Bulls (lat. Bovinae) belong to the subfamily of large vertebrates. In turn, they are divided into several genera, consisting of bulls, buffaloes, bison and antelopes. The smallest representatives of the subfamily are Asian buffalos (lat. Bubalus) tamarou and anoa. It is about them that we will talk today.
Tamarou
Tamarou (Anoa mindorensis) is a Philippine dwarf buffalo, a unique animal that lives on the island of Mindoro. In size, it is slightly larger than a ram. The growth of a midget bull at the withers is not more than one hundred and twenty centimeters. The neck is thick, the horns are small, triangular in shape, slightly curved back. The body color is dark brown. Despite its small size, the bull is considered the largest island animal.
Long before the Philippines became a Spanish colony, the dwarf wild buffalo tamarou was widespread on the islands and posed a serious threat to the inhabitants there. The bull had an excellent reaction, ran very fast, had excellent eyesight and keen hearing. The population was quite significant, because the locals hunted dwarf buffalo very carefully.
Cause of extinction
With the appearance on the islands of representatives of the civilized world who own firearms, the situation with the number of tamarou began to deteriorate rapidly. The hunters also appreciated the tender and tasty meat of animals, as well as the skin from which they made high-quality suede. Over the past hundred years, the population of the island of Mindoro has significantly increased, which has led to the growth of developed territories, where there is almost no place for little bulls.
Today, the tamarou dwarf buffalo is on the verge of extinction. At the end of the last century, the approximate number of individuals was no more than two hundred units. The bulls lived separately and remotely from each other, which did not allow them to meet during the breeding season. The vast territory of the island does not allow for strict accounting of the remaining animals. Trying to preserve and increase the number of endangered buffaloes, world zoos with great difficulty can get them in the amount needed for breeding in captivity.
Philippine government authorities have approved conservation areas for small bulls and have severely prohibited their shooting. Despite the measures taken, wealthy tourists still allow themselves to arrange expensive hunting trips, destroying the remains of the population.
Anoa
The dwarf buffalo from Indonesia is called anoa (Bubalus depressicornis). It is even smaller than tamarou: the height at the withers is from sixty to one hundred centimeters. The weight of the largest individual reaches three hundred kilograms. In appearance, the midget bull resembles a miniature antelope. Non-long straight horns are flattened and directed slightly backward.
Its main habitat is the island of Sulawesi. Small-sized Indonesian bulls are divided into two varieties of anoa: plain and mountain. Adult buffalo living in lowland forest areas have almost no hair and are covered with sparse brown or black hair. The head, neck and legs have white marks. Anoa are very rarely confined to small herds, often kept alone or in pairs. Cautious animals were made by a man who for many years mercilessly exterminated small bulls for valuable meat and skins.
Nutrition and Reproduction
Dwarf wild buffalo (sulawesi, as it is also called) is a herbivore that feeds on leaves, young shoots and fruits of trees, collecting them on the ground. Plain Anoa live in the swamp forests of the island. They love to be near the water, especially in hot weather. There, buffaloes gladly eat aquatic plants, bathe and wallow in the mud. Small bulls breed regardless of the season. The gestation of the cubs lasts a little less than a year. The calves have a thick golden brown coat. The average lifespan of a wild Asian bull is no more than twenty years. Unfortunately, in the wild they rarely live very long.
Despite the prohibitions, the local population continues to hunt for
rare animals. National costumes are made from hides and horns for ritual events, as well as for sale to tourists.
Features
Compared to flat animals, the mountain dwarf buffalo Anoa has even smaller sizes and weights. It belongs to him the palm among the world's small bulls. The coat of adults remains thick and silky from a young age. The body color is from dark brown to black. The abdomen has a lighter shade than the back. White spots are absent. The horns are small, conical in shape, slightly bent back. The undersized bulls are solitary in the mountain forests of Sulawesi. Due to the remoteness, human access to them is difficult, therefore, forest buffaloes are calmer than their plain counterparts.
The exact number of Indonesian Anoa living in the wild is unknown. Accounting is carried out only in world zoos. In an effort to preserve the population, people are trying to breed animals in captivity.
All dwarf bulls are listed in the world Red Book as animals that are endangered.