A rare albino buffalo nicknamed “Donald Trump” due to its flowing golden hair has become an unlikely internet sensation in Bangladesh — drawing visitors from across the country to a farm near Dhaka before it is slaughtered for Eid al-Adha celebrations later this month.
The 1,500lb beast, which is four years old, has attracted a stream of admirers since footage of the animal went viral on social media, with many Bangladeshis noting the striking resemblance between the buffalo’s unusually golden mane and the US President’s famous hairdo.
Its owner, Zia Uddin Mridha, 38, said the name came from his younger brother. “My younger brother jokingly named it Donald Trump after seeing the hair on its head,” he explained. “It is very calm in nature. Albino buffaloes are generally peaceful and do not become aggressive unless provoked.”
Mridha said his property has been inundated with visitors throughout May, with people travelling from across Bangladesh to catch a glimpse of the animal. One visitor who made the trip with five friends and family members said: “Truly, the features are similar between the buffalo and President Donald Trump.” He also revealed that his nephew had made a one-hour boat journey specifically to see the creature.
Despite the affection the animal has generated, its fate is sealed. Donald Trump the buffalo will be slaughtered within days as Bangladesh prepares for Eid al-Adha, which falls on 26 May this year. An estimated 12 million livestock will be ritualistically killed across the country during the festival, which is one of the most important occasions in the Islamic calendar and commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God.
Mridha said he would “miss Donald Trump” but acknowledged: “That is the core spirit of Eid al-Adha — making a sacrifice.”
The Trump buffalo is not alone in its political namesake. A second animal on a nearby farm has been named “Benjamin Netanyahu,” with the farm manager claiming a resemblance to the Israeli Prime Minister. “Netanyahu is very naughty and has a devious intelligence,” he noted.
Bangladesh is the fourth largest Muslim-majority country in the world, behind Indonesia, Pakistan and India, with over 91 per cent of its population of more than 150 million practising Islam.
