21/03/2026
Encounter in the floodplain grasslands of Manas National Park 🇮🇳, bordering Royal Manas National Park🇧🇹, with one of Asia’s most impressive and threatened large mammals—the Wild Water Buffalo (Bubalus arnee).
Belonging to the family Bovidae under the order Artiodactyla, Bubalus arnee is the largest wild member of the genus Bubalus and the wild ancestor of the domestic water buffalo. Adult males can weigh over 1,000 kg and are distinguished by their massive build and spectacular crescent-shaped horns that can span nearly two meters. The species is strongly associated with riverine grasslands, marshes, and wetlands, where it grazes on grasses and aquatic vegetation and frequently wallows in water and mud.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Wild Water Buffalo is listed as Endangered, with remaining strongholds largely confined to protected landscapes in India, Nepal, and Bhutan, particularly in the Brahmaputra floodplain ecosystem.
Interestingly, while Sri Lanka hosts large populations of so-called “wild” water buffalo, many of these are believed to be feral or hybridized forms of the domestic buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), showing genetic mixing over centuries. In contrast, populations in places like Manas National Park are considered among the closest remaining representatives of the true wild species, often larger and characterized by their wide-spreading horns and more robust body structure.
Watching this massive grazer moving quietly across the golden grasslands at sunrise, against the backdrop of the transboundary forests linking India and Bhutan, was a powerful reminder of the importance of protecting these last refuges of Asia’s wild megafauna. 🐃 🇧🇹🇮🇳
