Living with feral buffalo in Hong Kong

5 hours ago 2
Buffalo alongside human bathers on beachBuffalo bronze themselves alongside human bathers on a south Lantau beach in Hong Kong. Credit: Dr Danhe Yang.

A small population of feral water buffalo persists in the southern marshlands of Hong Kong’s largest island, Lantau Island.

How the large mammals share the island with Hong Kong’s human population is the subject of a new study published in People and Nature.

Hong Kong sits about 1km off the coast of China. It has an area of 1,115km2 – about 9 times smaller than the greater Melbourne area – with a human population of roughly 7.5 million. Hong Kong’s international image is one of skyscrapers, commerce and technology.

Buffalo on field in front of building under constructionCredit. Dr Danhe Yang.

But the island has a wild side too.

A 2022 government survey estimated that 180 feral water buffalo live on Lantau Island. Water buffalo are not native to Hong Kong, but were first brought to the island in the early 1800s to plough fields and provide milk.

When Hong Kong underwent rapid urbanisation in the mid-1900s, much of the farmland was replaced with cityscape, leaving a small population of water buffalo to become feral.

“Some see the buffalo as a living link to the territory’s rural past, while others worry about safety, environmental impact, or traffic disruptions,” says lead investigator Alan McElligott, a specialist in animal behaviour and welfare at the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences (JCC), at the City University of Hong Kong.

For a hyper-urbanised population, the buffalo are a connection to the wild.

“Yet they provide an accessible link to nature and an opportunity to understand human-animal interactions in such landscapes,” says Kate Flay, a specialist in livestock animal health at JCC.

Newsletter

The study is based on 657 survey responses – 550 online and 107 in-person interviews – from Hong Kong residents about their opinions of the water buffalo.

On the general theme of buffalo “tolerance” and “appreciation” a quarter of respondents were highly positive while 14% were highly negative. Another 61% of respondents were neutral.

Social benefits and advocacy were considered positively by 19% of participants compared to 15% who were highly negative in their responses. About 41% of respondents viewed education and preservation issues surrounding the buffalo positively, while 13% were highly negative in their answers.

Similar numbers of people viewed the animals’ effect on daily life as being positive (27%) and negative (23%).

“Demographic factors also correlate with opinions, with differences based on age, gender, ethnicity, birthplace, and whether respondents lived on Lantau,” explains Hannah Mumby, a specialist in applied behavioural ecology and conservation at the University of Hong Kong. “Emotional responses were common in interviews, with a majority expressing fondness for the buffalo or neutral attitudes, and a minority noting concern over safety risks.”

The team also found differences between participants living in Hong Kong’s 3 districts.

“We found that familiarity with wildlife in rural areas often leads to more positive perceptions,” McElligott says.

 “Our results can inform the need for tailored management strategies that acknowledge the buffalo’s ecological and cultural significance while addressing human-animal interactions and conflicts,” the authors write. “Educational programmes emphasising the buffalo’s role in biodiversity and cultural heritage could foster public support for conservation efforts, while carefully designed policies could balance their historical significance with modern urban challenges.”

Read Entire Article