Anoa

Bubalus depressicornis

A small wild buffalo endemic to Sulawesi. Short horns, a dark body, and secretive forest habits distinguish it.

Key facts

Anoa (Bubalus depressicornis) is a herbivore animal classified as Mammal · Cetartiodactyla · Bovidae.
Primary habitats are forest · freshwater · mountains, with a range across Indomalayan · Australasian.
Activity is cathemeral, sociality is solitary, and conservation status is EN (Endangered).
A small wild buffalo endemic to Sulawesi.
Anoa inhabit lowland forest, moist forest, montane forest, and riparian woodland.

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

Anoa inhabit lowland forest, moist forest, montane forest, and riparian woodland. Dense vegetation, water, and wallowing sites are important.

They have a dark brown to black body, short straight horns, and pale markings on the legs. The compact build suits forest movement.

They are mostly solitary and often active in dim parts of the day. Wallowing and water use are common, and they are wary in dense forest.

They browse and graze on grasses, leaves, shoots, aquatic plants, and fruit. Feeding links forest understory with more open wet places.

Females usually bear a single calf. Calves remain near the mother and use dense forest cover for protection.

Hunting and forest loss threaten the species, making it a key symbol of Sulawesi mammal conservation.