There’s the distinctive blond tuft, combed over. A viral presence on social media. And now, thanks to its perceived resemblance to a certain U.S. president, a rare albino buffalo named “Donald Trump” has been given a new lease on life.
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The buffalo was slated for ritual sacrifice in Bangladesh this week for the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha, but authorities stepped in after it went viral in the Muslim-majority South Asian nation.
“It is just a symbolic name, and we gave it out of affection and fondness,” said Ziauddin Mridha, a farmer who bought the 1,500-pound buffalo months ago.
“It was my younger brother who gave it this name because of its hair,” Mridha told the Indian news agency ANI. “It went viral, and many people came to see it.”
Crowds have flocked to Mridha’s farm in the city of Narayanganj near the capital, Dhaka, for a glimpse of the animal. Mridha said the buffalo is unusually gentle and requires constant care, including regular baths and frequent feeding.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed ordered that the buffalo be spared, according to Reuters. The buyer will be refunded, and the animal will be relocated to the national zoo in Dhaka.
“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 ministry official said.
This is not the first time people have seen Trump reflected in other species. Other perceived lookalikes include a golden pheasant in China and a frogfish in England.