3. Beefalo (Buffalo + Cow)
A cross between bison and domestic cattle, beefalos were originally created to improve the quality of beef, and their meat is lower in fat and cholesterol than that of typical cattle. Though Beefalo are usually the result of a managed breeding program, accidental crosses were spotted in the Southern states of North America as far back as 1749. Beefalos are usually the offspring of a female bison and a male bull, but to be considered a full hybrid, they have to have 37.5% bison genetics, otherwise they are dubbed a bison hybrid.
They have been known to go rogue – one infamous account that hit the news involved a Beefalo named Buddy, who escaped from a meat processing plant in Connecticut. A statewide beefalo hunt ensued, with Buddy popping up on wildlife cameras all around Western Connecticut. People even helped the fugitive by feeding him while he was on the run!
Buddy was eventually apprehended on a farm, chilling with some female cattle. He’d been destined for the slaughterhouse, but when he escaped, people raised over $10,000 dollars for him, so authorities changed their mind. After a full medical exam, Buddy now spends the rest of his days kicking back on the Critter Creek Farm Sanctuary in Florida, where there are 4,000 acres for him to roam free. We applaud Buddy’s bravery and are glad this fugitive from the law secured his transfer to a luxury retirement home.
