Explore 5 Surprising Facts About This Majestic Animal

Yellow Browser Yellow Browser Written by DEPKES.ORG March 2023 Written by DEPKES.ORG March 2023

1. Bison are the largest mammal in North America

[{"selector":"#anim-4c2fd7e2-bd75-4de9-bc2e-3659940f2ecb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.249999886225726%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Male bison (called bulls) weigh up to 2,000 pounds and stand 6 feet tall, while females (called cows) weigh up to 1,000 pounds and reach a height of 4-5 feet.

2. Since the late 19th century, Interior has been the primary national conservation steward of the bison

[{"selector":"#anim-ed757197-bb65-423c-adee-cf840a4d05fc [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.249999886225726%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Public lands managed by Interior support 17 bison herds—or approximately 10,000 bison—in 12 states, including Alaska.

3. What’s the difference between bison and buffalo?

[{"selector":"#anim-cf336b7e-90f6-45fe-9078-d31c96ad6b72 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(22.058823500115214%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] While bison and buffalo are used interchangeably, in North America the scientific name is bison.

4.Yellowstone National Park is the only place in the U.S. where bison have continuously lived since prehistoric times

[{"selector":"#anim-8aa83a9c-276e-4908-ab2b-349248f8e1b3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(7.812499744007886%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] What makes Yellowstone’s bison so special is that they’re the descendants of early bison that roamed our country’s grasslands.

5. What’s a “red dog”?

[{"selector":"#anim-ec324725-4654-4e30-89f1-c99406ac2953 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.249999886225726%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] It’s a baby bison. Bison calves tend to be born from late March through May and are orange-red in color, earning them the nickname “red dogs.”