Stranded on the mountain after failing to drive away wild buffalo.
China News Service, December 26 — According to Taiwan’s United Daily News, a Taiwanese couple surnamed Lai recently found themselves trapped on Qintian Gang in Taipei by a herd of buffalo blocking their path. After attempts to shoo the animals away proved futile, they called the police for help. Police tried shouting commands, whistling, and waving their arms to drive the buffalo away, but it was like "casting pearls before swine." After more than half an hour, they used a flashlight to shine a bright light directly into the buffalo’s eyes to drive them off. The three buffalo then slowly retreated into the woods, staring wide-eyed at the police as if reluctant to leave.
Chen Renxin, director of the Taoyuan County Animal Disease Control Center and a former veterinarian, said that when encountering “blocking buffalo,” the public should avoid them if possible and not attempt to drive them away, as non-domesticated buffalo are very sensitive. In the past, a driver who honked at a buffalo angered it so much that it charged and collided with the car. People should still be cautious.
The man surnamed Lai, who lives in southern Taiwan, traveled to the north with his wife earlier this month. The couple went for a walk on Qintian Gang and began descending the mountain along a hiking trail less than one meter wide after dark. Along the way, they encountered three water buffalo blocking their path. The buffalo moved intermittently or stopped entirely, leaving the couple deeply troubled.
Mr. Lai approached and waved his arms to drive the buffalo away, but they only shook their heads and showed no intention of leaving. After several failed attempts, fearing that provoking the herd might lead to an attack, he briefly considered taking a detour. However, as it grew darker, he worried that getting lost might be even more dangerous and decided to call the police for assistance.
After receiving the report, the local police station asked firefighters and nearby residents to assist. They arrived and faced the buffalo together with the Lai couple, first calling out, “Don’t worry, we’re here.”
“Go on, go!” the police shouted and waved their arms at the buffalo while also blowing their whistles, but to no avail. Suddenly, someone suggested setting off firecrackers to scare the buffalo away, but firefighters objected, saying, “That would only enrage them further, and the consequences could be disastrous!” The rescue operation hit another deadlock.
After more than half an hour of effort, a police officer took out a high-powered flashlight attached to his belt and shone it directly into the buffalo’s eyes. The buffalo clearly felt uncomfortable, dodged a few times, and then realized they couldn’t escape the bright light. They began to move their massive bodies and slowly walked into the woods beside the trail. The Lai couple were finally able to get out of the predicament.