The American Bison(Bison bison) is a hoofed mammal that is native to North America. The American Bison is also known as the Buffalo. Males are called bulls, and females are called cows. The heaviest bull ever weighed was 1,270 kilograms(2,800 pounds), this makes the American Bison the largest terrestrial mammal in North America. American Bison live in small groups, or bands, These bands are made up of one or more females and several generations of their offspring. Adult males live on the edges of the band’s territory or form their own small groups.
- American Bison Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Order | Artiodactyla |
| Family | Bovidae |
| Subfamily | Bovinae |
| Genus | Bison |
| Species | bison |
| Scientific Name | Bison bison |
Physical Characteristics
The American Bison has a broad heavy head that is carried low and cannot be raised to shoulder level. It has a noticeable hump at the shoulders and large forequarters. The rough, shaggy fur grows especially long on the head, neck, and shoulders and usually forms a beard on the chin. Both sexes grow horns, but the horns of cows usually curve up and in, while the horns of bulls curve up and out.
- American Bison Measurements
| Length | 2.1-3.9 m(6’11”-12’10”) |
| Shoulder Height | 1.3-2 m(4’3”-6’7”) |
| Tail Length | 28-95 cm(11″ to 3’1″) |
| Horn Length | 60 cm(2′) |
| Horn Width | 90 cm to 1.24 m(2’11”-4’1”) |
| Weight | 318-1,270 kg(701-2,800 lbs.) |
Distribution and Habitat
The American Bison lives in much of the United States and the Canadian provinces and territories of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. This species has also been reintroduced to Mexico.
The American Bison inhabits grasslands and woodlands.
Breeding
Both sexes reach sexual maturity between 1 and 3 years old, but competition from older males normally prevents younger males from breeding until they are 7 to 8 years old. During the mating season, which is between the weeks of late July and early August, bulls take part in head-butting competitions to determine their social dominance. Bulls may lose over 10 percent of their body weight during the mating season because of the calories they burn fighting.
The cow will give birth to typically one calf after a gestation period of 9 to 10 month. The calf weighs roughly 20 kilograms(44 pounds) at birth. The calf is able to stand and follow its mother within hours after being born. The calf can graze at about one week old, but will not be weaned until it is 7 months old.
Diet
The American Bison primarily eats grasses, but also sometimes eats twigs, herbs, leaves, lichens, shrubs, and sedges.
Conservation Status
The American Bison is listed as near threatened.
Fun Facts
- The American Bison has 14 ribs instead of the 13 ribs that are found in cattle.
- The American Bison can run at speeds of 65 km/h(40 mph).
- The American Bison can live up to 40 years.
- The American Bison is the national mammal of the U.S.A.
- Bison calves tend to be born from late March through May and are orange-red in color, earning them the nickname “red dogs.”
