Watusi

Watusi at Plumpton Park Zoo

The Watusi is a breed of domestic cattle best known for its enormous horns, which can span up to 8 feet from tip to tip — among the largest horns of any cattle breed in the world. Originally developed in Central and East Africa, Watusi cattle were historically prized by local herders as a symbol of wealth and status. Beyond their striking appearance, those massive horns serve a practical purpose: they’re honeycombed with blood vessels, which act like a built-in radiator, helping the animal release excess body heat and stay cool in hot climates.

Watusi are highly social, energetic animals that live in structured herds with strong protective instincts. During the day, calves rest together in a group while an “auntie” cow — typically a female other than the calf’s mother — stands watch nearby. At night, the whole herd beds down together with calves protected in the center of the group, surrounded by adults whose formidable horns serve as a first line of defense.

Meet Annie, Beau, Norma and Oliver, our Watusi cattle, at Plumpton Park Zoo — plan your visit.

Ankole-Watusi refers to a domestic cattle breed with African ancestry and a history of breeding outside Africa. Oklahoma State University describes how cattle associated with Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi became part of that wider history.

Watusi descend from Africa’s Ankole cattle, and in Rwanda a long-horned line of Ankole called Inyambo was kept by the royal court. These cows were for show, not milk or meat. Caretakers brushed them and sang poems praising each cow by name, and a herd still lives at the King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza.