The
wild water buffalo (
Bubalus arnee), also called
Asian buffalo and
Asiatic buffalo, is a large
bovine native to the
Indian Subcontinent and
Southeast Asia. It is listed as
Endangered in the
IUCN Red List since 1986, as the remaining population totals less than 4,000, with an estimate of fewer than 2,500 mature individuals. The population decline of at least 50% over the last three generations (24–30 years) is projected to continue. The global population has been estimated at 3,400 individuals, of which 3,100 (91%) live in
India, mostly in
Assam. The wild water buffalo represents most likely the ancestor of the
domestic water buffalo.