Bison
Bison bison
His head looks too heavy to carry and it seems he'd get awfully hot & uncomfortable in that thick, thick fur. And you might think him quite silly when you see him rolling around on the ground (called "wallowing"), but the American Bison, also called the "buffalo," was one of the most prevalent and dangerous animals in North America. In the 1800's there were so many bison that they would blanket the plains as far as the eye could see.
These powerful animals are related to cows. Like cows, they walk around all day grazing and they live in herds. Unlike cows they have a massive, shaggy head and a pronounced hump on top of their shoulders. These features help them survive tough winters. They use their head to face the snow and wind in winter and to dig through the snow to get to buried grass, their food. Males use their heads as a battering ram against a foe. But before they fight, the males have a shouting contest with the loudest winning.
Amazingly, although they look clumsy and slow, they can outrun and outmaneuver horses. They may seem lazy, languidly grazing, but if they get upset, they can charge abruptly. A head down, tail up posture is a sign that one is about to charge.
Bison have poor eyesight but excellent hearing and sense of smell. They make pig-like grunting sounds at rest and aggressive bellows when riled up.
While adult Bison are dark brown or nearly black, the calves are born red. The big, shaggy head and shoulder hump don’t start to develop until a few months after birth. Calves stick close to their moms until they start to look more like their dad. A Bison mom raises one calf at a time and the herd works together to shelter them from predators.
RISK: Bison provided food, clothing, shelter, and fuel for the Native Americans, but when westerners arrived they hunted them to the point of extinction. Extermination of the bison spelled the doom of American Indian independence. In 1800, it was estimated there were forty million bison in the United States. By 1900, there were less than six hundred, which were saved by a small, devoted group of conservationists. The bison we see and enjoy today were raised from these few survivors.
