Thanks to his recent social media fame, a Bangladeshi buffalo nicknamed "Donald Trump" will escape the Eid al-Adha sacrifice and enter the national zoo with great fanfare. The 700 kg bull, a rare albino buffalo whose spectacular blond forelock is reminiscent of the American president's iconic hairstyle, was supposed to be slaughtered for Eid al-Adha, the Islamic festival of sacrifice, on Thursday in Bangladesh, a predominantly Muslim country.

Just hours before he was to be put down, the government intervened to save the animal that had caused a sensation online in recent weeks. The curator of the National Zoo, Atiqur Rahman, confirmed that the animal would be well cared for. "We have reserved a shelter for the albino buffalo and assigned a keeper." This unusual Donald Trump "will be quarantined for two weeks."

The police intervened.

In Bangladesh, crowds thronged to take photos with this unlikely social media star. Zia Uddin Mridha, 38, former owner of "Donald Trump," said his brother nicknamed him in homage to "his extraordinary hair." He added that a steady stream of curious visitors—social media fans, onlookers, and children—filtered eagerly past this internet sensation.

Despite the animal's renown, the man decided to sell the bull before Eid al-Adha. More than 12 million head of livestock (including goats, sheep, cows, and buffalo) are expected to be sacrificed during this festival, a rare opportunity for many poor families to eat their fill of meat. Then, a twist occurred: the police intervened after the government ordered that the bull be spared.

"The livestock department asked us to retrieve the buffalo from its owner, as it's a rare animal," Mohammad Ruhul Quddus, chief officer of the Keraniganj police station in Dhaka, where the animal was taken, explained to AFP. The department determined that this "Donald Trump" buffalo is "still very young and can be raised for a few years."