Bangladesh's albino buffalo 'Donald Trump' saved from ritual slaughter

A rare albino buffalo in Bangladesh, nicknamed 'Donald Trump' for its distinctive blonde fringe, was spared from being sacrificed during the Eid al-Adha holiday thanks to a last-minute government intervention. The animal's unusual appearance and celebrity-inspired name had made it famous locally.

A rare albino buffalo living in Bangladesh has escaped a ritual slaughter after government officials stepped in at the eleventh hour to save the animal during the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival. The buffalo, nicknamed 'Donald Trump' because of its distinctive blonde forelock, had been selected as a sacrificial animal for the holiday.

According to a Bangladesh Interior Ministry official cited by Reuters, authorities intervened specifically due to the animal's fame and unusual appearance. Albino buffalo are exceptionally rare, and this particular animal had attracted widespread attention thanks to its light-colored coat and the striking tuft of hair that inspired its presidential nickname.

Eid al-Adha, one of the most important holidays in the Islamic calendar, traditionally involves the ritual slaughter of livestock as a symbolic act of devotion. The rescued buffalo's celebrity status, however, proved enough to exempt it from that fate — at least this year.