23rd March 2023 – (Hong Kong) A video of two spirited stray cattle butting heads on a winding road in Hong Kong has gone viral on social media. The captivating footage, shared by a netizen on Facebook, depicts the two animals engaging in an epic ‘bullfight’ that brought traffic to a standstill. It’s still unknown which of the two cattle emerged as the victorious champion.
Hong Kong may be better known as a dense urban jungle populated by concrete skyscrapers and masses of humanity. But three-quarters of the city is actually composed of country parks and nature reserves, home to a variety of wild animals, including more than 1,200 cattle.
These feral herds occasionally clash with humans, with tragic consequences. In a 2013 policy statement, the AFCD recognised “that the cattle and buffalo are part of the heritage of rural Hong Kong and that it brings pleasures to visitors and locals alike to see these animals in a natural environment.”
However, in order to strike a balance between these views and the “nuisance” sometimes caused by the animals, the department had created a long-term animal management plan that included tagging and sterilisation. The plan also involved relocating some of the animals to other parts of Hong Kong or even to other countries.
Despite these efforts, clashes between feral herds and humans continue to occur. In 2014, a man was trampled to death by a water buffalo in Plover Cove Country Park. The AFCD subsequently stepped up its efforts to manage the feral herds, conducting regular patrols and implementing stricter regulations.