Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

American Bison

Bison bison

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

The largest land mammal in North America, all but wiped out in the nineteenth century and recovered today thanks to conservation.

Weight

400 kg – 1 t

Size

3 m – 3.8 m

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Herd

Lives in large groups as a strategy against predators.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

Estimated population

18,748 animals in 20 free-ranging wild herds; an estimated 11,248 to 13,123 of them are mature individuals

GrasslandHerbivore Diurnal In herds Near Threatened Grassland Mammal

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Fun facts

It can run at over 55 km/h despite weighing a tonne.
There were once over 30 million of them, before European colonisation.
It is the national mammal of the United States.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Prairies of the Great Plains of North America
Birth weight: 15-30 kg at birth, in a distinctive reddish-orange coat
Size at birth: 15-30 kg at birth
Sexual maturity: 2-3 years (female) | 3 years, though bulls rarely breed before 6 (male)
Gestation / incubation: 270-285 days (~9.5 months)
Litter / clutch size: 1 young per birth
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 25 years

Sources consulted: Brightszoo; Animalia.bio; Zoo Idaho; NPS (Bison Basic Facts); NPS (Bison Bellows); Antelope Island State Park; Aune, Jørgensen y Gates 2017, IUCN Red List e.T2815A45156541: la especie no está actualmente en declive, pero depende por completo de programas de manejo || Aune, Jørgensen y Gates 2017, IUCN Red List e.T2815A45156541