American Bison
Bos bison
Despite their massive size, bison are incredibly agile; they can jump up to 6 feet vertically and run at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.
- Scientific name
- Bos bison
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Artiodactyla › Bovidae › Bos
- IUCN Red List status
- Near Threatened
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Great plains, open grasslands, prairies, and semi-open shrublands.
- Diet
- Herbivorous; primarily grasses, sedges, and herbaceous plants.
- Range
- United States, Canada
- Size
- Height: 5 to 6.5 feet at the shoulder; Weight: 1,000 to 2,000 lbs.
- Lifespan
- 15-20 years in the wild
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, loss of genetic diversity due to historical bottlenecks, and conflict with cattle ranching operations.
- Safe to approach?
- Defensive and unpredictable. Keep a safe distance of at least 25 yards (75 feet). If a bison stops feeding and stares, shakes its head, or raises its tail, you are too close and must back away slowly. If charged, seek cover behind a vehicle or large rock. If gored or trampled, seek emergency medical help immediately.
The American bison ( Bison bison ; pl.: bison ), commonly known as the American buffalo , or simply buffalo (not to be confused with true buffalo), is a species of bison that is endemic to North America. It is one of two extant species of bison, along with the European bison. Its historical range circa 9000 BC is referred to as the great bison belt, a tract of rich grassland spanning from Alaska south to the Gulf of Mexico,...
Photo: Kathlin Simpkins, CC0, via iNaturalist
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