Water buffaloes, the ‘tractors’ of the Delta
Most of the Delta consists of rice paddies, and the farmers work them mostly with water buffaloes.
Although they are very large, have sharp horns, and can look a bit aggressive, according to the farmers the water buffaloes are quite moody and temperamental, living in small matriarchal groups – only the females are used for ploughing the fields. In the rainy season they love nothing more than a good wallow in mud.
Many buffaloes were killed in Cyclone Nargis in 2008, and the population is only slowly recovering. We are certainly seeing more little ones around, but it takes years before they are mature enough to work.
