History of the Asiatic WATER BUFFALO in Australia ?
A. Buffalo were imported from Asia by sailing ships for meat in the early northern settlements in the 1820’s. When these settlements were abandoned the buffalo soon colonised through tropical country and swamplands, then spread across the Northern Territory. Over nine decades from the 1880s, animals were harvested on foot, from horseback and eventually four-wheel drives. Many businesses processed meat for human consumption (local and export), pet meat, hides, horns, animals for live export and game for hunters. However by the 1970s, feral buffalo numbers were so high that they were damaging wetlands and potentially harbouring diseases that could effect the beef export market. Beginning in 1979 the Brucellosis and Tuberculosis Campaign over an intense 3 years erradicated feral buffalos from all the station country, national parks and wild areas. The only remaining Herds were left in central and eastern Arnhem Land and have been utilised for meat and hunting by local Aboriginal communiti
