A 1,500‑pound albino buffalo outside Dhaka went viral after a farmer said a blond tuft of hair made it resemble U.S. President Donald Trump. The government moved the animal to Dhaka’s national zoo citing security concerns and public interest; a sign naming the buffalo “Donald Trump” was removed and a zoo curator was subsequently dismissed, though officials gave no explanation. Visitors remain divided between amusement and offense, while the farmer was refunded after the transfer.
Albino Buffalo Nicknamed “Donald Trump” Draws Crowds in Bangladesh — Zoo Curator Fired
Photo Illustration by Victoria Sunday/The Daily Beast/Getty Images
A zoo curator in Dhaka was dismissed after an albino buffalo weighing about 1,500 pounds was displayed at the national zoo with a sign that nicknamed the animal “Donald Trump.” The buffalo became a viral sensation after a farmer outside Dhaka noticed a blond tuft of hair on the animal’s forehead that many said resembled the U.S. president’s signature hairstyle.
“There is a resemblance to Donald Trump in its eyes, hairstyle, and skin color,” Mohammed Nasim, a student in Dhaka, told the AP. / Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS
How the Story Unfolded
The buffalo, originally purchased by farmer Ziauddin Mridha at a cattle market roughly 10 months ago, had been intended for sacrifice during the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha. After social media attention and crowds flocked to the farm, Bangladeshi authorities moved the animal to the capital’s national zoo “due to security concerns and the unusual level of public interest,” officials said.
The albino buffalo was slated for slaughter, but his resemblance to the president appears to have saved his life. / Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS
Local media reported that the zoo exhibit initially carried a sign labeling the buffalo “Donald Trump.” The sign was later removed and the zoo curator was dismissed on Saturday; zoo officials have not offered a public explanation for the decision.
A number of animals have been compared to or named after Trump over the years. In 2018, a newly discovered blind amphibian that buries its head in the sand was named “Dermophis donaldtrumpi” in reference to the president’s climate change denial. / Evelyn Hockstein/REUTERS
Public Reaction
Visitors continue to arrive at the zoo to judge the resemblance for themselves. Some observers go beyond appearance: “There is a resemblance to Donald Trump in its eyes, hairstyle, and skin color,” Mohammed Nasim, a student in Dhaka, told the Associated Press, adding that the buffalo’s sudden fame has given it special attention and treatment.
One visitor said he had seen posts on Facebook that “Donald Trump” would be sacrificed, before hearing that the buffalo had been spared and coming to the zoo. / Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS
“Giving a farm animal the name of one of the world’s most influential leaders was certainly the wrong thing to do,” Dhaka resident Mohammad Joynal Adedin told the AP, calling the name disrespectful.
Mridha told Reuters that his younger brother gave the animal the nickname because of the hair on its head. He described the albino buffalo as unusually calm and noted that animals of this type are generally gentle unless provoked. After the government transferred the buffalo to the zoo, officials refunded Mridha for the animal.
Context
Humorous or critical comparisons between public figures and animals are not new: in 2017 scientists named a newly discovered moth Neopalpa donaldtrumpi, and in 2018 a blind, burrowing amphibian was named Dermophis donaldtrumpi, a reference tied to debates about the former president’s environmental positions.
Authorities have not said whether the curator’s dismissal was directly related to the sign, the crowds, or another administrative reason. The incident highlights how quickly local events can become international stories when social media amplifies unexpected images and nicknames.
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