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Water Buffalo Facts & Worksheets

The water buffalo, or Bubalus bubalis, is a vast bovid native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

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The water buffalo, or Bubalus bubalis, is a vast bovid native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is also known as the domestic water buffalo and the Asian water buffalo. In modern times, it has spread to several continents, including some in Africa. The name “water buffalo” comes from these animals spending most of their day in the water.

See the fact file below for more information on The Water Buffalo, or you can download our 29-page Water Buffalo worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

  • The Bubalus bubalis is a massive mammal. They have broad, splayed hooves and a shoulder height of 1.5 to 1.9 meters. The ears are small, while the horns are huge, creating a long, narrow face. 
  • The horns of an Asian water buffalo are much further apart at their bases than those of an African buffalo, which are closer together at the forehead. The female has smaller horns than the male, although both sexes have them. 
  • Both sexes have triangular-shaped, ribbed horns that are thickest at the base. Bubalus bubalis can grow to a total length of 240–300 cm, with a tail 60–100 cm long.
  • Male water buffalo in the wild can reach weights of 1,200 kilograms, with females reaching up to 800 kilograms. The typical domestic water buffalo weighs between 250 and 550 kilograms. 
  • Water buffalo have long, thin, ashy gray to black hair. Their long, bushy tails are an identifying feature. Their knees are usually the only clean part of their legs.
  • The skin color of adult buffalo varies with the season; however, it is difficult to tell because these animals are often covered in dirt. Without the mud, the skin is a dark grey, but when wet, it takes on a dark brown to black hue. Swamp buffalo is more ashy gray in appearance, has a drooping neck, and sweeping back and out horns while river buffalo is more black and has tightly coiled horns.
  • The tamaraw, or Bubalus mindorensis, is a similarly related species in the Philippines. It weighs 300 kilograms less and stands 100 centimeters shorter than Bubalus bubalis at the shoulder. Tamaraws, in contrast to Asian water buffalo, are hairier, have shorter horns, and are a dark brown to black color.

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

  • Bubalus bubalis, or the Asian water buffalo, has been domesticated extensively and is now found worldwide. Central India, southern Nepal, eastern Vietnam, and Malaysia are all places where water buffalo were once thought to have originated.
  •  Actual wild populations are thought to persist in some regions of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Thailand. The population of both domesticated and wild animals is incredibly numerous. 
  • Domestic river buffalo can be found in western regions such as Indochina, the Mediterranean, and some South and Central America regions. Another type of domesticated buffalo, the swamp buffalo, can be found in Indochina, Southeast Asia, and Australia.

HABITAT

  • Water buffalo inhabit wet grasslands and tropical and subtropical forests in the wild. 
  • Although they live on land, they spend most of their time in the water, such as in rivers or mud holes. As a result, water buffalo inhabit a wide variety of wet ecosystems, including riverine forests, grasslands, marshes, and swamps. These areas feature a smattering of trees and forests among the thick grasses, rivers, and streams.
  • This environment provides Water Buffalos with enough water for drinking and wallowing, plenty of food, and dense shelter. Since domesticated animals have spread so widely, they can be found in many different ecosystems. 
  • Most domesticated water buffalo live in agricultural communities, although they can also be found in many cities.
  • While water buffalo are often found at lower altitudes, Nepal’s swamp buffalo are often spotted in the mountains with an elevation of 2,800 m. 

BEHAVIOR AND ECOLOGY

  • Wild water buffalo typically form cohesive herds of 10 to 20 individuals, while herds of up to 100 have been seen. Feral water buffalo in Australia often congregate in herds of up to 30 animals, including mature females, their young, and juvenile females. 
  • These herds have a home range where they can eat, drink, poop, and sleep. Males typically separate from female herds and establish bachelor communities around the age of three. The maximum number of individuals in a bachelor herd is ten. 
  • These groups range a little bit more broadly than do groups of females. Although older males are typically solitary, they have been seen with groups of females throughout the seasons.
  • Due to a lack of sweat glands, they are more susceptible to heat stress than other bovids. That’s why water buffalo are commonly seen rolling about in the mud. Mud helps cool animals by delaying the pace at which their body temperature rises since water in mud evaporates more slowly than water alone. Because the animal is covered in dirt after wallowing, it is safer from parasitic insects.

COMMUNICATION AND PERCEPTION

  • Bovids, in general, use body language and posture to convey meaning. While bellowing is uncommon among herds, grunting and snorting are common forms of communication. In preparation for a charge, bulls will snort and pound the ground. In inmate competition, charging can be an aggressive demonstration of dominance or a defensive mechanism. Chemical cues appear significant in mating for Bubalus bubalis, which has a highly developed sense of smell. Their hearing is just as sharp as their eyesight. Blindness is not a significant problem for water buffalo.

DIET

  • The Bubalus bubalis is classified as a herbivore and spends much of its time grazing on grasses. In addition, it consumes numerous herbs, aquatic plants, leaves, crops, and other flora that can be found in or near rivers and streams. Water buffalos may survive on a diet of much water vegetation. They can feed underwater during floods, raising their heads out of the water to carry large amounts of vegetation.

REPRODUCTION

  • Polygyny is common during mating. Throughout the year, maternal groupings persist as massive, loosely organized herds. Adult males join the ladies during the wet season in estrus for 11 to 72 hours to mate with them. Males are chased away after mating. 
  • Most male bovids establish their dominance through body language, and fights seldom result in significant injuries. Bulls may detect estrus by smelling the urine and genitalia of a cow.
  • This species has a slightly irregular reproductive cycle. The reproduction may be seasonal or occur year-round depending on the local climate. Calves are typically born at the start of the rainy season the following year, as seasonal dependence means that breeding happens after the rainy season. Where there is no discernible seasonal pattern, calves can be born at any time.
  • There are 21 days in an estrous cycle. Water buffaloes have the longest gestation duration of any female bovid at 300–340 days. While most females only have one calf, sometimes they have two. 
  • On average, a female will give birth to a calf once every two years. Calves typically weigh 35–40 kg at birth and are flush to a golden brown. Six to nine months of nursing is typical.

PREDATION

  • The horns of bovids, in particular, serve as formidable weapons against predators. Water buffalo have been under severe threat from humans due to hunting and the destruction and fragmentation of their natural habitat. Water buffalo have only one other predator, and that predator is the much larger tiger. 
  • When threatened by a tiger, a herd of water buffalo often forms a line and charges as one unit. Bubalus bubalis have been known to kill tigers with their horns and effectively scare them away. Tigers are most successful when hunting by focusing on single animals, especially young ones.

ROLE IN THE ECOSYSTEM

  • Tigers use Bubalus bubalis as a source of nutrition since they hunt and eat them. Scavengers of all stripes feast on the carcasses of water buffalo that have recently died. 
  • Some birds, like magpie geese, have had their nesting grounds impacted by large flocks. Destructive water buffalo in Brazil harm caiman productivity and long-term population density. 
  • Water buffalo herds can cause problems for plants in several ways, including trampling, overgrazing, and soil compaction. Exotic weeds have been blamed on water buffalo in northern Australia. Another contribution is that their waste is a valuable resource for plants of all kinds.

Water Buffalo Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Water Buffalo across 29 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the Water Buffalo. The water buffalo, or Bubalus bubalis, is a vast bovid native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is also known as the domestic water buffalo and the Asian water buffalo

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Water Buffalo Facts
  2. Pictionary
  3. Guess Me
  4. Puzzle
  5. Bubalus Bubalis
  6. What Is?
  7. Look-a-like
  8. Category
  9. Distribution
  10. Draw It
  11. Help And Protect

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the scientific name for water buffalo?

 The scientific name for water buffalo is Bubalus bubalis.

Where are water buffalo typically found?

Water buffalo are native to Southeast Asia and South Asia, but have been introduced to other parts of the world such as Africa, Australia, Europe and North America. They are adapted to living in wetland areas such as swamps, marshes, and river valleys.

What are some of the uses of water buffalo?

Water buffalo are primarily used as draft animals for plowing fields, transportation of goods and people, and as a source of milk, meat and leather. They are also used in some countries for religious and cultural purposes such as in festivals and parades.

How are water buffalo different from other bovines?

Water buffalo have distinct physical features such as large curved horns and a distinctive hump on their backs. They are also well-adapted to living in wetland environments and are excellent swimmers, with the ability to hold their breath underwater for up to five minutes.

Are water buffalo endangered?

Water buffalo are not considered endangered, but some subspecies and populations are threatened due to habitat loss, hunting, and competition with other livestock. Conservation efforts are being made in some countries to protect and preserve certain subspecies of water buffalo.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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