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BUFFALO DON
With his shock of golden hair and bulky 700-kg (1,500-lb) body, “Donald Trump,” the buffalo, has been drawing crowds from across Bangladesh since he arrived at the national zoo last week.
The rare albino buffalo became a sensation when a farmer noticed that his blond hair resembled the distinctive locks of the US president.
After a video of the unique bovine went viral on social media, large numbers of people started showing up at the farm outside Dhaka to see him for themselves.
The animal was originally meant to be sacrificed during a Muslim festival. But for uncertain reasons—possibly political fears—the government ordered him transferred to the zoo in the capital, where large crowds are now enduring sweltering heat to see him.
Visitors press against the fence of the buffalo’s enclosure, filming with their phones as some fathers lift small children on their shoulders for a better view.
A zoo worker pampered the animal, brushing his hair to one side and hosing him down with water to keep him cool as fans blew on him. He also gets is four baths a day.
“There is a resemblance to Donald Trump in its eyes, hairstyle, and skin color,” said a student in Dhaka. “And just as Donald Trump has a distinctive personality and lifestyle, this buffalo, after going viral, is now living a similar kind of life, enjoying a lot of attention and special treatment.”
But another noted, “The buffalo is very calm and polite in nature, which definitely does not match with Donald Trump.”
Local media reported that the exhibit initially included a sign that named the animal “Donald Trump,” but that sign has since been removed.
Interestingly, the zoo’s curator has been fired, although no official cause was given. Someone in high places clearly found the name in poor taste or politically unwise, considering Bangladesh’s need for foreign aid.
One local resident agreed with the sign removal: “Giving a farm animal the name of one of the world’s most influential leaders was certainly the wrong thing to do. It seems disrespectful. I think whoever named it made a poor decision.”
The buffalo was originally intended for Eid-al-Adha, the Muslim “Feast of Sacrifice.” Howeve, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed ordered police to take it into custody, and the authorities repaid the original owner.
“Since before Eid, I had been seeing posts on Facebook saying that ‘Donald Trump’ would be sacrificed. Later, I heard that, instead of being sacrificed, it had been placed in a zoo,” said another zoo visitor. “So, I thought I would come to the zoo and see ‘Donald Trump’ for myself,” he said.
There has been no decision announced yet on Buffalo Don’s fate after Trump’s term ends in 2028. We hope no one tells him what happens to all those spoiled Wagyu cows.
SOURCE: apnews.com
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