Banteng are a HERBIVOROUS species of Southeast Asian wild cattle. Their characteristic white ‘stockings’ and rumps make them easy to spot, but you can tell a bull from a female as they’re very dark brown or black unlike the light brown females.
Banteng are more important than you might think and play a key role in circulating nutrients through ecosystems, dispersing seeds through their poo and maintaining food chains. They are also a critical food source for many carnivore species, including tigers and leopards. Fewer than 8,000 banteng are thought to be left in the wild.
They live in small herds of up to 20 females with the addition of a single breeding bull. A female usually gives birth to a single calf with a pregnancy lasting just over a year – that’s quite the gestation period! Females will rear calves for 6 to 9 months until they are weaned off the mother’s milk.
Banteng reportedly drinks large quantities of water and prefer feeding grounds near a permanent water supply. During droughts they have been known to survive several days without drinking a drop!
We’re a major partner of a Global Species Management Plan (GSMP) to help protect banteng.
With other zoos and conservation organisations around the world, we’re sharing knowledge of how best to conserve banteng in the wild.
Raising awareness with zoo visitors and communities around the world is vital for spreading the word about these amazing animals, and for building support for their conservation.
Discover how we’re working to save banteng
NOW is the time to ACT FOR WILDLIFE. Conservation is CRITICAL; species are under threat. TOGETHER we can make a BIG difference. Take action TODAY and join us in PREVENTING EXTINCTION.