Buffalo spared from Eid sacrifice – because it looks like Trump
Desk report: An albino buffalo with an uncanny resemblance to Donald Trump was spared from being sacrificed after an intervention by the Bangladeshi government.
Weighing more than 1,500lb, the animal had been sold for a ritual slaughter for the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, which commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son for God.
But after a surge in public interest on social media owing to its distinctive quiff of blond hair, authorities stepped in to prevent the sacrifice from going ahead.
Videos of the rare albino buffalo had spread on social media, causing crowds to gather at a farm near the city of Narayanganj where it was staying.One fan, arriving with five friends and relatives, said: “Truly, the features are similar between the buffalo and President Donald Trump. My nephew took a one-hour boat journey to see Donald Trump.”
Despite its fame, the buffalo was scheduled to be slaughtered, alongside about 12 million livestock, as part of the festival.
Zia Uddin Mridha, 38, the farmer looking after the buffalo, had said that he would miss “Donald Trump”, but that the sacrifice was the “core spirit” of Eid al-Adha.
But Salahuddin Ahmed, Bangladesh’s home affairs minister, ordered the buffalo to be spared and moved to the national zoo in Dhaka, the capital. The buyer of the animal was refunded.
“At the last moment, the decision was taken to spare the buffalo from sacrifice due to security concerns and the unusual level of public interest,” a government official said.
Mr Mridha said the name came from his younger brother who saw the resemblance.
He said the four-year-old animal was unusually gentle and needed careful upkeep, including frequent feeding and regular baths.
Albino buffaloes are uncommon. The genetic absence of melanin, the pigment responsible for dark features, leads to their light skin. They require extra care because of their sensitivity to sunlight.
After the success of nicknaming the animal “Donald Trump”, staff at the cattle farm named a second albino buffalo after Benjamin Netanyahu.
Farm workers said its “combative” attitude, golden-white hair, and eye colour all resembled the Israeli prime minister, according to local outlets.
“Netanyahu is very naughty and has a devious intelligence,” a manager at the farm told local media. “Even when we go to feed it, it snorts and tries to gore us.”
Eid al-Adha is the second of the two main festivals in Islam, alongside Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan.
It is traditional to sacrifice a livestock animal to commemorate the feast day, usually a camel, goat, sheep or ram.
The animals must be of a certain age and meet quality standards to be considered for sacrifice.
