Carabao

Description:

Carabaos have the low, wide and heavy build of draught animals. They vary in colour from light grey to slate grey. The horns are sickle-shaped or curve backward toward the neck. Chevrons are common. Albinoids are present in the proportion of about 3% of the buffalo population. Mature male carabaos weigh 420–500 kg (930–1,100 lb), and females 400–425 kg (882–937 lb). Height at withers of the male ranges from 127–137 cm (50–54 in), and of the female from 124–129 cm (49–51 in). Water buffaloes imported to the Philippines from Cambodia in the early 20th century are called "Cambodian carabaos". They have white or yellowish hair on a pinkish skin but the eyes, hoofs and mouth are dark, and the skin may be speckled. They are slightly bigger and have larger horns. Males weigh on average 673 kg (1,484 lb) and measure 141 cm (56 in) at the withers (Wikipedia).

Habitat:

Malay immigrants probably introduced water buffaloes in the period 300 to 200 BC. Later Chinese settlers also brought water buffaloes that are sometimes referred to as "Shanghai buffaloes". Carabaos are widely distributed in all the larger islands of the Philippine archipelago. Early in the 20th century, water buffaloes were imported from Cambodia for work in sugarcane plantations; Cambodian carabaos are larger and have bigger horns. Murrah buffaloes were first introduced from India in 1917. A few representatives of the Nili breed have also been acquired. The word carabao is now used for the imported river type buffaloes as well as for the local swamp buffaloes (Wikipedia).