Number 5 Rampage in China In November 2014, CCTV cameras in Leshan City,
in China’s Sichuan Province, captured a water buffalo as it rampaged through the streets.
More than a dozen people were injured in an attack that lasted about 40 minutes. Some
residents were chased through an intersection by the enraged beast. The water buffalo charged
Lian Cuirong while she was on her bicycle. She was trampled repeatedly by the beast and
had to be taken to a hospital. It took roughly 10 gun shots from police officers before the
water buffalo was finally put down. An investigation was launched to determine how the animal had
gotten loose in the first place. What Is It?
Water buffalos are large and strong bovines that live in the wild as well as in captivity,
as domesticated animals. Their numbers greatly differ, as there are only a few thousand wild
water buffalos left. Although viewed as a separate species, it’s a probable ancestor
of the domesticated variation. These massive beasts have a robust build and horns that
curve backwards in a semicircle. Their horns are often cited as being among the largest
in the animal kingdom. One specimen, mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records, had horns
that measured nearly 14 feet from tip to tip. To put that into perspective, it’s about
as long as a Nile crocodile. Water buffalos have a hairless hide and are typically black
or slate-like in color. The wild variation is larger but exceptional domesticated specimens
may grow to be over 2,200 pounds, which is roughly twice as heavy as a polar bear. Based
on their looks and behavior, two types have been recognized, namely river water buffalos
and swamp water buffalos. The former have longer faces, bigger limbs and are usually
less stocky. All types and species of water buffalos are potentially dangerous towards
humans through their sheer size, strength and speed.
Number 4 Jack Keane Australian man Jack Keane was the victim of
a vicious water buffalo attack while on holiday in the country’s Northern Territory. He
was tracking pigs alongside his sister’s partner when they were chased by the animal.
The water buffalo charged Keane and threw him into the air with its head. He’d landed
next to a tree and, as he was struggling to get up, the water buffalo attacked him again
from behind. It gored Keane in the back of the leg, inflicting a wound about 2 inches
deep and 7 inches long. His travel companion emerged unscathed from the attack and was
able to apply a tourniquet to Keane’s injured leg. He helped him walk roughly 2 miles to
the boat they’d arrived with and, afterwards, the man was airlifted to a hospital in Darwin.
The medical professionals managed to close the gash in his leg and Keane was on his way
to a full recovery. Where Is It Located?
Wild water buffalos, with a total population of about 3,400 individuals, are mostly found
in Assam, India. Domesticated water buffalos are far greater in number, with a global population
of around 172 million. India is once again home to the largest percentage, followed by
China, the Philippines and Vietnam. These animals have been domesticated for at least
5,000 years. They’re ideal for working in the deep mud of paddy fields and are arguably
better for plowing than oxen and horses. Water buffaloes are used for transportation, as
pack animals or to power mills, presses and devices for raising water. Every year, these
animals contribute 3 million tons of meat and 76 million tons of milk to the global
food production. Additionally, their hide provides tough leather while the bones and
horns are made into jewellery and musical instruments. Much like its common name would
indicate, this creature is very comfortable around water and mostly feeds on aquatic plants.
Both swamp and river buffalos are well-adapted to a hot and humid climate. River buffaloes
prefer deeper water while swamp buffaloes usually make holes in the mud with their horns
then wallow, acquiring a thick coat of mud. Number 3 Srithon Manota
Srithon Manota, a resident of Mae Sai, in Thailand’s Chiang Rai province, was left
with bloody puncture wounds after a water buffalo attack. Manota had let the animal
out to eat some grass but something spooked it. Some witnesses claimed it got shocked
by a short piece of rope. The beast violently charged the 68-year-old, causing him to collapse.
A video of the incident was posted online but it only shows the end of the attack. Manota
can be seen helplessly lying on the ground as the buffalo gores his legs. Other villagers
managed to scare away the buffalo. They then carry Manota, who was in severe condition,
to a vehicle so that he can be taken to the hospital. The extent of the damage the man
had sustained wasn’t fully reported. However, injuries on his head and the rest of his body
were consistent with stab wounds from the buffalo’s horns.
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How Will It Kill You? Its physical prowess is why the water buffalo
is often referred to as “the living tractor of the East”. The same power that enables
it to plow through swathes of land is what makes this creature potentially deadly towards
humans. Even though it’s massive, the water buffalo can charge at up to 30 miles per hour.
The force of impact is enough to break bones and cause massive internal damage. The beast
will use its horns and strong neck muscles to launch its victim several feet into the
air or gore them on the ground. Horn strikes can compress or puncture the ribs or sternum
and damage internal organs. The water buffalo can easily trample a human being to death
because of its massive hooves and flexible foot joints. The animal’s physicality is
celebrated in the tradition of several Asian countries through fighting and racing competitions.
There are festivals in Vietnam and Thailand in which water buffalos are pitted against
each other after being methodically trained for months in advance. Every year, in downtown
Chonburi, in Thailand, roughly 300 buffalos race in groups of five or six. In front of
a crowd of hundreds, they’re spurred on by bareback jockeys wielding wooden sticks.
Racing buffalos are usually raised specifically for competition and don’t work at all. Other
competitions involving water buffalos take place in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Both the animals and humans that take part in them risk injury to some extent.
Number 2 Dinh Xuan Huong In July 2017, a video of a horrific water
buffalo attack emerged online, becoming a stark reminder of how dangerous these beasts
can truly be. The attack happened during a water buffalo fighting festival in Phong,
northern Vietnam. The festival was a tradition in homage to the water goddesses while also
meant to honor ideals like bravery and sacrifice. Dinh Xuan Huong had been training fighting
bulls for nearly a decade before realizing his dream of owning one himself. The experience
would soon become nightmarish for the 46-year-old. The bull became enraged and chased a rival
owner before turning its attention on Huong. The graphic footage shows the bull striking
him in the backside with its head. Then, as the man is struggling to get a hold of the
animal, the bull gores him in the leg. It then throws Huong about 14 feet through the
air and over its back. The brutal somersault ends in a hard landing but, unfortunately,
it wouldn’t be the end of the man’s ordeal. As Huong struggles on his knees to get back
to his feet, the bull ploughs into his head, instantly knocking him unconscious. The man
died at the hospital after sustaining catastrophic wounds to his spine, legs and brain. Since
bull fighting competitions resumed in the country, after the Vietnam War was over, several
water buffalos had died in duels but Huong was the first human fatality. The buffalo
responsible for the attack was shot and the festival was suspended. An investigation was
launched to determine if any of the animals had been given stimulants to increase their
aggression. How to Survive?
Wild water buffalo form clans of up to 30 individuals that congregate at resting areas
in herds of several hundred members. These groups should be given a wide berth to avoid
defensive behavior and potential stampedes. Large carnivores such as tigers, crocodiles
and Asian black bears prey on these animals so they’re often forced to fight for their
lives. The charge of a wild water buffalo, whether it’s domestic or wild, can be evaded
by using elements in the environment. This means going for higher ground while using
trees, rocks and other structures to break the animal’s charge. Running in a zig-zag
pattern is recommended and it’s crucial to avoid falling while attempting to evade
a charging buffalo. Attacks from domesticated buffalos are harder to predict but are sometimes
the result of mistreatment by the animals’ owners.
Number 1 Ralph & Peter Jump Ralph Jump and his 19-year-old son, Peter,
both lost their lives after a water buffalo turned on them at a farm in Gwehelog, Monmouthshire,
Wales. Ralph Jump had rented the property in hopes of starting a sustainable buffalo
soap business. The decision of moving to the countryside had been made about a year prior.
It was after Jump, a wealthy businessman, had suffered a near-fatal heart attack. He
wanted to make a fresh start and live a healthier lifestyle. Unfortunately, the transition ended
in tragedy. In May of 2020, one of his buffalos had escaped its pen. As Jump and his son were
trying to get it back in, the animal went wild. Jump was brutally trampled and died
at the scene. Peter was airlifted to a hospital in Cardiff where he succumbed to his injuries
later that month. Jump’s daughter, Isabel, had also sustained leg injuries in the attack
but was treated and released from hospital. The water buffalo that had claimed the lives
of the two men was put down. Thanks for watching! Would you rather face
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