National Bison Day, on the first Saturday in November, the country honors one of the most majestic beasts to roam the land.
- On May 9, 2016, President Obama signed the National Bison Legacy Act into law, making the American bison the national mammal of the United States.
- The official National Mammal of the United States, the iconic North American Bison, has played a cultural, economic, and environmental role in the history of the country. Central to the livelihood of Native Americans, they are also a healthy food source and vital to religious ceremonies.
- The bison is the largest land mammal in North America, with males weighing up to 2,000 pounds and standing up to 6 feet tall.
- Bison (also called Buffalo) are large, even-toed ungulates in the genus Bison within the subfamily Bovinae and there are two extant and four extinct species recognized.
- The American bison and the European wisent are the largest terrestrial animals in North America and Europe.
- A bison’s hump is composed of muscle, supported by long vertebrae. It allows the animal to use its head to plow through snow.
- Fossils and accounts from early travelers show that Yellowstone National Park is the only place in the U.S. where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times.
- The Yellowstone herd is one of the few that remains genetically free of cattle genes.
- Known for roaming great distances, bison move continuously as they eat.
- Females (cows) and adult males (bulls) generally live in small, separate bands and come together in very large herds during the summer mating season.
- During this period, the bull blocks the cow’s vision so that she may not see other competing bulls, and bellows at males striving for the cow’s attention.
- You can tell a bison’s mood by the way it moves its tail. If the tail hangs down, the bison is usually calm. If the tail is standing straight, it’s most likely ready to charge.
- Bison are extremely agile. They can run up to 35 miles per hour, they can spin around quickly, jump high fences and are very strong swimmers.
- In 1883, Teddy Roosevelt went to the Dakota Territory to hunt bison. After spending a few years there, he came back to New York with a new found love for the animal. He paved the way for the conservation movement, and in 1905, formed the American Bison Society with William Hornaday to try and save the quickly disappearing bison.
- Bison have terrible eyesight but an excellent sense of smell and hearing.
- What’s the difference between bison and buffalo? While bison and buffalo are used interchangeably, in North America the scientific name is bison. Actually, it’s Bison bison bison (genus: Bison, species: bison, subspecies: bison), but only saying it once is fine. Historians believe that the term “buffalo” grew from the French word for beef, “boeuf.“
- The American bison’s ancestors can be traced to southern Asia thousands of years ago. Bison made their way to America by crossing the ancient land bridge that once connected Asia with North America during the Pliocene Epoch, some 400,000 years ago. These ancient animals were much larger than the iconic bison we love today.
Sources:
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
