Examples of animals like cows include addax, American bison, American buffalo, water buffalo, and bongo.
While cows are certainly some of the most photogenic animals around, they’re not the only ones that bear a resemblance to our bovine friends. In fact, there are a number of other animals that share many of the same physical characteristics as cows.
Take the water buffalo, for example. This massive mammal shares many similarities with cows, including a stocky build, hooves, and horns. Another animal that looks remarkably like a cow is the bison.
These North American natives are actually more closely related to cattle than they are to buffalo, but they share many of the same features, such as shaggy fur and large horns. Even yaks can look quite similar to cows, especially when their long fur is blown back by the wind.
Examples of Animals Like Cows
1. Addax
| Scientific Name | Addax nasomaculatus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Mauritania, Niger, and Chad |
The addax is an endangered species of antelope that is native to the Sahara Desert. These animals are well-adapted to life in the desert and can go without water for long periods of time. Addax is similar to cows in that they have four legs, hooves, and horns.
2. American Bison
| Scientific Name | Bison bison |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | national parks, state parks, and reserves |
The American bison is a large, hoofed mammal that shares many physical similarities with cows. Both animals have stocky builds, four legs, and horns. Bison are actually more closely related to cattle than they are to buffalo, but they share many of the same features, such as shaggy fur and large horns
3. American Buffalo
| Scientific Name | Bison bison |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | national parks, state parks, and reserves |
The American buffalo, also commonly known as the bison, is a North American native that shares many physical similarities with cows. Buffalo are stocky animals with short legs, hooves, and horns. They also have shaggy fur that helps to keep them warm in the colder months.
4. Arabian Onyx
| Scientific Name | Oryx leucoryx |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | In the sand deserts in Saudi Arabia |
A wild antelope that is found in North Africa and the Middle East, the Arabian onyx is a hardy creature that can survive in some of the aridest regions on Earth.
The Arabian onyx looks quite similar to other types of cattle, with its stout body, short legs, and long horns. However, it is distinguished from its cousins by its black and white striped coat. This unique patterning helps the Arabian onyx to camouflage itself in the desert landscape.
5. Asian Water Buffalo
| Scientific Name | Bubalus bubalis |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia |
The water buffalo is a massive mammal that shares many similarities with cows, including a stocky build, hooves, and horns. Water buffalo are native to Asia, where they are used as draft animals for agriculture and transportation. They are also hunted for their meat and hides.
6. Bantengs
| Scientific Name | Bos javanicus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Cambodia, Java, and possibly in Borneo (particularly Sabah) and Thailand |
These wild Oxen from Indonesia look strikingly similar to cows, but their coat patterns are more reminiscent of zebras. They’re actually more closely related to cattle than they are to other bovines like buffalo and yaks.
7. Bongo
| Scientific Name | Tragelaphus eurycerus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | in the lowland forests from Sierra Leone in West Africa, all through Central Africa, and as far as southern Sudan in east Africa |
The bongo is a large forest antelope of Angola, the Congo Basin, and southern Sudan. It is the largest member of the genus Tragelaphus and the only member of its tribe, the Tragelaphini.
The bongo is reddish-brown with vertical white stripes on its hindquarters. Its coat is short and glossy. It has large, curved horns. Male bongos are larger than females and can weigh up to 400 kg (880 lb).
8. Cape Buffalo
| Scientific Name | Syncerus caffer |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | forests and swamps of Central and West Africa |
The Cape buffalo is one of the most dangerous animals in Africa, and it shares many physical characteristics with cows. These include a stocky build, hooves, and horns. However, the Cape buffalo also has some unique features, such as its dark brown or black coloration.
9. Gannan Yak
| Scientific Name | Bos grunniens |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the high altitudes of the Tibetan Plateau |
The yak (Bos mutus) is a long-haired bovid native to the Himalayas in Central Asia. The yak is the largest member of the Bovidae family, and can weigh up to 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). It has a thick coat of fur that insulates it from the cold and can grow up to 2.1 m (6.9 ft) long. Yaks are used as pack animals and for their milk, meat, and wool.
10. Gemsbok
| Scientific Name | Oryx gazella |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | on the grasslands or savannas and on the flat or hilly country in the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa |
Gemsbok is large, horned antelopes that live in the deserts of southern Africa. With their long necks and legs, they resemble gazelles more than cows. But their brownish-gray fur and distinctive horns give them a somewhat bovine appearance.
11. Gerenuk
| Scientific Name | Litocranius walleri |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the Horn of Africa and the drier parts of East Africa |
The gerenuk is a long-necked antelope that is native to the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. These animals have a similar body shape to cows, but they are much thinner and have longer legs. They are also distinguished by their very long necks, which they use to reach leaves and branches that other animals can’t reach.
12. Goat-Antelope
| Scientific Name | Caprinae |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | China, Russia, Nepal, Bhutan, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand |
These animals have a striking resemblance to cows, with their stocky build and horns. However, they are more closely related to antelopes than they are to cattle.
Related Article: 15 Animals Like Antelopes
13. Greater Kudu
| Scientific Name | Tragelaphus strepsiceros |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | southern and eastern Africa |
While not as widely known as some of the other animals on this list, the greater kudu is a type of antelope that bears a striking resemblance to a cow. These majestic creatures are native to Africa and can grow to be quite large, with some males reaching over six feet tall at the shoulder.
14. Impala
| Scientific Name | Aepyceros melampus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the savanna and light woodlands of eastern and southern Africa |
Resembling a cross between a gazelle and a deer, impalas are actually antelopes. They’re one of the most common animals found in Africa’s savannas, and they’re known for their striking appearance. Males have long, curved horns, while females sport shorter, more slender ones.
15. Indian Bison
| Scientific Name | Bos gaurus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | South and Southeast Asia |
The Indian bison, also known as the gaur, is the largest extant bovine. It is native to South Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of China. The Indian bison resembles a cross between a cow and a buffalo. It has the body of a buffalo but the face of a cow. Like other bison species, the Indian bison has shaggy fur, large horns, and a stocky build.
16. Lechwe
| Scientific Name | Kobus leche |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Okavango swamps in Botswana and the Linyanti swamps of the Caprivi Strip, Namibia |
These African antelope are often mistaken for cows, but they’re actually more closely related to deer.
17. Maiwa Yak
| Scientific Name | Bos mutus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Hongyuan country of Sichuan province |
The Maiwa yak (Bos mutus) is a long-haired bovid native to the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, the Tibetan Plateau, and Qinghai in China. In appearance, yaks resemble large, hairy cows with long horns and cloven hooves. They are, however, more closely related to bison and buffalo.
18. Malayan Gaur
| Scientific Name | Bos gaurus hubbacki |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | India, Nepal, and Bhutan |
One of the most cow-like animals around is the Malayan gaur. This massive beast is actually more closely related to bison than it is to cows, but it shares many of their physical characteristics, including a humped back and large horns.
19. Oribi
| Scientific Name | Ourebia ourebi |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | eastern, southern, and western Africa |
These small antelopes are found in Africa and Asia and look quite a bit like miniature cows. They even have four-chamber stomachs, just like cattle. However, their diet consists mostly of grasses, so they’re more closely related to sheep than they are to cows.
20. Plains Bison
| Scientific Name | Bison bison bison |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Yellowstone National Park |
The plains bison is the largest and most common subspecies of bison in North America. These massive animals once roamed across the Great Plains in huge herds, but they were nearly driven to extinction by overhunting in the 1800s.
Today, there are only a few thousand plains bison left in the wild, and most of them live in protected areas or on Native American reservations.
21. Southeast Asian Gaur
| Scientific Name | Bos gaurus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, and Nepal |
The gaur is the largest extant bovine, standing up to 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) tall at the shoulder and weighing up to 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). It is a dark brown, almost black, color with white stockings on its lower legs.
22. Tianzhu White Yak
| Scientific Name | Poephagus grunniens |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, Gansu Province in China |
While all of these animals may look like cows, there is one that stands out as being the most similar. The Tianzhu white yak is a subspecies of yak that is native to the Tibetan Plateau.
This unique animal shares many physical characteristics with cows, including a stocky build, hooves, and horns. In addition, the Tianzhu white yak has a coat of long, shaggy fur that is similar to that of a cow.
23. Water Buffalo
| Scientific Name | Bubalus bubalis |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and China |
The water buffalo is a big mammal that shares many similarities with cows, including a stocky build, hooves, and horns. Water buffalo are native to Asia and can be found in countries like India, Bangladesh, China, and Vietnam. These animals are often used for their meat, milk, and hides.
24. Waterbuck
| Scientific Name | Kobus ellipsiprymnus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | areas that are close to the water in savanna grasslands, gallery forests, and riverine woodlands south of the Sahara |
The waterbuck is a large antelope that is found throughout much of Africa. These animals are most easily recognized by their distinctive horns, which are spiraled and can grow up to two feet in length. Waterbuck also have dark brown fur and white patches on their rumps.
25. Wild Yak
| Scientific Name | Bos mutus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Tibetan plateau |
The wild yak (Bos mutus) is a large bovid found throughout the Himalayan region of Central Asia, in the countries of Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Yaks are members of the genus Bos, cows being the most common member.
26. Wood Bison
| Scientific Name | Bison bison athabascae |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | only wood bison occurred naturally in Alaska |
The wood bison is a subspecies of the American bison (Bison bison) that once ranged across North America from Alaska and western Canada to the southern United States. The two subspecies were separated by habitat and geographical barriers until recently when reintroduction efforts have led to an increase in the wood bison’s range.
27. Zebu
| Scientific Name | Bos taurus indicus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | on all continents, mainly in India and Brazil |
One of the most common cattle breeds in the world, zebu is often referred to as humped cattle. These animals are characterized by their distinctive humps, large ears, and long, drooping tails. Zebu is native to Africa and Asia and has been domesticated for thousands of years.
Conclusion
There are a number of animals that share physical similarities with cows. This is likely because they all evolved to fill similar niches in their respective environments. Whether it’s the need to graze on grasslands or the ability to withstand harsh desert conditions, these animals have all adapted in ways that allow them to thrive in their habitats.
Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.