# How Long Do Water Buffalos Live?

> Water Buffalo lifespan is typically 20–25 years (domestic); wild populations shorter. What shortens or extends life, life stages, and status (Endangered).

- **Species:** Water Buffalo (*Bubalus bubalis*)
- **Conservation status:** Endangered
- **Diet:** Herbivore — grasses, aquatic plants, and sedges
- **Habitat:** Wetlands, rice paddies, and floodplains in Asia
- **Lifespan:** 20–25 years (domestic); wild populations shorter
- **Top speed:** Up to 48 km/h (30 mph) when charging
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/water-buffalo/how-long-do-water-buffalo-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/water-buffalo/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The water buffalo is a large Asian bovine famous for wallowing in mud and water to stay cool. Domestic animals reach up to 700 kg and about 3 m in length, feeding on grasses and aquatic plants across wetlands, rice paddies, and floodplains. Domestic buffalo can live 20 to 25 years, while the truly wild population is small and scattered. The wild water buffalo is listed as Endangered.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a prognosis for one named animal. This page is a species lifespan range.

## Size and physical features

The water buffalo is one of the heaviest of all bovines, with large bulls reaching up to 700 kg and a body length of around 3 m. Both sexes carry sweeping, backward-curving horns, which in wild animals are among the widest of any living cattle. Its wide, splayed hooves and flexible leg joints spread the animal's weight and stop it sinking in soft mud. A sparse coat and dark grey-black skin suit a life spent partly submerged in water.

## Help protect the Water Buffalo

The water buffalo is listed as Endangered, with habitat loss the leading threat to its future.

[Donate to protect habitat](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/habitats/)

---
Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/water-buffalo/how-long-do-water-buffalo-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.