American Bison

American Bison. Bison bison. , Characteristics: The bison has a long shaggy brownish black hair on its head, shoulders, neck and forelegs. The rest of the body is covered in shorter lighter hair. The head has a shaggy beard and a broad forehead with upturned horns. In the summer the bison will shed the long shaggy hair by rubbing against threes, logs and boulders. They also enjoy taking dust baths which help remove parasites. They travel in herds up to 2 miles a day constantly grazing. They have an excellent sense of hearing and smell. When in danger the females (cows) will surround the calves and the males (bulls) will surround the cows shielding them from the attacker. A bison calf is born a light reddish brown and will begin to darken in color in about 6 months., Habitat: Grasslands, prairies and open forests., Diet: Grasses, leaves, shoots and bark from succulent vegetation., Conservation: Hunted almost to extinction by 1900, the American Bison Society was formed in 1905 to secure the survival of the species. They are now protected in national parks and preserves., Stats:

Life Span: 20 years (wild) 35 years (captivity). , Size: Body: 2.1-3.5 m. (7 to 11 ft). Tail: up to 90 cm (up to 3 ft). , Weight: 545-1,000 kg. (1200-2,200 lbs). , Gestation: 270-285 days (1 calf) , Range: Isolated pockets through Midwestern Canada and the United States

, Did You Know? , Most Indian tribes relied almost entirely on the bison for food and clothing. In times of war the hide from the neck of the bison was dried flat and used as a shield by the Indians., [Caption:] , Bison calves are a reddish brown color and darken in color as they age.