I was pleasantly surprised after reading ID Cards To Be Issued For Elephants to find the following news item:

ID cards issued for water buffaloes

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has collected information about all domesticated water buffaloes in Thailand and has begun issuing ID cards for them.

Assistant to minister Noppadon Patthama said related laws have been amended to require owners of the water buffaloes to apply for the ID for every water buffalo calf within 30 days after it was born.

Mr. Noppadon said the ID issued for newly-born water buffaloes will be renewed when the animals are five, 10, 15 and 30 years old. The water buffaloes have taken photographs and have had microchips implanted in them, he said.

Mr. Noppadon said the survey and registration of 30,000-40,000 water buffaloes in Thailand should be completed in two years. He also said a law will be issued to ban water buffalo hunting, water buffalo exports, while the laws concerning the abuse of water buffaloes remain unchanged.

Source: Bangkok Herald-Examiner - 25 August 2006

The first water buffalo to be issued an ID card proudly displays it to the media.

Source: Bangkok Herald-Examiner - 25 August 2006

The first water buffalo to be issued an ID card proudly displays it to the media.

Would anybody send even a single satang to help cure this sick buffalo?

Source: Bangkok Herald-Examiner - 25 August 2006

The first water buffalo to be issued an ID card proudly displays it to the media.

Would anybody send even a single satang to help cure this sick buffalo?

.

Is it possible that the above picture is NOT in fact a waterbuffalo? Perhaps it is a parasite in a waterbuffalo!