Water buffalo in Hong Kong? It may sound like a fantasy, but according to new research published in the journal People and Nature, a population of these large bovines has made the southern marshlands of the city's Lantau Island their home – and residents have mixed feelings about them.
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Hong Kong's water buffalo
In a 2022 survey led by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), researchers counted 180 water buffalo in Hong Kong – 20 more than the previous count in 2018. Most of the buffalo were recorded on Lantau Island, the largest island in Hong Kong.
In the new study, researchers wanted to find out how the buffalo population is impacting the lives of Hong Kong residents.
Based on 657 survey responses, researchers discovered a wide range of attitudes toward the buffalo. The study identified four broad categories of public response: appreciation or conditional acceptance of the buffalo, concern about community impacts, value for conservation and education, and individual experiences shaped by daily encounters.
Across all these themes, most responses were neutral, followed by positive, then negative.
For example, when asked about buffalo tolerance and appreciation, 61% of responses were neutral, 25% highly positive and 14% highly negative.
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"Some see the buffalo as a living link to the territory’s rural past, while others worry about safety, environmental impact or traffic disruptions,” says lead investigator Alan McElligott, an animal behaviour and welfare specialist at the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences (JCC), CityUHK.
Hannah Mumby, a conservation ecologist at the University of Hong Kong, explains that "Demographic factors also correlate with opinions, with differences based on age, gender, ethnicity, birthplace and whether respondents lived on Lantau.
"Emotional responses were common in interviews, with a majority expressing fondness for the buffalo or neutral attitudes, and a minority noting concern over safety risks.”
The research highlights how shared spaces between humans and wildlife can stir complex emotions. Understanding these perspectives may help shape future policies that ensure harmony for both people and buffalo on Hong Kong’s largest island.
Top image: buffalo bronze themselves alongside human bathers on a south Lantau beach in Hong Kong. Credit: Dr Danhe Yang
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