View source for Anoa

==Morphology==
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The anoa have many physical characteristics of bovine relatives and are considered to be most closely related to the water buffalo, which was confirmed through DNA analysis.<ref name=Burton2005/> The physical characteristics of the two species are described as being similar. They are the smallest of the wild cattle species. When anoa are born, they have a set of thick, woolly fur that comes in many color variations ranging from yellow to brown. In adults, the fur is typically brown or black, and males tend to have darker variations. Hair thickness varies slightly between the two species based on elevation and distribution. In both species, horns are present in both males and females, and are typically straight protuberances. Another defining characteristic of the anoa is an extremely thick hide underneath the thick fur.{{cn|date=February 2026}}

As of 1911, in an article focused on just one species, ''B. depressicornis'', it was perceived that Anoa are similar to [[water buffalo|Asiatic buffaloes]], which are larger but show "the same reversal of the direction of the hair on the back".<ref name="EB1911"/> It was perceived, likewise as of that time, that "the [[Horn (anatomy)|horn]]s are peculiar for their upright direction and comparative straightness, although they have the same triangular section as in other buffaloes".<ref name="EB1911"/> The 1911 source—''[[Encyclopedia Britannica]]''—also states that "[w]hite spots are sometimes present below the eyes, and there may be white markings on the legs and back; the absence or presence of these white markings may be indicative of distinct [[Race (taxonomy)|race]]s".<ref name="EB1911"/> The source continues,<blockquote>"The horns of the cows are very small. The nearest allies of the anoa appear to be certain extinct Asian buffaloes, of which the remains have been found in the [[Siwalik Hills]] of northern India.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Anoa|volume=2|page=79}}</ref></blockquote>