It seems that finding a sincere friendship in this world is quite challenging.
In the animal kingdom, there are friendships that can truly surprise us. A dog plays with a cat, a monkey befriends a giraffe, or even the peculiar relationships between humans and dolphins.
Similar to humans, we often hope that friendship is a genuine, selfless, and open emotion. However, the reality for some animal species, such as Japanese macaques, shows that their friendships are riddled with ulterior motives.
Japanese macaques maintain a class-divided society, and these monkeys typically form friendships only with others deemed to be of the same status. Some even attempt to befriend higher-ranking monkeys in the group to gain preferential treatment, share more food, receive protection from conflicts, and avoid punishments when they err.
It’s somewhat embarrassing to reflect on ourselves; we humans also display a similar tendency, albeit to some extent. It seems that finding a sincere friendship in this world is truly difficult.
Water buffalo – an animal often associated with hard work in the fields, trudging under the harsh sun.
However, a research group at the City University of Hong Kong recently reported that they have discovered a friendship that embodies sincerity, devoid of ulterior motives, and selfless in the animal world. That is the friendship among water buffaloes.
Indeed, water buffaloes, animals often associated with diligent fieldwork, trudging under the harsh sun. Who would have guessed that beneath that “rugged” exterior lies a heart full of emotions? When they befriend each other, they disregard the social status of other buffaloes, not forming alliances merely to flatter, rely on strength, or the power of larger individuals in the herd.
Water buffaloes play with each other only when their personalities and preferences align, regardless of age or lineage. This conclusion was drawn after researchers used cameras to observe the behavior of a herd of semi-wild water buffaloes living in Hong Kong.
A Paradise for Water Buffaloes in Hong Kong
When mentioning Hong Kong, most people envision Kowloon City or the image of a super-metropolis, with a terrifying population density that makes land use maximized.
Few are aware that within this city, there exists a national park, with vast green meadows, wetlands, and muddy marshes that have become a paradise for water buffaloes.
That is Lantau Island, a secluded island located to the west of Hong Kong. Although this island is home to over 100,000 people, overwhelmed by its population density, the people of Hong Kong still dedicate half of the land to maintaining a national park where scientists have attempted to reintroduce a herd of wild water buffaloes to study their behavior.
Lantau Island is one of the few places where water buffaloes can live in the wild.
Water buffaloes on Lantau Island not only live freely, unburdened by work like in some other places, but are also protected and respected by the local community. They lead a leisurely life, roaming freely, foraging for food, and enjoying a slow-paced existence in harmony with nature.
In terms of population, the water buffalo herd on Lantau Island is currently estimated to consist of about 120–150 individuals (according to recent reports from Hong Kong). In terms of scale, the water buffalo population on Lantau does not rank among the largest.
Regions such as India, Nepal, and Thailand have significantly larger populations of water buffalo, numbering in the thousands. However, in terms of quality of life and an almost “paradisiacal” living environment, Lantau Island stands out and is unique, becoming a beacon for the conservation of water buffaloes in their natural habitat.
This is one of the few places where water buffaloes can live in the wild without human pressure. It has facilitated scientists to conduct detailed studies on this species, helping them understand the behaviors of buffaloes that they would never exhibit in captivity and domestication.
For Instance, Their Ability to Form Friendships
Like many other herd-living species, water buffaloes have social relationships, including siblings, relatives, and even friends. In a recent study, three scientists from the City University of Hong Kong aimed to understand how water buffaloes tend to form and maintain friendships.
“Similarity in personality fosters strong social bonds known as friendship in humans and some non-human primates. However, we know very little about the underlying “deciding principles” for friendships in other animal species.
Therefore, in this study, we observed a population of wild and free-ranging water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) to determine whether personality similarity promotes friendship among females in this social hoofed species“, the scientists stated.
Buffaloes with similar personalities tend to approach and play with each other more.
To achieve this, they set up cameras to monitor a herd of over 30 female water buffaloes living on Lantau Island. These buffaloes were categorized by age, kinship, and especially personality, based on their social behavior observations.
The scientists discovered seven main personality types within the buffalo herd, including those that are close-knit and enjoy grooming each other. Others were cautious and tended to avoid, while some were lazy, just sitting in one place, and others were very active and playful. In contrast to some gentle buffaloes, others displayed dominant tendencies.
Based on the lineage, age, and personality of these buffaloes, the scientists monitored their interaction behaviors. They noticed a common trend where buffaloes with similar personalities tended to approach and play with each other more. They often ate together, stayed close, and invited each other to play, rolling around in the mud.
“Our research provides evidence that friendships among water buffaloes can form between individuals with similar behaviors. These findings offer valuable insights into the evolution of friendship,” said Dr. Debottam Bhattacharjee, one of the co-authors of the study from the City University of Hong Kong.
The trend of friendship based on the personality of water buffaloes has been documented.
Why Do Animals Value Friendship?
In social species, including humans, “bonds” within a social network, such as familial ties, kinship, and friendships have been shown to correlate positively with health, happiness, and even survival advantages for the organism.
Recent studies suggest that friendship is not only present in humans but also in animal species that tend to form stable and lasting associations, extending beyond the realm of kinship relationships. Individuals within a species tend to form friendships if the benefits of friendship outweigh the costs of maintaining that friendship.
For example, friendship fosters cooperation, helping protect each other from danger. For instance, dolphins and lions often coordinate in close-knit groups to ensure safety. With reliable friends, the risk of being left behind or attacked significantly decreases.
Friendship helps animals share information and resources. For example, in some species like wolves or African wild dogs, friendship leads to high levels of coordination in hunting and territorial defense.
Individuals that cooperate well often have a significant survival advantage over solitary individuals. Meanwhile, chimpanzees often cooperate and share food with close friends. This not only ensures a stable source of nutrition but also saves energy when foraging for food.
Furthermore, friendship also increases animals’ reproductive opportunities, even if it involves same-sex friendships. For example, some species often seek mates in groups. Sparrows tend to form “alliances” with the same sex to assist each other in attracting mates. Having multiple friends increases their chances of attracting a larger pool of potential partners.
Finally, like humans, friendship also helps animals express their feelings, reduce stress, and enhance their health. Studies have shown that friendships in animals, both same-species and cross-species, help increase oxytocin levels, leading to happiness and overall longevity.
Research shows that water buffalo are highly social animals.
Therefore, it is not surprising that water buffalo form friendships, graze together, and invite each other to enjoy mud baths. These new findings from the research align perfectly with previous discoveries, indicating that water buffalo are indeed a highly social species.
“Understanding the friendships among individual water buffalo can help us enhance the welfare of this species, making conservation efforts more optimal and effective,” the scientists concluded.
