Ankole-Watusi, or just Ankole, cattle go back many hundreds
of years and their ancestry can be traced back to Europe and Asia as early as
15000 BC. Today Ankole cattle are distributed mostly from Lake Mobutu to Lake
Tanganyika in eastern Africa.
They are very hardy animals and can live in very poor
conditions with little water and poor grazing. Ankole cattle have a medium-long
head, a short neck with a deep dewlap and a narrow chest. Their horns are
extremely long and grow outward on either side of the head. They also have
fairly large ears through which they lose heat. Most often the coloration is
red but fawn, black or pied are not uncommon. They are highly prized as status
symbols, for ceremonial functions and not for their productivity.