Free roaming buffalo in Hong Kong

When talking about Hong Kong, many people just think of a city full of skyscrapers. Busy night markets and road side restaurants. Residential area which are all extremely tall buildings. It is a post-modern city, just like those scenes in Ghost in the Shell.

Well, while those are part of reality, there also exist another picture of Hong Kong. I live in country side of Hong Kong, where we live together with various kinds of animals. One of our neighbors are free roaming cattle and buffalo. Some local people call them 'homeless' cattle/buffalo, but I'd rather call them 'free roaming'. Wild animal aren't pet, we shouldn't simply apply our idea of 'home' to them. These cattle/buffalo know the environment very well, even better then us. Different groups of cattle and buffalo have their own unique living area and routine. Usually buffalo are bounded to certain area (because they love to soak in swamp), while cattle are common to travel a few kilometers everyday. They know where to take a rest with cool sea breeze, where to find drinkable stream, where to hide from burning sun and take a nap etc. The environment is their home. Hong Kong is their home.

A few decades ago, when the economy of Hong Kong still haven't takeoff like a rocket, many 'HongKongers' still live in local villages. My father was just a boy, he live in a small village near to Ngau Tau Kok and Kowloon Bay, where now you can only find residential or commercial highrise. Hundreds of years ago, people came to Hong Kong with their cattle and buffalo to help them farming. But since people start abandon their farm, these cattle and buffalo started live on their own. Generations after generations, they gathered knowledge about the country sides, and formed their living routine.

Recently the city is arguing special privileges of 'indigenous residents', which they have the 'traditional right' to request land from government to build houses while the all other Hong Kong residents don't. Rapid development of the country side is harming the livelihood of free roaming cattle/buffalo. I guess these cattle/buffalo are the real 'indigenous residents', who we should leave them lands to live. Who else knows the environment better then them?

Photo in this post were taken in Lantau Island a few years ago. Today that grassland is getting smaller and smaller, because houses are being build on these abandoned farmland. Some buffalo had forced to leave, searching for another grassland suitable for them. I hope people can respect these REAL 'indigenous residents', and learn to live with these peaceful neighbors.

(Photo taken with Kodak 250D on Olympus 35 RC)

Someone spotted me... 🌳🌳😏🐃🌳🌳

Coming closer...

And closer!

Another buffalo come out from bushes! 🌳🐃🌳

Showing off how handsome he is... 😎

First one on the right, second one on the left.

These two little ones are even more curious. Every time I press the shutter, they stepped closer. The one on the left nearly licked my camera!

While cattle may travel a few kilometers everyday as their daily routine, buffalo are more bounded to certain area because they like to soak in swamp. They cannot cool themselves down through sweating. They need to soak in water during the summer. Thus they usually stay in places where there are plenty of swamp.

Next time let me share some photos of cattle, which there are quite a number of them around the small town I'm living. They have long daily routine and season routine, keep traveling around the district and countryside.