Bangladesh saves rare albino buffalo nicknamed 'Donald Trump' from Eid sacrifice

Highlights

• The buffalo was saved from ritual slaughter hours before Eid al-Adha
• Buffalo went viral for its blond tuft, drawing crowds from across Bangladesh
• The animal will be quarantined for two weeks before going on public display

A NEARLY 700-kilogram albino buffalo in Bangladesh, nicknamed "Donald Trump" for its flowing blond fringe, has been saved from the Eid al-Adha knife after the government stepped in at the last moment following a surge of public interest.

The rare bull, most buffalo in Bangladesh are dark-coloured, had already been sold for ritual slaughter when the home ministry ordered it spared, the buyer refunded, and the animal transferred to the national zoo in Dhaka.

"At the last moment, the decision was taken to spare the buffalo from sacrifice due to security concerns and the unusual level of public interest," said a home ministry official.

What began as a routine Eid livestock sale quickly turned into a national curiosity. Videos of the animal spread widely online, drawing crowds of visitors to the farm, social media fans, curious onlookers and children, all wanting a photograph with the unlikely celebrity.

Former owner Zia Uddin Mridha, 38, said the name came from his younger brother, who spotted a likeness to the US president in the animal's "extraordinary hair".

Mridha described the buffalo as unusually gentle, requiring regular feeding and frequent baths. Police were dispatched to collect the animal after the government issued its order.

Viral albino buffalo 'Donald Trump'REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain

Mohammad Ruhul Quddus, officer-in-charge of Dhaka's Keraniganj Police Station, said, "The livestock department requested us to take the buffalo from the owner as it is a rare animal. They said the albino buffalo is still very young and can be raised for a few years."

The curator of the national zoo, Atiqur Rahman, confirmed the animal would be well cared for. "We have designated a shed for the albino buffalo and assigned a caregiver," he said. "He will be quarantined for two weeks."

Eid al-Adha, known as the "feast of the sacrifice", fell on Thursday (28) in Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority country of 170 million people.

More than 12 million animals, including goats, sheep, cows and buffaloes, were expected to be sacrificed during the holiday, when many poorer families get a rare chance to eat meat.

(with inputs from Agencies)