Bison

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Bison Facts
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
 Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus: Bison
Scientific Name: Bison Bison
Type: Mammal
Diet: Herbivore
Size (L): 2m - 2.7m (6.6ft - 9ft)
1,000kg - 1,300kg (2,200lbs -
Weight: 2,500lbs)
Top Speed: 35km/h (22mph)
Lifespan: 15 - 20 years
Lifestyle: Herd
Conservation
Status: Threatened
Colour: Brown, Tan
Skin Type: Hair
Favourite Food: Grass
Habitat: Grass plains and forest
Average Litter
Size: 1
Main Prey: Grass, Acorns, Berries
Predators: Human, Bear, Wolves
Distinctive Huge head and a shoulder
Features: hump
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 “The Largest Land Mammal in North America”
 

With their gigantic heads, massive horns, and shaggy fur, bison are the
largest mammal in North America and have long dazzled the
imaginations of native peoples and American settlers.

At the start of the 1800s, about 60 million bison roamed the forests,
plains, and river valleys from Alaska to Mexico. By 1889, only about
635 remained in the wild, and president Roosevelt’s administration
added them to the protected species list. Today, thanks to educational
and re-population efforts, wild bison numbers have swelled to about
20,500. They are considered “one of the greatest conservation success
stories of all time.”

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Four Interesting Facts About Bison
Large and in Charge: Bison, which are technically a type of cow, are the
largest terrestrial mammals in North America. But don’t let their
lumbering size fool you. Bison can reach running speeds of 40 miles
per hour!

Official Status: Bison are the official national mammal of the United

States, and November 1st is National Bison Day.

Cross-Breeding with Cows: Ranchers breed bison with cows, and the

resulting animals are known as “beefalo” and “zubron.”

Singular and Plural: Bison is one of the few words in the English

language where the singular and plural forms of the word are the
same.

Bison Scientific and Cultural Names

The word “bison,” which means “wild ox,” has Latin, Proto-Germanic,
and Middle English linguistic roots.

There are two types of bison. The first carries the scientific name Bison

bison bison, and they live primarily in North America. The second type is
known scientifically as Bison bison bonasus, and they live mainly in
Europe.

You may hear people call bison “buffalo” or “American buffalo.”

Though common, it’s a bit of a misnomer because bison are a far-
distant relative to actual buffalo and water buffalo that live
in Africa and Asia. French Explorer Samuel de Champlain is thought to
be the person who mistakenly labeled bison as buffalo when
adventuring across North America in the 18th century. 

In Europe, bison are also known as wisent. Though linguists aren’t 100
percent positive about the word’s roots, most agree it stems from a
Slavic or Baltic term meaning “the stinking animal.”

In Siouan languages, spoken by Lakota and Sioux peoples, the word

for bison is “tatanka,” which translates to “he who owns us” or “big
beast.”

Bison Appearance
Bison are enormous animals with two large horns.

The average adult found in North America is two meters — or 6 feet 2

inches — tall. That’s taller than basketball legend Michal Jordan!
Lengthwise, they can reach 3 meters, which is 11 feet. European bison
are slightly taller but squatter, measuring 2.1 meters — or 6 feet 11
inches — tall and 2.9 meters — or 9 feet 6 inches — long.

When it comes to weight, American bison tip the scales between 400
and 1,270 kilograms, which calculates to about 880 and 2,800
pounds. European bison typically fall between 800 and 1,000
kilograms, or 1,800 to 2,200 pounds. To put it another way, bison
weigh about as much as a car.

Cold-weather bison sport long and shaggy hair. Ones that live in
warmer climates have shorter fur. When born, bison are a red-orange
color. At around two months old, the red starts turning into dark
brown. In colder months, bison grow thicker fur coats that they shed in
the summer months.

Bison fall into the artiodactyl category of animals, meaning they have
cloven hooves. And though they are huge animals, they’re also fast
and can reach speeds up to 40 miles per hour. As a comparison, the
average human runs between 8 and 10 miles per hour. Elite athletes,
like marathon superstar Eliud Kipchoge, run at about 13 miles per
hour.