American Bison
The American Bison (Bison bison) is North America’s largest land animal. It is commonly referred to as the American Buffalo, but it is not actually a buffalo.
Throughout history, the American Bison lived on the Great Plains of North America. Their range stretched from Great Slave Lake in Canada down into Mexico, and from Oregon over to the Atlantic Ocean.
Young American Bison are a brown-orange color, and as they mature their coats get darker. Adult American Bison are light brown in the summer months, and dark brown in the winter. They have extremely large heads with large forequarters as well. American Bison have two small horns protruding from their heads, which are used when fighting for dominance or for protection.
American Bison Statistics
Conservation Status: Conservation Dependent
Average Height: 2 meters
Average Length: 3 meters
Average Weight: 1450 lbs (Note: The largest American Bison recorded weighed 2,500 lbs.)
Life Expectancy: Wild – 15 years, Captivity – 25 years
American Bison Sub-Species
- Plains Bison (Bison bison bison)
- Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae)
American Bison Classification
| - Kingdom: Animalia |
| - Phylum: Chordata |
| - Class: Mammalia |
| - Order: Artiodactyla |
| - Family: Bovidae |
| - Subfamily: Bovinae |
| - Genus: Bison |
| - Species: Bison bison |