World's smallest buffalo born at Chester Zoo
The highly endangered newborn anoa arrived to mum Darcy after a 10-month long pregnancy.
A rare anoa - the world’s smallest species of buffalo - has been born at Chester Zoo.
The tiny calf arrived to mum Darcy after a 10-month-long pregnancy, weighing just 7kg and standing at around 50cm tall. Anoa stand at barely a metre tall when fully grown.
The newborn is female and, at just two weeks old, she has left her den and embarked on her very first outdoor adventure – with the special moment caught on camera.
Lowland anoa are found in the forests and swamps of a single Indonesian island, Sulawesi. Their numbers have been devastated by habitat loss. As forests are cleared for agriculture and mining, populations become fragmented, making it easier for hunters to find and kill anoa.
"Mum Darcy and her new baby are doing brilliantly. After spending her first couple of weeks bonding with mum in the safety of their cosy den, the little one has grown in strength and confidence and is now beginning to explore the outside world."
Emma Evison, Team Manager at Chester Zoo
Emma continued:
She’s already showing plenty of personality and seeing her take those first steps outside is a real privilege - it’s something very few people will ever get the chance to witness.
"Every anoa birth is hugely important for the future of this endangered species. Across the European conservation breeding programme, our scientists here at Chester Zoo monitor the fertility and pregnancies of anoas, helping to build a healthy, genetically diverse population and giving this remarkable species the best possible chance of survival."
With fewer than 2,500 remaining in the wild, anoa are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - the second highest priority on the scale before the species reaches extinction in the wild.
We're also part of a wider global partnership working to secure a future for anoas.
"For more than a decade, we’ve been part of a global effort involving more than 50 organisations to help safeguard the long-term survival of the anoa and three other highly threatened species found across South East Asia – the banteng, babirusa and Sumatran tiger."
Amy Humphreys, South East Asia field conservationist with Chester Zoo
Amy is the programme coordinator for the IUCN Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group, which recently brought together conservationists from around the world to set out species-saving actions. These include boosting anoa numbers in conservation zoos like ours.
Amy continued:
"Our aim is to make sure the precious genetic diversity of these amazing animals is not lost forever. To do this, our plans include scientific monitoring of anoas, new local education programmes in Indonesia, raising global awareness of the threats anoas face, and coordinating conservation breeding programmes. This new calf, born as part of that international effort, will now go on to play an important role in protecting the future of her species."
