Think cows are gentle giants? Think again! Discover the wild side of cattle as we rank the most powerful beasts—some so tough even tigers back off! From the muscle-bound Gaur to the mysterious Saola, these are NOT your average farm animals. Which wild cattle shocked you most? Hit subscribe for more awesome animal stories and comment below your favorite wild cow fact! #animals #wildlife #nature #cattle #facts
👉 This channel was created in collaboration with https://www.youtube.com/@noelpolotv
0:00 - Introduction to Wild Cattle
1:32 - The Gaur: Most Powerful Wild Cattle
3:10 - Wild Water Buffalo: Second Place
4:55 - Aurochs: The Extinct Original Bull
6:56 - Other Impressive Wild Cattle Rankings
14:47 - Banteng: The Athlete of Wild Cattle
16:35 - Kouprey, Tamaraw, and Lowland Anoa
20:07 - Smallest Wild Cattle: Anoa and Saola
👉 This channel was created in collaboration with https://www.youtube.com/@noelpolotv
0:00 - Introduction to Wild Cattle
1:32 - The Gaur: Most Powerful Wild Cattle
3:10 - Wild Water Buffalo: Second Place
4:55 - Aurochs: The Extinct Original Bull
6:56 - Other Impressive Wild Cattle Rankings
14:47 - Banteng: The Athlete of Wild Cattle
16:35 - Kouprey, Tamaraw, and Lowland Anoa
20:07 - Smallest Wild Cattle: Anoa and Saola
Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00What if I told you there's a kind of cow that can make a tiger back off?
00:04This isn't your usual bull inside a fence.
00:07This is a wild animal that's almost as heavy as a small car and packed with strength
00:12that no bodybuilder could ever match.
00:15We grew up with the wrong idea about cows and today we're going to set that straight.
00:19When people hear cow, most think of a slow gentle animal chewing grass and just waiting to be milked.
00:26They look defenseless, like animals that could be pushed around by a small child.
00:31But in the real wilderness, far from fields and farms, the ancestors and close relatives of domesticated cows live.
00:38And some of them are like walking tanks, giant animals that can turn the tables even on the fiercest predators.
00:45There are only 13 recognized species of wild cattle in the world.
00:49They can be found in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America.
00:54Sadly, some of them have already disappeared completely.
00:57The ones that remain continue to fight for survival.
01:00And some of them are capable of taking down a person without even slowing down.
01:05So I gathered all 13 species and ranked them from the most powerful to the most gentle.
01:11Along with an explanation of why they ended up in each position.
01:16Stay until the end because the one at number one is an animal that even tigers choose to respect rather
01:22than try to challenge.
01:23But before we start, if you're new to our channel, make sure to subscribe so you'll always be updated with
01:29videos like this.
01:32Number one, the gore.
01:34In the first spot and recognized as the most powerful among all 13 types of wild cattle is the gore.
01:41And honestly, it has almost no equal.
01:43This is the largest wild cattle species in the world.
01:46A large male gower can weigh up to 1,500 kilos.
01:51That's even heavier than a small car.
01:54A gigantic animal that stands on four legs and is almost all muscle.
01:59It reaches 7.2 feet or 2.2 meters tall at the shoulder, so its back is higher than most
02:06people.
02:07It has a thick ridge of muscle along its back, giving it the appearance of someone lifting heavy weights.
02:13Its broad and tough forehead serves as a natural battering ram.
02:17In India, it is also called the Indian bison.
02:21But that's not the correct name because it isn't actually a true bison.
02:25What's even more impressive is that the gore lives in the forests of South and Southeast Asia,
02:30sharing its habitat with the tiger, the largest type of cat in the world.
02:35But even the tiger, known as the king of the jungle, usually avoids it.
02:40A healthy adult gore is so big, so strong, and ready to fight when necessary.
02:46If a tiger does try to attack, it usually chooses young gores, the elderly or the sick.
02:52And even then, it still needs to be careful.
02:54A healthy adult gore is one of the few animals in the world that a tiger would rather avoid than
03:00risk a fight with.
03:02Strong, calm, and steady like a wall.
03:04There's no doubt why it's at the top of the list of the most powerful wild cattle.
03:102. Wild Water Buffalo
03:12In second place is the Wild Water Buffalo, or Wild Buffalo.
03:16If the gar is like a bodybuilder, the Wild Water Buffalo can be compared to a warrior with massive weapons.
03:22A large male can weigh around 1,200 kilos, making it one of the heaviest wild cattle in the world.
03:29But it's not its weight that's the most terrifying, it's those massive horns.
03:34The Wild Water Buffalo has the longest horns of all wild cattle.
03:38These are large, curved, and can reach over 6.6 feet or 2 meters from end to end.
03:46It's like looking at a very wide steering wheel that's even bigger than a door.
03:51The only difference is, these horns are made of solid bone, have sharp tips, and are attached to an animal
03:58that's heavier than a grand piano and known for its quick temper.
04:02Wild Water Buffalo live in the swamps and grasslands of India and some parts of Southeast Asia.
04:08They are also the ancestors of the domesticated buffalo used for plowing rice fields.
04:13But while the domesticated buffalo is known for being gentle and patient, its wild relative remains one of the strongest
04:21and heaviest.
04:22It is also a member of the wild cattle family, but the wild buffalo is the opposite of the gentle,
04:28domesticated buffalo.
04:29It is always alert, quick to anger, and will not hesitate to charge at any animal or person it perceives
04:36as a threat.
04:36It shares the same environment with tigers and crocodiles.
04:40And although a young buffalo may be an easy target, but it is a different story when facing a fully
04:46grown adult wild water buffalo.
04:48When it lowers its massive horns, it becomes a very difficult opponent, even for the fiercest predators.
04:55Number 3, the aurochs.
04:57In third place is the aurochs, an animal that we will never see alive again.
05:02This is the only animal on this list that is completely extinct, because the last recorded aurochs died in 1627
05:09in a forest in Poland.
05:11But it cannot be removed from the list of the strongest wild cattle, because this is the original wild bull,
05:18the ancestor of all domesticated cattle in the world today.
05:21In other words, every cow, every piece of meat, and every glass of milk that we have today, all came
05:28from this mighty animal.
05:29In comparison, modern cows are just smaller and tamer versions of their ancient ancestor.
05:36A male aurochs stands about 5.9 feet or 1.38 meters tall at the shoulder and weighs around a
05:44ton.
05:45It also has long horns that curve forward and can reach up to 80 centimeters.
05:50In length, in ancient times, aurochs were widespread in Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
05:56Even ancient people truly feared this animal.
05:59The Romans wrote about it, and hunters back then took pride in it.
06:04Killing an aurochs was something to be proud of.
06:07Just like how some people today take pride in climbing high mountains,
06:11even Julius Caesar wrote about the wild bulls in Europe and described them as being almost as large as elephants.
06:19Although it's clear that he exaggerated the description.
06:22This just shows how much fear the aurochs caused people back then.
06:26They moved quickly, they fought fiercely, and they were armed with massive horns.
06:32They weren't the kind of cattle you'd see grazing in the fields.
06:36As time went by, people continued to hunt them and took away their habitat until they completely disappeared from the
06:43world.
06:44That's why they remain in third place.
06:46As a reminder, that, the domesticated cattle we have today, came from one of the most terrifying animals that once
06:54roamed Europe.
06:55Number 4.
06:57Wild Yak
06:57In fourth place is the wild yak, a gigantic animal that seems to have chosen to live in the highest
07:04places in the world.
07:05The large males can weigh over 1,000 kilos, and they carry that massive weight.
07:11While living on the Tibetan Plateau, one of the highest regions on the planet, there the air is very thin.
07:18That's why most animals, even people, have a hard time breathing.
07:22They live in places above 16,400 feet, or 5,000 meters, the altitude, where temperatures can drop to negative
07:3040 degrees Celsius.
07:32But for the wild yak, it seems unfazed by the extreme cold and thin air.
07:37Its entire body is covered with very thick and long fur that almost touches the ground.
07:42It's as if it's always wearing a thick blanket against the freezing climate.
07:47Beneath that thick fur is its powerful body with large muscles, long curved horns, and a low head designed to
07:55push and ram anything that blocks its path.
07:59There is a famous account from an explorer in 1898 saying that there were so many wild yaks on one
08:06side of the Himalayas that it seemed there were more yaks than hills themselves.
08:11But the situation is very different now.
08:13Their population has dropped significantly, and currently the wild yak is at risk of extinction.
08:20Wild yaks are bigger and darker than the domesticated yaks used by people for milk and wool.
08:27But don't underestimate them.
08:29An adult male wild yak in its frozen home is truly a giant creature.
08:34There are only a few predators that can survive in such high places, much less bring down a fully grown
08:41wild yak.
08:42Strong, stubborn, and able to survive in conditions that would kill almost every other animal on this list.
08:50Number 5.
08:51The American Bison
08:53In 5th place is the American Bison, the most famous symbol of the vast plains of North America.
09:01You may have seen it on coins, flags, or old western movies.
09:06But behind its thick fur is an animal with extraordinary strength and speed.
09:11A large male bison can weigh up to 1,000 kilos.
09:16Its large hump above the shoulders is also very noticeable.
09:20And did you know?
09:21That hump is not fat.
09:23It's actually a massive cluster of muscle that supports its heavy head.
09:27Because of this, it can swing its head like a giant sledgehammer and dig through thick snow to reach the
09:33grass buried underneath.
09:35Here's the surprising part.
09:36This animal can run up to 40 miles per hour or about 65 kilometers per hour.
09:42That's even faster than the fastest person alive.
09:46Not only that, it can also jump almost 2 meters high.
09:50Imagine an animal that's almost as big as a pickup truck running like a racehorse and jumping like a deer.
09:56This isn't the kind of animal you'd want to be surprised by up close.
10:00Every year, there are tourists who get too close just to take a picture.
10:04And many of them get hurt because they underestimate the speed and strength of the bison.
10:10In the past, the American bison roamed North America in herds of up to 10 million.
10:17There were so many of them that they changed the very shape of the plains.
10:22But because of intense hunting, they were almost completely wiped out.
10:27By the year 1900, it was estimated that fewer than 2,000 remained.
10:32Fortunately, they slowly increased in number again.
10:36Now, the American bison serves as living proof that size, speed, and extraordinary strength can all be found in a
10:45single animal.
10:47Number 6. The African buffalo
10:50In 6th place is the African buffalo, also known as the Cape buffalo.
10:55Many might think it deserves a higher rank on this list, but if we're only talking about size and weight,
11:02it can't match the giants that came before it.
11:05A large male African buffalo typically weighs between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds, or roughly 700 to 900 kilos.
11:14This is lighter compared to the gaur, wild yak, and American bison.
11:19But don't be fooled by its weight.
11:21When it comes to courage and being dangerous, it is still one of the animals
11:26that predators least want to encounter in the forests of Africa.
11:29So, why is it only in 6th place?
11:32Because if we base it on strength compared to body size,
11:35it might be the best in terms of strength among all on the list in all of Africa.
11:40The Cape buffalo is known as the widow-maker, or the one who leaves widows behind.
11:45And it didn't get that reputation for no reason.
11:48It's estimated to be responsible for around 200 human deaths every year.
11:53That's even more than what lions cause.
11:55On top of its head, there's a thick part of bone called the boss,
12:00a tough shield that serves like a built-in helmet.
12:03From here, its heavy and strong horns protrude.
12:06But the most dangerous thing is,
12:09the weapon of this animal is its temperament.
12:12The African buffalo is known for being vengeful.
12:15There are times when an injured buffalo comes back to ambush the hunters that harmed it.
12:21When lions attack their herd, they don't just run away on their own.
12:26Instead, they fight together.
12:28They often kill lions by goring them with their horns or trampling them.
12:33And when their calves are in danger, they give everything to protect them.
12:38So, yes, it may not be the biggest on the list,
12:41but if the measure of strength is the ability and courage to turn a predator's life into a nightmare,
12:48there's no doubt the African buffalo deserves the sixth spot.
12:53Number 7.
12:54The European Bison
12:56Wisent
12:57In 7th place is the European Bison,
13:01also known as the wisent.
13:03This is the heaviest wild animal in all of Europe.
13:07A large male European bison can weigh around 2,000 pounds or 900 kilos.
13:13It's a bit taller than the American bison, but has a slimmer build.
13:18Like its American relative, it also has a large muscle hump on its shoulders
13:22and thick fur on the front part of its body.
13:26This animal almost disappeared completely.
13:29By the early 1900s, all wild European bison were wiped out due to excessive hunting.
13:36Fortunately, about 50 individuals remained in zoos and private parks.
13:41They became the last hope for the entire species.
13:45All the European bison roaming the forest today came from that small group.
13:51It's one of the most remarkable stories of an animal's comeback from the brink of extinction.
13:57Today, they can be found in ancient forests like the Biawowieza forest on the border of Poland and Belarus,
14:05where they quietly roam among the trees like creatures from a legend.
14:09They are usually calmer than the African buffalo and not as aggressive as the American bison.
14:15But don't be fooled by their calmness.
14:18A full-grown European bison is still a powerful giant of the forest that can defend itself when needed.
14:25A European bison can toss a grown man with almost no effort.
14:30And when in good condition, an adult wisent has almost no animal in its forest that would dare challenge it.
14:38Big, calm most of the time, but extremely powerful when forced to fight.
14:44That's why it deserves the 7th spot.
14:47Number 8, the Banteng
14:48In 8th place is the Banteng.
14:52While most of the animals on this list are like giant trucks,
14:56the Banteng can be compared to an athlete with an elegant physique.
15:00It is often considered one of the most beautiful types of cattle in the world.
15:05A large male Banteng.
15:07It can weigh around 2,000 pounds or 900 kilos.
15:11Even though it's not as heavy as the previous animals on the list,
15:15it carries that weight in a slimmer, taller, and more athletic body.
15:21Male Bantengs have a shiny dark brown or almost black color.
15:26Meanwhile, the females have reddish-brown fur.
15:29Both of them have what looks like white socks on the lower part of their legs
15:33and a bright white mark on their rear.
15:35That's why the animal looks so well-dressed.
15:37The Banteng can be found in various parts of Southeast Asia,
15:41including the islands of Java, Bali, and Borneo.
15:45They are also the ancestors of Bali cattle, a type of domesticated cow.
15:49When it comes to strength, the Banteng should not be underestimated.
15:53A charging male Banteng with sharp horns is extremely dangerous.
15:57But instead of relying solely on raw strength,
16:01it relies more on speed, agility, and alertness.
16:04When there's danger, it prefers to quickly hide in the forest rather than engage in a fight.
16:09In areas where they live together,
16:11its main predators include the tiger and the dole,
16:14or Asian wild dog.
16:17Unfortunately, the Banteng is also in a critical condition.
16:21Its population is estimated to have dropped by almost 95% since 1960.
16:26Beautiful, fast, and strong enough to be respected.
16:30That's why the 8th place rightfully goes to the Banteng.
16:33Number 9, the Kupre.
16:35Kupre in 9th place is one of the greatest mysteries in the world of wild cattle.
16:41There is a possibility that this animal is already extinct,
16:44because there have been no confirmed sightings of a living Kupre for many decades.
16:49What's even more surprising is that it was only in 1937
16:53when scientists discovered that this is actually a separate species of wild cattle.
16:58It was a very late discovery for such a large animal.
17:01The Kupre, also known as the Gray Ox,
17:05used to live in the forests of Cambodia and some neighboring countries.
17:09It is estimated that a large male Kupre weighs around 1,500 to 2,000 pounds,
17:16or 700 to 900 kilos.
17:19That's why it is also one of the largest members of the wild cattle family.
17:24The old male Kupre have long horns that, as they age, become cracked and frayed.
17:31The tips are a unique characteristic that can't be seen in other types of wild cattle.
17:36This is the national animal of Cambodia,
17:38and it symbolizes the natural forest and the country's natural wealth.
17:43But it's sad to think that it may have completely disappeared.
17:47The last reliable reports of sightings were from 1960 to 1970.
17:53Since then, despite many expeditions and searches,
17:57no one has been able to prove that there are still living Kupre.
18:01So, why is it still on the list?
18:04Because when it was still alive, it was a large and powerful wild cattle in the forest.
18:09It lived together with tigers and leopards,
18:11and it was able to defend itself against dangers.
18:14It is also one of the most unique and most amazing members of the wild cattle family.
18:20That's why this list wouldn't be complete without the Kupre.
18:23Number 10, the Tamaraw.
18:25In the 10th spot is the Tamaraw.
18:27From the giant animals at the top of the list,
18:30now we move to a smaller type of wild cattle.
18:33But don't underestimate it because...
18:36The Tamaraw is known for its brave temperament.
18:38The Tamaraw is a small type of wild buffalo that can only be found on the island of Mindoro in
18:44the Philippines.
18:45You won't find a wild Tamaraw anywhere else in the world except here.
18:48It usually weighs between 440 to 660 pounds, or 200 to 300 kilos.
18:54And it stands about one meter tall at the shoulder.
18:57Compared to the giants at the top of the list, it does seem small.
19:01It has short but sharp V-shaped horns and a sturdy build.
19:05But according to the locals and researchers,
19:08the Tamaraw is actually braver and more aggressive than most people think, based on its size.
19:14It may not be able to match the strength of large predators,
19:17but it moves quickly and is stubborn.
19:20And its horns are dangerous enough to cause serious injury.
19:23The Tamaraw is also the largest native land animal in the Philippines.
19:28In 2017, it was officially declared the National Land Animal of the Philippines.
19:34Because of this, it is not just a unique animal, but also a symbol of national pride.
19:41Unfortunately, the Tamaraw is critically endangered.
19:44Only a few hundred individuals are left in the forest due to hunting,
19:48loss of habitat, and even traps set for wild pigs.
19:51That's why the Tamaraw ended up in 10th place.
19:54Even though it's not among the heaviest wild cattle,
19:58it proves that true strength is not only measured by body size,
20:02but also by courage and inner strength.
20:05Number 11, the Lowland Anoa.
20:07In the 11th place is the Lowland Anoa.
20:10Now we're getting to the smallest members of the wild cattle family.
20:14The Lowland Anoa can only be found on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia,
20:18and on a small nearby island.
20:21At first glance, it looks like a water buffalo that has been shrunk down to the size of a large
20:27goat or a small deer.
20:28It usually weighs between 330 and 600 pounds and stands less than a meter tall at the shoulder.
20:34From a distance, you might not even notice it.
20:37It's actually a type of wild cattle, but don't underestimate it.
20:41It has short but sharp horns that are like spears.
20:45It's also known for being hard to predict.
20:47It's hard to predict its movements,
20:49and it defends itself quickly when it senses danger or feels cornered.
20:53It's a shy and solitary animal that lives in dense forests.
20:57It prefers to avoid people and other animals.
21:00But when forced to fight, its sharp horns are enough to cause harm.
21:04However, because of its small body, it cannot compete with the larger members of its family.
21:09Of the wild cattle, like many on this list, the lowland anoa is also endangered.
21:14Because of hunting and the continued loss of forests, small, elusive, but ready to defend itself.
21:21That's why it deserves the 11th spot.
21:24Number 12, the mountain anoa, in the 12th spot,
21:27is the mountain anoa, the even smaller relative of the lowland anoa.
21:32It holds a unique title.
21:34It is the smallest wild cattle.
21:36In the whole world, it lives in the high forests of Sulawesi, Indonesia.
21:41Its body is very small and stocky.
21:43So, if you see it in the forest, you probably wouldn't think it's a type of wild cattle.
21:48It usually weighs up to 150 kilos, and often even less than that.
21:53It has thick fur and short, sturdy horns.
21:57If you ever see it running between the trees,
22:00you'd probably mistake it for a strange animal in the forest rather than a member of the cattle family.
22:05When it comes to strength, it can't be compared to the giants at the top of the list.
22:10It's small, gentle, and prefers to avoid danger.
22:13Instead of fighting, however, it can still use its sharp horns to defend itself against predators.
22:20Or people who get too close, just like many wild cattle.
22:24It is also at risk of extinction due to hunting and the continued destruction of its habitat.
22:30The mountain anoa proves that not all members of the wild cattle family are giants.
22:35Some are huge and strong, while others survive by being cautious and elusive.
22:40That's why this one is in 12th place.
22:42Number 13, the Saola.
22:46And in 13th place is the gentlest and lightest of them all, the Saola.
22:50When it comes to raw strength, this is the weakest, the weakest member of the wild cattle family.
22:56But it is also perhaps the rarest and most important to protect.
23:00The Saola weighs only about 80 to 100 kilos.
23:05It resembles an antelope more than a cow.
23:07It has long and slightly curved horns.
23:11It also has beautiful white markings on its face.
23:14This animal is very unique.
23:16That's why it has its own separate branch in the family tree of wild cattle.
23:21And here's the surprising part.
23:22It was only in 1992 that science discovered the existence of the Saola.
23:27It was discovered after researchers in Vietnam found strange skulls with horns in the homes of hunters.
23:33This is the first large land mammal.
23:36That was discovered anywhere in the world in over 50 years.
23:40Something almost unbelievable for an animal of that size.
23:44Because of how extremely rare it is.
23:46It was called the Asian unicorn.
23:48Not because it is a magical creature, but because it is so rarely seen.
23:53It can only be found in the misty mountains of Anamite.
23:56Anamite on the border of Vietnam and Laos.
23:59It also does not survive long when kept in captivity.
24:02Furthermore, there have been no confirmed images of the Saola from camera traps since 2013.
24:08According to experts, there may be fewer than 100 left in the wild.
24:13And it is possible that there are even less than that.
24:16That's why this is at the very last spot in our ranking.
24:19Not because this animal is weak or worthless, but because it was not created by nature.
24:24It wasn't created to fight, but to remain elusive and avoid danger.
24:29But now, its biggest battle is ongoing.
24:32For the Saola, it's not a fight against predators, but a fight for its own survival and continued existence.
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