Rare white buffalo spotted in Tanzania

Local media reported that the buffalo was seen on Monday at a watering hole, attracting hordes of tourists who were in the park at the time, as well as researchers.

Although the white buffalo is said to have been mixing freely with the rest of the buffaloes, it was bigger and stood in the middle of the herd most of the time.

A report by Tanzanian newspaper The Citizen indicated that the buffalo is very likely to have been part of the herd for a long time because of the kind of association it had with them.

Some observers also traced its birth to the peripheries of the park which is located in Tanzania’s north-eastern region.

White buffaloes are extremely rare and highly revered in some communities, who view them as a prophecy of peace on Earth.

While information on the species is hard to find, conservationists say that one out of every 10 million buffalo born are white.

The colour change among the buffalo is attributed to a variety of factors, including genetics, nutrition, the environment and age.