A herd of water buffalo that disappeared from a breeding farm in Britain this week were back home on the range on Friday afternoon — with no indication where the animals had been.
The six animals, natives of southeast Asia, went missing from the farm in Hampshire 80 miles southwest of London late on Wednesday night.
“The disappearance was treated as a theft because one of the padlocks to the field had been cut, and there was no obvious trail or indication that the buffalo had simply wandered off,” said police constable Christopher Yates who led the hunt.
“It is very hard to believe that no one saw six large animals leave the field or return today,” he added, noting that it was the second time in three months the beasts had gone absent without explanation.
Earlier he said the animals, which can weigh up to 1.2 tons, were usually docile, but warned any members of the public who spotted them not to approach — at least not from behind.
“The person caring for them has advised the animals are able to spray dung across large distances,” Yates said.