Bison 4583 226094977 2008-07-16T20:18:01Z SpectrumDT 252207 /* See also */ Added link to "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo" <!-- comment -->:''This is an article about an animal. For other uses, see [[Bison (disambiguation)]].'' {{Taxobox | name = Bison | image = Bison bison 008.jpg | image_width = 250px | image_caption = [[American Bison]] (''Bison bison'') | image2 = Wisent.jpg | image2_width = 250px | image2_caption = [[Wisent]] (''Bison bonasus'') | status = LR/lc | status_system = IUCN2.3 | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[Mammal]]ia | ordo = [[Artiodactyla]] | familia = [[Bovidae]] | subfamilia = [[Bovinae]] | genus = '''''Bison''''' | genus_authority = [[Charles Hamilton Smith|Hamilton Smith]], 1827 | species = [[Bison bonasus]] | subdivision_ranks = [[Species]] | subdivision = †''[[Bison antiquus|B. antiquus]]''<br> ''[[American Bison|B. bison]]''<br> ''[[Wisent|B. bonasus]]''<br> †''[[Bison latifrons|B. latifrons]]''<br> †''[[Bison occidentalis|B. occidentalis]]''<br> †''[[Steppe Wisent|B. priscus]]''<br> }} '''Bison''' is a taxonomic group containing six species of large [[even-toed ungulate]]s within the subfamily [[Bovinae]]. Only two of these species still exist: the [[American bison]] (''B. bison'') and the European bison, or [[wisent]] (''B. bonasus''), each with two subspecies. == Name == In American [[Western (genre)|Western]] culture, the bison is commonly referred to as "buffalo"; however, this is a misnomer: though both bison and buffalo belong to the [[Bovidae]] family, the term "buffalo" properly applies only to the Asian [[Domestic buffalo|water buffalo]] and [[African buffalo]]. The [[gaur]], a large, thick-coated [[ox]] found in [[Asia]], is also known as the "Indian bison", although it is in the genus ''[[Bos]]'' and thus not a true bison. == Description == The American and European bison are the largest terrestrial [[mammal]]s in [[North America]] and [[Europe]]. Bison are nomadic [[grazers]]{{Fact|date=March 2008}}<!-- Does this apply to all species? --> and travel in [[herd]]s, except for the non-dominant bulls, which travel alone or in small groups during most of the year. American bison are known for living in the [[Great Plains]]. Both species were hunted close to [[extinction]] during the 19th and 20th centuries but have since rebounded, although the European bison is still [[endangered species|endangered]]. Unlike the Asian water buffalo, bison have never been [[domesticated]], although the American bison is kept on some farms. Bison live to be about 20 years old and are born without their trademark "hump" or horns. With the development of their horns, they become mature at two to three years of age, although the males continue to grow slowly to about age seven. Adult bulls express a high degree of dominance competitiveness during mating season. Male bison fight for females and these fights often result in injury or death. After the bison mate, the herd splits up into smaller herds. Calves are born nine months after mating. The [[mother]]s take care of and nurse their young for a year. Bison are up to 11.5 feet (3.5m) in length, up to 6.5 feet (2m) in height and up to one ton in weight. ==Diet== Bison have a fairly simple [[diet]]. The bison's main [[food]] is [[grass]]. Bison also eat the low lying [[shrub]]bery that is available. In the [[winter]], bison forage in the [[snow]] looking for grass. If there is little grass available, bison have to resort to eating the twigs of the shrubs and plants. ==See also== * [[Bovid hybrid]]s * [[American Bison]] * [[Plains Bison]] * [[Wood Bison]] * [[Ancient Bison]] * [[Domestic buffalo|Water Buffalo]] * [[African Buffalo]] * [[Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo]] ==Gallery== <gallery> Image:bison herd grazing.JPG|Herd of bison grazing in [[Elk Island National Park]], [[Alberta]], Canada Image:Bison feeding - Alberta.jpg|Bison feeding - [[Alberta]] Image:Bison - Alberta, 1971.jpg|Bison in winter, Alberta </gallery> ==References== {{commonscat|Bison}} {{reflist}} {{Artiodactyla|R.4}} [[Category:Bison| ]] [[bg:Бизони]] [[ca:Bisó]] [[cs:Bizon]] [[de:Bisons]] [[el:Βίσονας]] [[es:Bison]] [[eo:Bizono]] [[eu:Bisonte]] [[fr:Bison]] [[gl:Bisonte]] [[io:Bizono]] [[id:Bison]] [[ia:Bison]] [[it:Bison]] [[hu:Bölény]] [[nl:Bison (geslacht)]] [[no:Bison]] [[oc:Bisont]] [[pl:Bison (zwierzęta)]] [[pt:Bisonte]] [[ro:Bizon]] [[qu:Bisunti]] [[ru:Бизоны]] [[simple:Bison]] [[sk:Zubor (rod)]] [[sv:Bison (släkte)]] [[vi:Bò rừng bizon]] [[tr:Bizon]] [[zh:美洲野牛属]]