American bison

Bison are hoofed mammals that have curved horns and a dark brown, shaggy coat. They are distinguished by a shoulder hump. The scientific name for American bison is Bison bison.

The bison’s hump helps support its huge head. The hair on the hump and on the bison’s whole front end is two to five times thicker than the hair on the rear end. The bison also has sharp, curved horn.

Bison bison

Larger than cattle, bison have 14 pairs of ribs compared to the 13 that cattle have. Long before the first Europeans arrived in North America, American bison roamed the continent from Great Slave Lake in what is now Canada to what is now Mexico.

Bison measure about 11 and one-half feet in length. It stands about 6.5 feet (2 meters) tall at the shoulder. It may weigh about 900 kgs. The females are smaller.

American bison prefer grasslands and open prairies. Today the American bison is found mainly in protected areas such as national parks.

They are herbivores. Herbivores are animals that eat plants. Bison eat mostly prairie grasses and plants.
American bison