Lowland anoa
Did you know?
Bubalus depressicornis
Those sharp horns are a great defense against predators, but anoas can also hold them down against their backs so they don’t get tangled up in the forest.
Discover Anoa
Habitat
Wild and Zoo
Lowland anoa live only in lowland forests and swamps on Sulawesi, an Indonesian island. They look like goats but are actually a small species of buffalo. Find ours in the Asian Forest Sanctuary.
Asian Forest Sanctuary
Meet the keepers
(Get to anoa them.)
Keepers in our Asian Forest Sanctuary give a chat daily. Ask questions about each animal, and find out how our zoo team feeds and cares for them.
Zookeeper Life: Sam
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Eating
(and predators!)
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Anoa are herbivores – they eat grasses, ferns, palm, ginger, fallen fruit, aquatic plants and leaves.
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Their main predators are humans, although young anoa can also fall prey to pythons and civets.
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Babies
One or two.
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Ready to mate at 2-3 years old, anoa give birth after a 10-month pregnancy.
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Usually they have just one calf, although twins have been born in zoos.
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Keeping cool
Anyone for swimming?
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Unlike most wild cattle, lowland anoa spend most of their time alone, though they are sometimes found in pairs or small groups.
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They are active in the early morning and evening and are excellent swimmers, using muddy or swampy areas to keep cool in heat.
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Protecting Anoas
Hunted down.
THE THREAT: Humans hunt anoas illegally in unprotected forests. They also clear forests and drain anoa marshlands to plant crops – often palm oil plantations.
TAKE ACTION: Much of southeast Asia’s rainforest destruction is to make room for palm oil plantations. Check products you use for sustainable palm oil, and encourage companies to make the switch.
Anoa Stories
Who's nearby?
Visiting our anoa? Then try to spot our porcupines, who rotate like the anoa around our Asian Forest Sanctuary habitats.