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This is an article about an animal. For other uses, see Bison (disambiguation).

Bison
European Bison, or Wisent
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Subfamily: Bovinae Genus: Bison Hamilton Smith, 1827
Species
†B. antiquus B. bison B. bonasus †B. latifrons †B. occidentalis †B. priscus

Herd of bison grazing in a national park in Elk Island.

Bison is a taxonomic genus containing six species of large even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Only two of these species still exist: the American Bison (B. bison) and the European Bison, or wisent (B. bonasus). In American Western culture, the bison is commonly referred to as "buffalo"; however, this is a misnomer. In fact, buffalo are distinctly different animals from bison. Although both bison and buffalo belong to the same family, Bovidae, true 'buffalo' are native only to Africa and Asia.

Bison are distinct from buffalo, with the only two species holding that name being the Asian Water Buffalo and African Buffalo. The gaur, a large, thick-coated ox found in Asia, is also known as the Indian Bison, although it is in the genus Bos and thus not a true bison.

The American and European bison are the largest terrestrial mammals in North America and Europe. Like their cattle relatives, bison are nomadic grazers and travel in herds, except for the non-dominant bulls, which travel alone or in small groups during most of the year. American bison are known for living in the Great Plains. Both species were hunted close to extinction during the 19th and 20th centuries but have since rebounded, although the European bison is still endangered.

Unlike the Asian Water Buffalo, the bison has never really been domesticated, although it does appear on farms occasionally. It is raised now mostly on large ranches in the United States and Canada for meat. Wild herds are found in Yellowstone and northern central Canada (see Wood Bison).

They live to be about 20 years old and are born without their trademark "hump" or horns, with the development of their horns, they become mature at two to three years of age, although the males continue to grow slowly to about age seven. Adult bulls express a high degree of dominance during mating season.

On March 16, 2007 15 American Bison have been re-introduced to Colorado to roam where they did over a century ago. A herd of 15 Bison have been established in the 17000 acre Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge a former chemical weapons manufacturing site.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Bison

• Bovid hybrids
• American Bison

• Plains Bison
• Wood Bison

• Ancient Bison
• Water Buffalo
• African Buffalo
• M. Bison
• Bizon

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