- American
Bison
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- Bison are
sometimes called buffalo. These shaggy
animals are part of the sheep, goal, and
cattle family.
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What
does a bison look like?
- Bison are the largest
living land mammal in North America. Most of their
weight is in the front. They have huge heads. They
have dark brown hair between their curving horns.
Bison are mainly brownish-black. They are covered with
a thick 'blanket' fur. The bison have short legs.
Bison herds can run over 30 miles an hour.
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- Bison are
about six feet tall. They can weight as
much as a ton! The male is larger than the
female.
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- In
spring, a cow gives birth to one calf.
Baby bison are called calves. They are a
reddish brown color.
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- What
do bison eat?
- Bison eat
grass. They normally feed five times a
day. In the winter they use their hooves
to dig for grass in the snow.
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Where
can I find a bison? - Bison
travel in herds. Bands can have more than 60 bison.
From late fall to spring, Males and females are
separate. In the
1800s buffalo could be found all across North America.
Most of the bison were killed in the 1800s. A few were
protected. Today, many bison are found in parks in the
northwest US and Canada.
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- Who
are the friends and enemies of a
bison?
- Healthy adults have
little to fear, especially in their
herds.
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Bison's only
significant predators are wolves
and grizzlies that usually have to content
themselves with preying on stray calves or
old, weakened adults.
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The bison's primary defense is to stampede, running
away from predators at speeds up to 32 miles per hour,
faster than a wolf. They also can use their hooves and
horns as formidable weapons against
intruders.
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to NatureScapes
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- Note: All photographs taken
with a digital camera in Yellowstone National Park,
Wyoming (July 1999).
- Developed by
Annette
Lamb and
Larry
Johnson,
6/99.
- Updated 12/99
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