90-759: The Kambala , Kambla or Kambula is an annual buffalo race held in the southwestern Indian state of Karnataka . It is similar to maramadi from Kerala Traditionally, it is sponsored by local Tuluva landlords and households in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada , Udupi and Bhatkal of Karnataka and Kasaragod of Kerala , a region collectively known as Tulu Nadu . The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts until March. The Kambalas are organized through Kambala samithis (Kambala Associations), of which there are currently 18. Over 45 races are held annually in coastal Karnataka, including smaller remote villages such as Vandaru, Thonnase and Gulvadi. Kambala
180-599: A 60–100 cm (24–39 in) long tail. They range in weight from 300–550 kg (660–1,210 lb), but weights of over 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) have also been observed. Tedong bonga is a piebald water buffalo featuring a unique black and white colouration that is favoured by the Toraja of Sulawesi . The swamp buffalo has 48 chromosomes , while the river buffalo has 50 chromosomes. The two types do not readily interbreed, but fertile offspring can occur. Water buffalo-cattle hybrids have not been observed to occur, but
270-681: A ban on PETA in India. On 8 January 2017, several hundreds of protesters conducted a rally at the Marina in Chennai opposing the ban on jallikattu . The participants walked from the lighthouse to the labour statue bearing posters saying "save jallikattu ". A few churches openly conducted prayer mass and rally against the Supreme Court ruling. Following the protests at Chennai, many students started rallies in various towns of Tamil Nadu. After hearing
360-573: A bull is estimated to be about 1,500 years old. An ancient tin coin discovered by a numismatist could be a fresh evidence of Jallikattu. R.Krishnamurthy, president of the South Indian Numismatic Society, estimated that the coin belongs to third or fourth century BCE. Since the coin was made of tin, which was then available only in South-East Asian countries. Jallikkattus are very common between Thanjavur and Tiruchirappalli in
450-523: A quasi religious function to be conducted to propitiate the village deities, and was usually held on any day after the Thai Pohgal when harvesting was over and before the commencement of the Tamil New Year. Well-known jallikattu venues include the following: Some variants include: Bulls enter the competition area through a gate called the vadi vasal . Typically, participants must only hold onto
540-476: A role in variation of CLA level and changes in gross composition of water buffalo milk. Water buffalo milk is processed into a large variety of dairy products , including: Water buffalo meat, sometimes called "carabeef", is often passed off as beef in certain regions, and is also a major source of export revenue for India. In many Asian regions, water buffalo meat is less preferred due to its toughness; however, recipes have evolved ( rendang , for example) where
630-856: A small amount of milk. Water buffalo milk presents physicochemical features different from those of other ruminant species, such as a higher content of fatty acids and proteins . The physical and chemical parameters of swamp-type and river-type water buffalo milk differ. Water buffalo milk contains higher levels of total solids, crude protein , fat , calcium , and phosphorus , and slightly higher content of lactose compared with those of cow milk . The high level of total solids makes water buffalo milk ideal for processing into value-added dairy products such as cheese. The conjugated linoleic acid content in water buffalo milk ranged from 4.4 mg/g fat in September to 7.6 mg/g fat in June. Seasons and genetics may play
720-491: A sort of bridle. The special towel used to cover the buffalo's back is called the paavade (Tulu: ಪಾವಡೆ ). The kambla influenced by Natha pantha, in earlier days, the Kambla starts previous day evening with tradition dance of Koraga communities mostly by men. They performing full night with following all Panchamakara madya (Alcohol), māṃsa (Meat), matsya (Fish), mudrā (Gesture), maithuna (Sexual). The Koragas were sit up through
810-435: A spiral. Swamp buffaloes are heavy-bodied and stockily built, with a short body and large belly. The forehead is flat, the eyes are prominent, the face is short, and the muzzle is wide. The neck is comparatively long, and the withers and croup are prominent. A dorsal ridge extends backward and ends abruptly just before the end of the chest. Their horns grow outward and curve in a semicircle, but always remain more or less on
900-604: A stay on this order, upholding the ban, after a petition filed by the Animal Welfare Board of India and PETA India, leading to protests all over Tamil Nadu. The Supreme Court refused to review its decision on 26 July 2016. On 16 January 2016, the World Youth Organization (WYO) protested at Chennai against the stay on the order overturning ban on conducting jallikattu in Tamil Nadu . The WYO also demanded
990-426: A team of veterinarians be present at the venue for certifying the bulls for participation in the event and to provide treatment for bulls that get injured. The Ministry of Environment and Forests issued a notification in 2011 that banned the use of bulls as performing animals, thereby banning the event But the practice continued to be held under Tamil Nadu Regulation of Jallikattu Act No 27 of 2009. On 7 May 2014,
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#17328723389441080-539: A thick coating of mud. Both are well-adapted to a hot and humid climate with temperatures ranging from 0 °C (32 °F) in the winter to 30 °C (86 °F) and greater in the summer. Water availability is important in hot climates, since they need wallows, rivers, or splashing water to assist in thermoregulation . Some water buffalo breeds are adapted to saline seaside shores and saline sandy terrain . Water buffaloes thrive on many aquatic plants . During floods, they graze submerged, raising their heads above
1170-806: A week following the centre's request that doing so would avoid unrest. Due to these protests, on 21 January 2017, the governor of Tamil Nadu issued a new ordinance that authorized the continuation of jallikattu events. On 23 January 2017 the Tamil Nadu legislature passed a bipartisan bill, with the accession of the Prime Minister, exempting jallikattu from the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1960). The first legal jallikattu under this exemption took place on 1 February in Alanganallur , Madurai district . The legal situation surrounding jallikattu
1260-513: A whip-lashing farmer. Traditional Kambala was non-competitive, and the pair was run one by one. In modern Kambala, the contest generally takes place between two pairs of buffaloes. In villages such as Vandar(vandaru) in Udupi and Chordi(choradi) in Shivamogga, there is also a ritualistic aspect, as farmers race their buffaloes to give thanks to the deities for protecting them from diseases. Historically,
1350-513: A year and directed the District Collectors to make sure that the animals that participate in jallikattu are registered to the Animal Welfare Board and in return the Board would send its representative to monitor the event. The Government of Tamil Nadu ordered that ₹ 2 lakh (US$ 2,400) be deposited by the organizers in case of an accident or injury during the event and enacted a rule to allow
1440-485: Is a popular hunting location, where a steady population up to 4,000 individuals exists. Safari outfits are run from Darwin to Melville Island and other locations in the Top End, often with the use of bush pilots ; buffalo horns, which can measure up to a record of 3.1 m (10 ft) tip-to-tip, are prized hunting trophies. Water buffaloes were exported live to Indonesia until 2011, at a rate of about 3,000 per year. After
1530-466: Is as yet not clearly resolved. Some, such as ex Ministry of External Affairs cabinet minister Salman Khurshid , have stated that the matter will only be truly resolved if the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act is amended as local ordinances and state laws cannot trump Indian federal law . According to The Hindu , many other Indian legal experts agreed with Khurshid's view, as federal laws such as
1620-512: Is derived from salli ('coins') and kattu ('package'), which refers to a prize of coins that is tied to the bull's horns and that participants attempt to retrieve. Manju virattu ( மஞ்சு விரட்டு ) literally means 'bull chasing'. Jallikattu is known to have been practiced during the Tamil classical period (400–100 BCE). It was a cultural ritual among the Ayar tribal people who lived in
1710-407: Is derived from 'kampa-kala', where the word 'Kampa' is related slushy, muddy field. The Dravidian origin of the word Kampa is kan+pa and 'kala' means field, where it is conducted. Another interpretation of modern Kambala is derived from 'Kamba', a pole used for water spurt during race by buffalo pairs. Kambala is a sport. The Kambala racetrack is a slushy paddy field, and the buffaloes are driven by
1800-476: Is inherent in these events, as bulls are not anatomically suited for such activities and making them participate is subjecting them to unnecessary pain and suffering, so such events were outlawed. On 8 January 2016, the Ministry of Environment and Forests permitted the continuation of the tradition under certain conditions, effectively ending the ban. However, on 14 January 2016, the Supreme Court of India issued
1890-607: Is said to have received water buffaloes around 600 AD. These were probably a present from the Khan of the Avars , a Turkic nomadic tribe that dwelt near the Danube River at the time. Sir H. Johnston knew of a herd of water buffaloes presented by a King of Naples to the Bey of Tunis in the mid-19th century that had resumed the feral state in northern Tunis . European water buffaloes are all of
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#17328723389441980-617: Is the Bininj Kunwok word for buffalo, which are represented in rock art paintings at Djabidjbakalloi. The buffalo left behind after the failed British attempt at settlement became a threat to the local Aboriginal peoples , as they had no guns at that time. As the herds expanded across into Arnhem Land , some local people seized the chance to hunt the animals for their hides in the 1880s, as they did not belong to anyone, unlike sheep and cattle. The industry continues to provide employment opportunities and income for traditional owners . During
2070-575: Is the result of complex domestication processes involving more than one maternal lineage and a significant maternal gene flow from wild populations after the initial domestication events. Twenty-two breeds of the river buffalo are known, including the Murrah , NiliRavi , Surti , Carabao , Anatolian, Mediterranean , and Egyptian buffaloes. China has a huge variety of water buffalo genetic resources , with 16 local swamp buffalo breeds in various regions. Results of mitochondrial DNA analyses indicate that
2160-549: Is typically practised in some regions of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu (particularly in Southern and Western Tamil Nadu) as a part of Pongal celebrations on Mattu Pongal day, which occurs annually in January. Because of incidents of injury and death associated with the sport, both to the participants and to the animals forced into it, animal rights organizations have called for a ban on
2250-496: The Alupa kings of Mangalore, 300 years ago. For this reason, Kadri Kambala is also known as Arasu Kambala (King's Kambala). Many have criticised Kambala as cruel to the racing buffaloes, which are driven by whips. Noted animal-rights activist Maneka Gandhi expressed concerns about the ill treatment of buffaloes during the race. While Kambala organizers contend that whips are necessary to elicit maximum speed, government officials advise
2340-532: The Animal Welfare Board of India concluded that " jallikattu is inherently cruel to animals". Animal welfare organisations such as the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) and PETA India have protested against the practice. The Indian Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi denied the claim by jallikattu aficionados that the sport is only to demonstrate
2430-581: The Supreme Court of India struck down the State law and banned jallikattu altogether. The Supreme Court noted that any flouting of the ban should result in penalties for cruelty to animals under The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The court also asked the Government of India to amend the law on preventing cruelty to animals to bring bulls within its ambit. The Supreme Court also ruled that cruelty
2520-737: The United Kingdom , Ireland , Germany , the Netherlands , Switzerland , and Hungary . Little exchange of breeding water buffaloes has occurred among countries, so each population has its own phenotypic features and performances. In Bulgaria, they were crossbred with the Indian Murrah breed, and in Romania, some were crossbred with Bulgarian Murrah. As of 2016, about 13,000 buffaloes were in Romania, down from 289,000 in 1989. Populations in Turkey are of
2610-499: The ancestor of the domestic water buffalo. Results of a phylogenetic study indicate that the river-type water buffalo probably originated in western India and was domesticated about 6,300 years ago, whereas the swamp-type originated independently from Mainland Southeast Asia and was domesticated about 3,000 to 7,000 years ago. The river buffalo dispersed west as far as Egypt , the Balkans , and Italy; while swamp buffalo dispersed to
2700-806: The sheaves during the rice harvest. They provide power for oilseed mills, sugarcane presses, and devices for raising water. They are widely used as pack animals , and in India and Pakistan, for heavy haulage, also. In their invasions of Europe, the Turks used water buffaloes for hauling heavy battering rams. Their dung is used as a fertilizer , and as a fuel when dried. Around 26 million water buffaloes are slaughtered each year for meat worldwide. They contribute 72 million tonnes of milk and three million tonnes of meat annually to world food, much of it in areas that are prone to nutritional imbalances. In India, river buffaloes are kept mainly for milk production and for transport, whereas swamp buffaloes are kept mainly for work and
2790-479: The "Tamil love for the bull", citing that the Tirukkural does not sanction cruelty to animals . The Animal Welfare Board of India filed a case in the Supreme Court of India for an outright ban on jallikattu because of the cruelty to animals and the threat to public safety involved. On 27 November 2010, the Supreme Court permitted the Government of Tamil Nadu to allow jallikattu for five months in
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2880-414: The 1950s, water buffaloes were hunted for their skins and meat, which was exported and used in the local trade. In the late 1970s, live exports were made to Cuba and continued later into other countries. Swamp buffaloes are now crossed with river buffaloes in artificial insemination programs, and are kept in many areas of Australia. Some of these crossbreeds are used for milk production. Melville Island
2970-743: The Anatolian buffalo breed. Between 1824 and 1849, swamp buffaloes were introduced into the Northern Territory , from Timor and Kisar and probably other islands in the Indonesian archipelago , to provide meat and hide. When the third attempt at settlement by the British on the Cobourg Peninsula was abandoned in 1849, the buffaloes were released. In the 1880s, a few river buffaloes were imported from India to Darwin for milk. Water buffalo have been
3060-579: The Balkans, Australia, North America, South America and some African countries. Two extant types of water buffalo are recognized, based on morphological and behavioural criteria: the river buffalo of the Indian subcontinent and further west to the Balkans, Egypt and Italy; and the swamp buffalo from Assam in the west through Southeast Asia to the Yangtze Valley of China in the east. The wild water buffalo ( Bubalus arnee ) most probably represents
3150-526: The Caribbean, specifically in Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba. The husbandry system of water buffaloes depends on the purpose for which they are bred and maintained. Most of them are kept by people who work on small farms in family units. Their water buffaloes live in close association with them, and are often their greatest capital asset . The women and girls in India generally look after the milking buffaloes, while
3240-519: The Kambala festival in Karnataka . Then-President of India, Pranab Mukherjee , promulgated the new law on 3 July 2017. Litigation continued but was resolved by the passage of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2018, which then-President Ram Nath Kovind approved on 19 February 2018. However, after the relegalization, it was found that the buffaloes were still being whipped during
3330-739: The Murrah and Jafarabadi from India, and the carabao from the Philippines. The official Brazilian herd number in 2019 is 1.39 million head. During the 1970s, small herds were imported to Costa Rica , Ecuador , Cayenne , Panama , Suriname , Guyana , and Venezuela . In Argentina, many game ranches raise water buffaloes for commercial hunting. Other important herds in South America are Colombia (>300.000), Argentina (>100.000) and Venezuela with unconfirmed reports ranging from 200 to 500 thousand head. In 1974, four water buffaloes were imported to
3420-486: The PCA are always more powerful than state laws, and in that respect the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act of 2017 is not much different from the state law overturned in 2009. For its part, PETA India has said that it will "study" the new ordinance, and has not ruled out a challenge to the new law on the same grounds as it challenged the 2009 law. On Jan 25, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) started
3510-465: The Pulikulam or Kangayam breeds, is released into a crowd of people, and many human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull's back with both arms and hang on to it while the bull attempts to escape. Participants hold the hump for as long as possible, attempting to bring the bull to a stop. In some cases, participants must ride long enough to remove flags on the bull's horns. Jallikattu
3600-495: The Regulation of Jallikattu Act, 2009, by the Tamil Nadu legislature, the following activities were done in preparation of the event: Between 2008 and 2014, 43 humans and 4 bulls were killed in the jallikattu events. In 2017, there were 23 deaths in addition to about 2,500 human injuries and several instances of injury to the bulls. Year 2020 saw 5 deaths from participation in the event. Animal welfare concerns are related to
3690-720: The United States from Guam to be studied at the University of Florida . In February 1978, the first herd arrived for commercial farming. Until 2002, only one commercial breeder was in the United States. Water buffalo meat is imported from Australia. Until 2011, water buffaloes were raised in Gainesville, Florida , from young obtained from zoo overflow. They were used primarily for meat production, and frequently sold as hamburger. Other U.S. ranchers use them for production of high-quality mozzarella cheese. Water buffaloes are also kept in
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3780-456: The age of 30 is not uncommon, and instances of a working life of 40 years have been recorded. The most probable ancestor of domesticated water buffalo is the wild water buffalo ( Bubalus arnee ), which is native to the Indian subcontinent and tropical Southeast Asia. Two types of domesticated water buffalo are recognized, based on morphological and behavioural criteria – the river buffalo (of
3870-417: The animal is 12 years or even older. A good river buffalo male can impregnate 100 females in a year. A strong seasonal influence on mating occurs. Heat stress reduces libido . Although water buffaloes are polyoestrous, their reproductive efficiency shows wide variation throughout the year. The cows exhibit a distinct seasonal change in displaying oestrus , conception rate, and calving rate. The age at
3960-539: The anoa branching somewhere between swamp and river buffalos. A 2023 Filipino study using the CytB gene instead found the tamaraw branching between the two. By 2011, the global water buffalo population was about 172 million. The estimated global population of water buffalo is 208,098,759 head distributed in 77 countries in five continents. More than 95.8% of the world population of water buffaloes are kept in Asia, including both
4050-409: The bull's hump. In some variations, they are disqualified if they hold onto the bull's neck, horns or tail. There may be several goals to the game depending on the region. In some versions, contestants must either hold the bull's hump for 30 seconds or for 15 metres (49 ft). If the contestant is thrown by the bull or falls, they lose. Some variations only allow for one contestant. If two people grab
4140-399: The bull's natural nervousness as prey animals by deliberately placing them in a terrifying situation in which they are forced to run away from the competitors which they perceive as predators and the practice effectively involves catching a terrified animal. Along with human injuries and fatalities, bulls themselves sometimes sustain injuries or die, which people may interpret as a bad omen for
4230-409: The bull. During attempts to subdue the bull, they are stabbed by various implements such as knives or sticks, punched, jumped on and dragged to the ground. In variants in which the bull is not enclosed, they may run into traffic or other dangerous places, sometimes resulting in broken bones or death. Protestors claim that jallikattu is promoted as bull taming, however, others suggest it exploits
4320-579: The country's northeastern region. By the beginning of 2012, less than one million were in the country, partly as a result of illegal shipments to neighbouring countries where sales prices are higher than in Thailand. Water buffaloes are also present in the southern region of Iraq in the Mesopotamian Marshes . The draining of the Mesopotamian Marshes by Saddam Hussein was an attempt to punish
4410-604: The embryos of such hybrids reach maturity in laboratory experiments, albeit at lower rates than non-hybrids. The rumen of the water buffalo differs from the rumen of other ruminants . It contains a larger population of bacteria, particularly the cellulolytic bacteria, lower protozoa , and higher fungi zoospores . In addition, higher levels of the rumen ammonia nitrogen (NH 4 -N) and pH have been found compared to those in cattle. River buffaloes prefer deep water. Swamp buffaloes prefer to wallow in mudholes, which they make with their horns. During wallowing, they acquire
4500-409: The first oestrus of heifers varies between breeds from 13 to 33 months, but mating at the first oestrus is often infertile and usually deferred until they are 3 years old. Gestation lasts from 281 to 334 days, but most reports give a range between 300 and 320 days. Swamp buffaloes carry their calves for one or two weeks longer than river buffaloes. Finding water buffaloes that continue to work well at
4590-442: The handling of the bulls before they are released and also during competitor's attempts to subdue the bull. Practices before the bull is released include prodding the bull with sharp sticks or scythes, extreme bending of the tail which can fracture the vertebrae , and biting of the bull's tail. There are also reports of the bulls being forced to drink alcohol to disorient them, or chilli peppers being rubbed in their eyes to aggravate
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#17328723389444680-406: The hump, then neither person wins. Bos indicus bulls are bred specifically by people of the village for the event. Bulls that are able to participate successfully in the jallikattu event are used as studs for breeding. These bulls also fetch higher prices in the markets. Kabaddi was played as a warm up sport before the players enter the arena for Jallikattu. With the introduction of
4770-526: The late 19th century, and there are smaller feral herds in Papua New Guinea , Tunisia and northeastern Argentina . Feral herds are also present in New Britain , New Ireland , Irian Jaya , Colombia , Guyana , Suriname , Brazil, and Uruguay . Carl Linnaeus first described the genus Bos and the water buffalo under the binomial Bos bubalis in 1758; the species was known to occur in Asia and
4860-759: The leaves, stems or trimmings of banana, cassava , Mangelwurzel , esparto , Leucaena leucocephala and kenaf , maize, oats , Pandanus , peanut, sorghum , soybean , sugarcane , bagasse , and turnips . Citrus pulp and pineapple wastes have been fed safely to buffalo. In Egypt, whole sun-dried dates are fed to milk buffalo up to 25% of the standard feed mixture. Swamp buffaloes generally become reproductive at an older age than river breeds. Young males in Egypt, India, and Pakistan are first mated around 3.0–3.5 years of age, but in Italy, they may be used as early as 2 years of age. Successful mating behaviour may continue until
4950-464: The legal process towards another ban by formally challenging the new law before the Supreme Court, but they withdrew the petition on Jan 26. According to the AWBI's acting chairperson, AWBI does not plan to re-file the petition, but he claimed no knowledge of what other organizations, such as PETA, may do. The Jallikattu Premier League is a professional league in Tamil Nadu for jallikattu . The league
5040-462: The live export ban that year, the exports dropped to zero, and had not resumed as of June 2013. Tom Dawkins, CEO of NT Buffalo Industry Council, said in May 2022 that culling should be a last resort, given the flourishing and growing live export trade and economic benefits for Aboriginal people. By the end of 2021, cattle exports to Indonesia had dropped to the lowest level since 2012, while demand for buffalo
5130-519: The main grazing animals on the subcoastal plains and river basins between Darwin and Arnhem Land (the " Top End ") since the 1880s. They became feral and caused significant environmental damage. Their only natural predators in Australia are crocodiles and dingoes , which can only prey on the younger animals. As a result, they were hunted in the Top End from 1885 until 1980. In the early 1960s, an estimated population of 150,000 to 200,000 water buffaloes
5220-588: The men and boys are concerned with the working animals. Throughout Asia, they are commonly tended by children who are often seen leading or riding their charges to wallows. Water buffaloes are the ideal animals for work in the deep mud of paddy fields because of their large hooves and flexible foot joints. They are often referred to as "the living tractor of the East". They are the most efficient and economical means of cultivation of small fields. In most rice-producing countries, they are used for threshing and for transporting
5310-406: The month of December every year at Thonnase, Hebri taluk, Udupi district and it is called Dēvara Sampradayika Kambala as it is associated with Sri Dhoomavathi, Sri Gopalakrishna and Swami Parivara in the village. Kadri Kambala used to be held at Kadri, Mangalore and it is called Dēvere Kambla (God's Kambala) as it is associated with Sri Manjunatha Temple in that city. This event was patronised by
5400-419: The naming of the wild and domestic water buffaloes by ruling that the scientific name Bubalus arnee is valid for the wild form. B. bubalis continues to be valid for the domestic form and applies also to feral populations. In the early 1970s, different names were proposed for the river and swamp types of water buffalos; the river type was referred to as Bubalus bubalis bubalis (Linnaeus, 1758) , while
5490-623: The night before the Kambla day, performing a ceremony called panikkuluni , the meaning of word sitting under the dew . They sing songs to the accompaniment of their special kind of band dudi , about their special spirit daiva Nīcha, and offer toddy and a rice-pudding boiled in a large earthen pot, which is broken so that the pudding remains as a solid mass. This pudding is called kandēl addyē , or pot pudding. Kambala has become an organised rural sport, with elaborate planning and scheduling to accommodate competitions at different places. A "Kambala Committee" arranges races in several categories describing
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#17328723389445580-577: The north and Tirunelveli and Ramanathapuram in the south, a region centered around the city of Madurai and populated for the most part by the Mukkulathor castes, who are the main participants in this ritual sport. Other landowning intermediate caste groups also enthusiastically participate, many of them bull owners and bull tamers. In the Pudukkottai State, the Jallikattu was considered as
5670-559: The northern Philippines , where butchered remains of domesticated water buffalo have been recovered from the Neolithic Nagsabaran site (part of the Lal-lo and Gattaran Shell Middens , c. 2200 BCE to 400 CE). These became the ancestors of the distinctly swamp-type carabao buffalo breed of the Philippines which, in turn, spread to Guam , Indonesia , and Malaysia , among other smaller islands. The present-day river buffalo
5760-544: The outfitting of the buffaloes. Typical categories are: Kambala draws large rural crowds, as it has done for the last three hundred years. People bet on the buffaloes, and one can witness more than 20,000 spectators in a well-organised Kambala, egging on and cheering the buffaloes to complete the race. In some places, night races are arranged under floodlights. The buffaloes developed for the race are carefully fed and some owners have even built separate swimming pools for competing buffaloes. Thonnase Kambala used to be held in
5850-506: The petitions which were led by the Animal Welfare Board of India challenging central government's notification, the Supreme Court of India on 12 January ordered a stay, issued notices to the central government and the Tamil Nadu government and later refused to lift the stay. Numerous jallikattu events were held across Tamil Nadu in protest of the ban, and hundreds of participants were detained by police in response. The Supreme Court has agreed to delay its verdict on jallikattu for
5940-403: The plane of the forehead. The tail is short, reaching only to the hocks . Size of the body and shape of horns may vary greatly among breeds. Height at the withers is 129–133 cm (51–52 in) for bulls and 120–127 cm (47–50 in) for cows, but large individuals may attain 160 cm (63 in). Head-lump length at maturity typically ranges from 240–300 cm (94–118 in) with
6030-451: The province of Sindh . The water buffalo breeds used are the Nili-Ravi, Kundi, and Azi Kheli. Karachi alone has upwards of 400,000 head of water buffalo in 2021, which provide dairy as well as meat to the local population. In Thailand, the number of water buffaloes dropped from more than 3 million head in 1996 to less than 1.24 million head in 2011. Slightly over 75% of them are kept in
6120-400: The race. This is the calendar for Kambala 2023-24 . Calendar for Kambala 2024-25 . Water Buffalo Bos bubalis Linnaeus, 1758 The water buffalo ( Bubalus bubalis ), also called domestic water buffalo , Asian water buffalo and Asiatic water buffalo , is a large bovid originating in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia . Today, it is also kept in Italy,
6210-544: The remains were from wild specimens. Both indicate that water buffaloes were first domesticated outside of China. Analyses of mitochondrial DNA and single-nucleotide polymorphism indicate that swamp and river buffaloes were crossbred in China. A 2020 analysis of the genomes of 91 swamp and 30 river buffaloes showed that they separated already before domestication about 0.23 million years ago . A 2021 analysis of water buffalo and lowland anoa genomes unexpectedly found
6300-682: The rest of Southeast Asia and up to the Yangtze Valley. Water buffaloes were traded from the Indus Valley Civilisation to Mesopotamia , in modern Iraq , in 2500 BC by the Meluhhas . The seal of a scribe employed by an Akkadian king shows the sacrifice of water buffaloes. Water buffaloes are especially suitable for tilling rice fields , and their milk is richer in fat and protein than that of dairy cattle . A large feral population became established in northern Australia in
6390-482: The riders to be gentle on buffaloes and avoid using whips during the race. In 2014, based on lawsuits filed by animal welfare organizations, the Supreme Court of India ordered a ban on Kambala. The ban also covered Jallikattu , a sport of hands-on bull taming. A government order lifted the ban on Jallikattu in January 2017, and the public asked for the ban on Kambala to be lifted, too. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 re-legalized
6480-583: The river-type and considered to be of the same breed named the Mediterranean buffalo. In Italy, the Mediterranean type was particularly selected and is called the Mediterranea Italiana buffalo to distinguish it from other European breeds, which differ genetically. Mediterranean buffalo are also kept in Romania , Bulgaria , Greece , Serbia , Albania , Kosovo , and North Macedonia , with a few hundred in
6570-536: The river-type and the swamp-type. The water buffalo population in India numbered over 97.9 million head in 2003, representing 56.5% of the world population. They are primarily of the river type, with 10 well-defined breeds: the Bhadawari , Banni , Jafarabadi , Marathwadi, Mehsana , Murrah , Nagpuri , Nili-Ravi , Pandharpuri , Surti , and Toda buffaloes. Swamp buffaloes occur only in small areas in northeastern India and are not distinguished into breeds. In 2003,
6660-584: The second-largest population lived in China, with 22.76 million head, all of the swamp-type, with many breeds kept only in the lowlands, and other breeds kept only in the mountains; as of 2003, 3.2 million swamp-type carabao buffaloes were in the Philippines, nearly 3 million swamp buffaloes were in Vietnam, and roughly 773,000 buffaloes were in Bangladesh. About 750,000 head were estimated in Sri Lanka in 1997. In Japan,
6750-422: The slow cooking process and spices not only make the meat palatable, but also preserve it, an important factor in hot climates where refrigeration is not always available. Their hides provide tough and useful leather, often used for shoes. Jallikattu Jallikattu (or Sallikkattu ), also known as Eru Taḻuvuṭal and Manju-virattu , is a traditional event in which a zebu bull ( Bos indicus ), such as
6840-541: The south for the 1991 Iraqi uprisings . After 2003 and the Firdos Square statue destruction , these lands were reflooded and a 2007 report on Maysan and Dhi Qar shows a steady increase in the number of water buffaloes. The report puts the number at 40,008 head in those two provinces. Water buffaloes were probably introduced to Europe from India or other eastern sources. In Italy, the Longobard King Agilulf
6930-425: The sport, resulting in the Supreme Court of India banning it several times over the past years. However, with protests from the people against the ban, a new ordinance was made in 2017 to continue the sport. Ancient Tamil Sangams described the practice as ēru taḻuvuṭal ( Tamil : ஏறு தழுவுதல் ), literally 'bull embracing'. The modern term jallikattu ( ஜல்லிக்கட்டு ) or sallikattu ( சல்லிக்கட்டு )
7020-626: The swamp type was referred to as Bubalus bubalis carabanensis (Castillo, 1971) . However, Bubalus carabanensis is considered a junior synonym of Bubalus kerabau Fitzinger, 1860 . The skin of the river buffalo is black, but some specimens may have dark, slate-coloured skin. Swamp buffaloes have a grey skin at birth, which becomes slate blue later. Albinoids are present in some populations. River buffaloes have longer faces, smaller girths, and bigger limbs than swamp buffaloes. Their dorsal ridges extend further back and taper off more gradually. Their horns grow downward and backward, then curve upward in
7110-423: The two types were domesticated independently. Sequencing of cytochrome b ( CytB ) genes of Bubalus species implies that the water buffalo originated from at least two populations, and that the river-type and the swamp-type have differentiated at the full species level. The genetic distance between the two types is so large that a divergence time of about 1.7 million years has been suggested. The swamp-type
7200-568: The village. In his 2012 book Animal Rights Without Liberation , which analyses the use of animals in cultural practices and concerns about alleged hypocrisy, political theorist Alasdair Cochrane argues that culture cannot outweigh animal rights or outweigh animal interests in not being killed, even if this entails the destruction of cultures "defined entirely by the grave harm [they cause] to animals" and cites jallikattu as an example to argue that culture or human interests cannot outweigh animal interests in not suffering. An investigation by
7290-563: The water and carrying quantities of edible plants. Water buffaloes eat reeds , Arundo donax , a kind of Cyperaceae , Eichhornia crassipes , and Juncaceae . Some of these plants are of great value to local peoples. Others, such as E. crassipes and A. donax , are a major problem in some tropical valleys and by eating them, the water buffaloes may help control these invasive plants. Green fodders are widely used for intensive milk production and for fattening. Many fodder crops are conserved as hay, chaffed, or pulped. Fodders include alfalfa ,
7380-607: The water buffalo was used as a domestic animal throughout the Ryukyu Islands or Okinawa prefecture , however it is almost extinct now and mainly used as a tourist attraction. Per a 2015 report, about 836,500 water buffaloes were in Nepal . The water buffalo is the main dairy animal in Pakistan, with 23.47 million head in 2010. Of these, 76% are kept in the Punjab . The rest are mostly kept in
7470-573: The western Indian subcontinent and west to the Levant, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean) and the swamp buffalo (found from Assam and East India in the west, east to the Yangtze Valley of China, and south through Indochina and Southeast Asia). River- and swamp-type water buffalo are believed to have been domesticated independently. Results of a phylogenetic study indicate that the river-type water buffalo probably originated in western India and
7560-403: The winning pair of buffaloes was rewarded with coconuts and bananas. Today, winning owners earn gold and silver coins. Some organising committees award an eight-gram gold coin to the winner. In some competitions, cash prizes are awarded. The buffaloes are decorated with coloured jhūls and head-pieces made of brass and silver (sometimes bearing the emblems of the sun and moon), and ropes which make
7650-510: The ‘ Mullai ’ geographical region of the ancient Tamil Nadu. Later, it became a platform for display of bravery, and prize money was introduced for participation encouragement. A seal from the Indus Valley civilization depicting the practice is preserved in the National Museum, New Delhi . A cave painting in white kaolin discovered near Madurai depicting a lone man trying to control
7740-572: Was growing both in Australia and in Southeast Asia. Water buffaloes were introduced into the Amazon River basin in 1895. They are now extensively used there for meat and dairy production. In 2005, the water buffalo herd in the Brazilian Amazon stood at roughly 1.6 million head, of which 460,000 were located in the lower Amazon floodplains. The breeds used include the Mediterranean from Italy,
7830-522: Was held as a domestic form in Italy. Ellerman and Morrison-Scott treated the wild and domestic forms of the water buffalo as conspecifics , whereas others treated them as different species . The nomenclatorial treatment of the wild and domestic forms has been inconsistent and varies between authors and even within the works of single authors. In March 2003, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature achieved consistency in
7920-720: Was living in the plains and nearby areas. The commencement of the brucellosis and tuberculosis campaign (BTEC) resulted in a huge culling program to reduce water buffalo herds to a fraction of the numbers that were reached in the 1980s. The BTEC was finished when the Northern Territory was declared free of the disease in 1997. Numbers dropped dramatically as a result of the campaign, but had recovered to an estimated 150,000 animals across northern Australia in 2008, and up to an estimated 200,000 by 2022. Both swamp and river buffaloes exist in feral populations, but swamp buffaloes are more prevalent than river buffaloes. " Nganabbarru "
8010-420: Was noticed to have the closest relationship with the tamaraw of the northern Philippines. A 2008 DNA analysis of Neolithic water buffalo remains in northern China (previously used as evidence of a Chinese domestication origin) found that the remains were of the extinct Bubalus mephistopheles and are not genetically related to modern domesticated water buffaloes. Another study in 2004 also concluded that
8100-554: Was probable domesticated about 6,300 years ago; the swamp-type originated independently from Mainland Southeast Asia , being domesticated between 3-7,000 years ago. The river buffalo dispersed west as far as Egypt , southern Europe, the Levant , and the Mediterranean regions; swamp buffalo dispersed in the opposite direction, to the rest of Southeast Asia, and as far as the Yangtze Valley in China. Swamp-type water buffalo entered Island Southeast Asia from at least 2,500 years ago through
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