Officials step in to spare viral ‘Donald Trump’ buffalo

An albino buffalo nicknamed "Donald Trump" has been returned to its farm after Bangladeshi officials stepped in to stop its planned ritual sacrifice for a Muslim holiday, local media reported on Thursday.

The buffalo, raised at a farm near the capital Dhaka, became a viral attraction in recent weeks over its blond hair and apparent resemblance to US President Donald Trump's distinctive hairstyle. Crowds gathered daily to take pictures of the nearly 700-kilogram (over 1,500-pound) animal, which went viral across social media and international news outlets.

The animal had already been sold to a buyer for sacrifice during Eid-ul-Azha, a major holiday in Muslim-majority Bangladesh. But local broadcaster Channel 24 reported that the Home Ministry asked authorities to stop the slaughter after the buffalo's popularity surged nationwide.

The buffalo was subsequently sent back to the farm where it had been raised. Officials did not publicly explain the reason for the intervention.

Farm owner Ziauddin Mridha previously said the animal was named "Donald Trump" by his younger brother over the pale tuft of hair on its forehead. He described the buffalo as calm and said albino buffaloes are rare in Bangladesh, where most are dark-skinned.

The buffalo had become one of the country's most talked-about attractions, with visitors traveling from far and wide to see the animal before the holiday. Viral sacrificial animals with celebrity-inspired names have increasingly become part of Bangladesh's Eid cattle market culture in recent years.