of the family Mustelidae , which also includes weasels, ermines, minks, ferrets, skinks, otter, and wolverines. The...
-
Porcupines rank among the world’s most widely recognized animals. Among local rodents, porcupines are second in size only to the beaver. The...
-
Squirrels are hoppers like rabbits, but they normally leave two sets of paired tracks, one in front of the other, with prints from the large...
-
Prairie dogs are burrowing, colonial mammals that belong to the genus Cynomys of the squirrel family. Other members of the squirrel family i...
-
Sumatran tiger is the last remaining tiger of Indonesia. Indonesia used to be home to three kinds of tigers: the Bali tiger, the Java tige...