Carabao - The Domesticated Water Buffalo of Southeast Asia
Ranked #2,245 in Animals, #50,507 overall
The Asian Water Buffalo--The Carabao of Guam, Philippines,Thailand, Vietnam, and other Asian Countries
The Carabao. The Water Buffalo. Bubalus bubalis. Sort of like a four-legged, non-gas-burning tractor. Can help with hauling sugar cane. Can handle the mud while plowing rice paddies. Can swim very well. Can get rid of a water hyacinth problem. Useful for rural tropical transportation. Can haul tropical Santas around in their carts. And good for their milk (I recently had the chance to try this on Boracay Island, Aklan Province, Philippines. It's an experience to remember!)
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The Morning Commute -- Guam-Style! (Southern Guam, that is)
Conflict Resolution, Carabao Style!
Conflict Resolution (Waterbuffalo, Vietnam)
We had to stop and see how these two waterbuffalo settled a dispute. Their negotiations were facilitated by a couple of the local people (with long sticks.)
curated content from YouTube
Carabao Momma and Baby
Carabao Cart Full of Goodies!
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Big Beasties!
Unlike the African Water Buffalo--which are formidable and dangerous to encounter no matter where you find them (they aren't domesticated!)--the Asian and Pacific Water Buffalo, called Carabao on Guam, most of Micronesia, the Northern Marianas Islands, and the Philippines, when domesticated, is a gentle giant and is used extensively as an agricultural and rural worker.
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These animals are also common in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Southern China, MyanMar, Taiwan, Okinawa, India, Sri Lanka, Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia, and most other tropical Asian areas.
Carabao Plow - Rice Paddies. Dau, Mabalacat, Pampanga, Luzon Island, Philippines
Carabao Goodies You Can Wear!
Carabao! Not the Fastest Transportation, But If You Like a Stroll, They'll Do!
Carabao in Parked Mode
Cheap and Convenient Transportation--All Terrain, Goes Almost Anywhere, Sort of Smelly, Though...
When I was growing up on the island of Guam, I encountered water buffalo, or carabao, with a strange frequency.
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When boonie-stomping on the way to Talofofo Falls via the dirt road and then the mud trail through swamp to cross the river, we'd be startled by dark shapes (the carabao) rising out of the mud amidst the swordgrass in front us.
When waiting for the school bus to come by our makeshift bus-stop (a combination mom-and-pop store and pool-hall along the main drag through Malojloj, Guam), sometimes the guys from the local farms would come by on their rides (the water buffalo, or carabao) to pick up some food or other supplies for the day.
Also, when walking through Merizo or Inarajan, you could once in a while walk past a carabao tied up at the side of the road or next to the river outlet. They'd be contentedly chewing on the swordgrass or other vegetation where they were standing.
Carabao with Ocean View, from Inarajan Junior High School, Inarajan, Guam
Carabao Stuff from All Over!
The Carabao-Turtle Race And Other Philippine Animal Folk Tales
8 classic stories about animals. Helps a child und more...1 point
Photo (S): Carabao Plowing rice field, Philippines
This is a museum-quality, reproduction print on pr more...0 points
Mouse Pad with "water buffalo", buffalo, zoo, captivity, mammal, vattenbuffel, livestock, animal, ungulate, horns, bovine
Professional "Brite White" fabric mouse more...0 points
Carabao--When Ya Gotta Ride, Ya Gotta Ride!
Anna the Carabao (water buffalo) girl
Anna riding in the back of a water buffalo
curated content from YouTube
Carabao Plow at the Home on the Rice Paddies, Dau, Mabalacat, Pampanga, Luzon Island, Philippines
What Do They Eat? A Lot!
Carabao like to eat swordgrass (which is a good thing on Guam). They also like to eat water hyacinths. For this reason, some were imported (flown on a cargo plane) to Florida to help get rid of their water hyacinth problem (the water hyacinths were plugging up the waterways.In the Philippines (and most likely Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India), where they work in or near the rice fields and particularly if they are being raised as dairy animals, the carabao are also fed the rice straw after the rice has been harvested. This enables the rice farmers to make use of the rice straw without having to burn it (which is what is usually done after the rice harvest).
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Carabao Eating Almost Everything--The Grass, The Tree, The ...
curated content from YouTube
Close-Up of One of the "Business Ends" of a Carabao (You don't want to see the other end!)
Can't Get Enough of These Beasties? Here's More Info on the Carabao!
- A Mindanao Magazine blog post about the Philippine Carabao Center at the Central Mindanao University
- Interesting post about the Philippine Carabao Center at the Central Mindanao University. Some comments about Carabao Milk and Carabao Cheese!
Afternoon Commute - Dau, Mabalacat, Pampanga, Luzon Island, Philippines
Carabao Milk - An Udderly Unique Way to Get Your Calcium and Protein!
Yup. You Can Milk 'Em. But Not When They Are Standing Head-Deep in a Flooded Rice Paddy!
The Philippine Carabao Center's carabao dairy project has become a major economic force for the Nueva Ecija Province of the Philippines by becoming an effective way to alleviate much of the poverty and improving nutrition in the region.Nueva Ecija province has the slogan: "Paitimin sa Kalabaw at Paputiin sa Gatas and Lalawigan ng Nueva Ecija" -- Make the province of Nueva Ecija black with carabao and white with its milk.
Starting in 1999, 1000 head of buffalo at 25 head apiece were loaned to 37 cooperatives in the province. Simultaneously, milk collection systems, collection centers, and post harvest facilities were built throughout the province. Cooperative members were given training on milk collection, handling, transport, storage, processing, labeling, and packaging. By late 2006, the original 1000 carabao had increased to 3210 (excluding those that had been sold by some of the farmers).
The project created 928 jobs for farm families as well as 173 jobs for milk collectors, milk delivery men, milk processors, office clerks, office workers, drivers, artificial insemination technicians, veterinary aides, bull caretakers, bookkeepers, and cooperative managers.
Products?
- carabao milk (kalabaw gatas)
- carabao cheese (kesong puti)
A Different Way to Make Ice Cream and Milkshakes! Carabao Milk Establishment on Boracay Island, Philippines
Well, I'm not going to buffalo you into dropping a note--but it'd be cool if you left one!
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- naturegirl7 naturegirl7 Nov 30, 2008 @ 7:53 pm
- Welcome to the Naturally Native Squids group. Don't forget to add your lens link to the appropriate plexo and vote for it.
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- iLOVEscience iLOVEscience Oct 9, 2008 @ 8:20 pm
- Very interesting - great lens!! Now I want to see a Carabao in person!!
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- beachbum_gabby beachbum_gabby May 21, 2008 @ 12:19 am
- I have ride on a Carabao when I went home at my grandmother's house in the Philippines. Very memorable experience. :)
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- charlesgrimes charlesgrimes Jan 28, 2008 @ 9:18 pm
- When I was 3 we lived in Guam. There were still Japanese soldiers living in the jungle who didn't know the war was over. I ran away from home once. I wanted to go ride the carabao.
I love your lenses-- many on my favorite topics: James Rollins, sharks, mangos. Thanks for sharing.
Melanie - fellow Squiooer
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- Classic Classic Jan 5, 2008 @ 6:35 pm
- Very informative lens, as usual! Thanks for submitting your great lens to my group Nature and Environment!
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- NAIZA NAIZA Dec 12, 2007 @ 6:54 am
- Very Filipino! Carabaos are very essential in the lives of many people especially farmers whose source of living depends on them. Fantastic!
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- Janusz Janusz Dec 11, 2007 @ 3:37 pm
- "four-legged, non-gas-burning tractor" :D brilliant! Your Lenses are great.
by EditorDave
Living on Guam is what now "defines" me. It was such a dramatic difference in my life and outlook on things that there's no way I'd be the same...
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