Instead of the huge frame we expect from buffalo, the mountain anoa stands only about as tall as a big dog at the shoulder, with a round, barrel-shaped body on short, slim legs. Its coat is thick and woolly to deal with cool, wet mountain weather, dark chocolate to almost black in adults, while calves start out fluffy and yellowish-brown. Both males and females grow short, sharp horns that rise straight up and back from the head like stout spikes. Up close, its face looks surprisingly gentle, with big brown eyes and a slightly blunt snout, but you can tell from the heavy neck and solid shoulders that this is still very much a powerful cow relative.

In the forest, the mountain anoa is a shy, secretive browser. It prefers undisturbed, steep terrain where human noise barely reaches: dense montane rainforests with thick undergrowth, tangled vines, and wet, spongy soil. Most of the time, it lives alone or in pairs rather than in big herds. It is most active in the early morning and late afternoon, spending the middle of the day resting in deep shade under fallen logs, rock overhangs or huge roots.

When it moves, it threads quietly through the trees, feeding on a mix of leaves, grasses, ferns, shoots, fallen fruit and other soft plants. Mud wallows and forest pools are important to it, too. Mountain anoas love to bathe and roll in mud, which helps cool their bodies, soothes their skin and keeps biting insects away. After a good wallow, they can look like dark, muddy boulders with horns sticking out.

Despite their small size, mountain anoas are no pushovers. They have very thick skin hidden under their coat, and their short horns are serious weapons. When showing off or marking their patch, they may thrash bushes, dig at the ground, and scrape mud onto their horns.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Indonesia

<2,500

EN

2016

Sulawesi