140 MAMMALS OF THE PACIFIC WORLD 



The Asiatic Water Buffalo or Indian Buffalo (Bubalus 

 buhalus) is easily recognized by its great size — five feet or more 

 at the shoulder — and by its large horns, which rise from the side 

 of the head and sweep backward in a circular manner. In some 

 specimens these horns are long and massive, the record length 

 being seventy-seven and three-eighths inches. The wUd Asiatic 

 water buffalo is now restricted to northeastern India, Ceylon, 



Fig. 57 — Asiatic Water Buffalo 



southern Indo-China, and the Malay Peninsula. This buffalo 

 has been domesticated for centuries and has been introduced into 

 southern Europe, northern Africa, China, and the Philippines 

 (where it is known as the carabao), and many of the islands of 

 the far east, including Australia. In many parts of this terri- 

 tory herds have reverted to a semiwild condition, so that in sec- 

 tions where the wild animal is still found, it is difficult to tell 

 which are the typical wild animals and which are feral. In north- 

 western Borneo, buffaloes (Bubalus b, hosei) inhabiting certain 

 river valleys are small and have shorter horns ; they are be- 

 lieved to be indigenous. In the wild state, the Asiatic buffaloes 

 inhabit dense reed beds and high grass and are never found far 



