548 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



Mindoro Buffalo; Tamarao 



ANOA MINDORENSIS (Heude) 



Bubalus mindorensis Heude, Mem. Hist. Nat. Empire Chinois, vol. 2, pp. 4, 



50, 1888. ("L'ile de Mindoro," Philippines.) 

 FIGS.: Meyer, 1896, pi. 7; Steere, 1891, pis. 24, 25; Lydekker, 1898c, pi. 10; 



Worcester, 1898, p. 403, fig.; Taylor, 1934, pi. 25; Field Mus. News, vol. 



7, no. 7, p. 4, fig., 1936. 



As a distinctive member of the Buffalo group, confined to a single 

 island in the Philippines, the Tamarao enlists our interest. It has 

 suffered depletion in the past, and its restricted insular range in- 

 creases our concern for its future. Recently, however, it has been 

 made the subject of special protective legislation. 



"A small, stoutly built species, in many respects intermediate 

 between B. bubalis hosei and B. depressicornis. Horns short and 

 stout, with deep irregular grooves and pits on the surface, directed 

 mainly upwards, with the tips somewhat incurved. . . . General 

 colour ashy black, sometimes tending to brown; a triangular patch 

 on inner side of eye, one or two spots on side of lower jaw, lower 

 lip, in some cases one or two gorgets on throat, inner side of ear, 

 and a band or patch above hoof, whitish or greyish white. . . . 

 Shoulder height about 3^ feet." (Lydekker, 1913c, vol. 1, p. 47.) 

 Length of horn on front curve, up to 16^ inches (Ward, 1935, p. 312) . 



Steere (1889, pp. 414-415) writes as follows: "The animals . . . 

 come out upon the sandy reaches of the rivers at night . . . , and 

 gather together in bands of some size. They separate by day going 

 two or three together, or solitarily. . . . 



"The domestic Buffalo (Bubalus indicus) . . . has escaped from 

 its owners in the island of Mindoro in large numbers, and is now 

 found wild. . . . The Tamaron and these come in frequent conflict, 

 the Tamaron being said to attack it at first sight, and, though much 

 smaller, being quicker and stronger, to drive the Buffaloes back." 



Steere gives a further account in another paper (1891). 



Meyer (1896, pp. 13, 15) refers to the Tamarao as apparently 

 numerous and distributed throughout the island. 



Whitehead (in Thomas, 1898, pp. 410-411) writes: "This inter- 

 esting little Bovine is not uncommon in the huge virgin forests that 

 cover nearly the entire island of Mindoro. It is, however, difficult 

 to hunt the animal successfully, unless a number of beaters, accom- 

 panied by good dogs, are employed. . . . The aboriginals of Min- 

 doro told me that they never attack the 'Tamarau/ being much too 

 afraid of it; the only reduction of its numbers is caused by a few 

 sporting Spaniards and one or two professional Indian hunters." 



Worcester (1898, pp. 364-425) gives an extended account of hunt- 

 ing this animal in the wilds of Mindoro, and adds (p. 513) : "It 



