Female water buffalo are building friendships

Photo courtesy of City University of Hong Kong

A pair of water buffalo on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.

Investigators studying feral water buffalos have found that close spatial proximity is an indicator of friendship, based on patterns of personality traits, in these free-ranging animals. The observational study was conducted on Lantau Island in Hong Kong by investigators at the City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), with results recently published in iScience.^1,2

“Our research provides evidence that friendships among water buffalo can form among individuals with similar behaviors. These findings offer valuable insights into the evolution of friendships," Debottam Bhattacharjee, PhD, MS, a postdoctoral researcher in CityUHK’s department of infectious diseases and public health, said in a news release.¹

The research showed that individual female buffalo with similar personalities exhibited higher spatial associations. For example, these buffalo were observed spending more time physically close to each other while foraging, collective moving, and resting.¹ “Personalities and social relationships will be potentially important for understanding how buffalo use their habitats during different seasons (wet and dry) of the year with fluctuating food resources,” Bhattacharjee added.

In this research, the CityUHK investigation team extracted 3 principal personality trait components—social tension, vigilance and general dominance—that explained about 80% of the repeatable behavioral variables. How buffalo approached and avoided each other was labelled social tension; while how they sat and moved around was labelled vigilance; and how they responded to others in their herd was labelled general dominance.^1,2

Through observation, investigators then discovered that female buffalo who spent more time in each other's company tended to display similar personality traits related to these variables. According to Alan McElligott, PhD, BSc, PGCAP, one of the paper’s coauthors, a professor, and an expert on animal behavior and welfare based in CityUHK’s department of infectious diseases and public health, these traits were used to positively predict the length of time that female buffalo would spend with each other and offer insights into how buffalo friendships form and are maintained.¹

Female water buffalo living in feral and free-range conditions can form clans with up to about 30 related mothers, daughters and sisters, from multiple generations, as well as herds with up to 500 non-related or distantly related individuals. Conversely, male water buffalo tend to form groups with up to 10 bachelors.²

According to CityUHK, the newly published research on female water buffalo is vital because it has been shown in other studies that preferential strong social associations or friendships positively correlate with health, well-being, and survival benefits. Additionally, there is evidence that human-like friendships can form in various species and that relationships in animals can be stable, long-lasting and reach beyond family.¹

“Understanding social behaviors and friendships of group living animals like buffalo improves welfare with broader implications for maintaining optimal health of those within the wider population,” Kate Flay, PhD, BVSc, a coauthor of the paper and a professor in CityUHK’s department of veterinary clinical sciences, said in the release.¹

There is a need to assess in greater detail how preferential close social relationships or friendships affect populations of feral buffalo and how what is learned can be applied to behaviors among other animals, according to the authors. Additional research can help maintain a more sustainable approach to animal welfare and conservation.¹

References

1. Buffalo besties: feral female buffalo build friendships based on similar personality traits, suggest animal welfare experts at City University of Hong Kong. News release. City University of Hong Kong. December 5, 2024.
2. Bhattacharjee D, Flay KJ, McElligott AG. Personality homophily drives female friendships in feral ungulate. iScience. December 5, 2024. Accessed December 5, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.111419