A water buffalo is on the loose in an Iowa town, and police are warning residents that it is injured and aggressive.
Officers in Pleasant Hill, a suburb of Des Moines, were called to respond to an unusual sight on Saturday. An animal was reported in the road, which turned out to be a water buffalo. Upon arrival, the owner warned police that the animal was aggressive.
The situation quickly escalated when both police and animal rescue and control teams attempted to contain the water buffalo and return it to its owner’s property. The animal’s aggressive nature became evident as it lashed out toward the Pleasant Hill officers. In response, a single round was fired from a shotgun, injuring the water buffalo, according to a police statement posted on Facebook on Monday.
Despite being wounded, the water buffalo managed to escape. To track down the elusive creature, police deployed drones and ATVs and sought assistance from experts familiar with water buffaloes. As of Tuesday morning, the animal remained at large in the town of about 11,000 residents.
The police issued a stern warning on Facebook: “If anyone sees a Water Buffalo, DO NOT APPROACH IT.”
Water buffaloes, which can weigh up to 2,650 pounds according to National Geographic, are the largest members of the Bovini tribe—a group that includes yaks, bison, African buffalo, and several species of wild cattle. However, the water buffalo in the Iowa incident appears smaller based on available photographs. While often domesticated, water buffaloes can still pose significant dangers if provoked.
