Water buffalo spend much of their day in the water, helping them beat the heat of their humid home range. Their wide-splayed hoofed feet prevent them from sinking too deeply in the mud and allow them to move about in wetlands and swamps. These herd animals rarely stray far from a river or lake which they will wallow in as they graze on aquatic grasses.

Water buffalo have been domesticated for over 5000 years, providing milk, meat and leather for people. They are also used as working animals to plow fields and transport people and goods. Buffalo milk is prized for its high butterfat and is used for many famous cheeses, including Italian mozzarella and burrata.

Feral populations of water buffalo have been released in many areas around the world including Northern Australia. They were introduced to Australia’s top end in the 19th century as working animals but were later released and are now a harmful pest in the region. 

This population has become so large that Australia now has the largest population of the species in the world. Australia’s 200,000 feral buffalo can cause significant harm to ecosystems by eroding soil, trampling plants, disturbing waterbird nests, and spreading weeds.

Taronga is home to Australasia’s only Greater One-horned Rhinos, which are cared for at both our Zoos. Hari is a bull born at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in 2021 and now lives in a multi-species Rhino Reserve at Taronga Zoo Sydney, whilst his parents reside in Dubbo. His father Dora was born in 1999 at Nagoya Zoo, Japan, whilst his mother Amala was born in 2006 at Oklahoma Zoo, USA. 

As a solitary species, the three rhinos are now housed separately, with Dora and Amala only coming together to breed.