Bison

The American Bison is also called Buffalo, which is actually incorrect, as this species is not closely related to the “true Buffalos” – the Asian Water Buffalo and the African Cape Buffalo. The American Bison is the largest mammal of North America since the end of the Ice Age. The ancient relatives of the modern Bison came from Asia. They crossed the Bering land bridge about 300,000 years ago. They were very large, and during the Ice Age, they died out, as they could not find enough food. Their smaller relatives, the direct ancestors of the modern Bisons, were more adapted to the climate change.

Nowadays, the Bison thrives in many environments from the snow plains of the Kodiak Island to the prairies of Texas. These animals are very hardy and endurable. The heavy winter coat protects northern populations from bitter cold and wind; southern populations have a short coat. When feeding in winter, Bisons root through the snow cover and find coarse grass. In summer, they feed on tall grass and don’t stay in one place for a long time. 

For thousands of years, Bisons were common throughout the North American continent. There were about 30-70 millions of Bisons ranging from Alaska to Mexico before the European settlers arrived to the New World. In ancient times, Bisons moved in herds that consisted up to 500,000 animals. Large Bison herds provided a supply of food and pelts for the Native Americans.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Bisons were almost exterminated by European settlers. These large animals were killed massively not for their meat, but mostly for their hides and tongues. Many Bisons were killed for sport. By the late 19th century, there were only about 1,000 Bisons left. They were saved by the efforts of the Director of the Bronx Zoo and a group of devoted ranchers. The American Bison Society was formed in 1905 to protect the range of these animals. Nowadays, there are two associations that preserve the Bison population: the National Bison Association and the Canadian Bison Association. Thanks to their efforts, the population of the Bison is estimated around 350,000 species. The conservation status of the Bison is Conservation Dependent.