American bison

Facts

IUCN NEAR THREATENED (NT)

Facts about this animal

The Bison is the largest land animal of North America. It has a massive, low slung head, a hump on its shoulders and relatively slender hindquarters. Head-body length is 2.2 to 3 m, hight at shoulder about 1.5 to 2 m. They weigh from 500 to 1000 kg, with females being about one fourth to one third smaler than males. Long, shaggy dark brown hair covers the head and shoulders, and a beard grows form the chin. The fur on the hind quarters is much shorter. Both sexes have horns, which are smooth, black, and curved upwards. Juvenile coat is orangy brown.

Did you know?
that independent ranchers and entrepreneurial marketers have played a significant role in restoring bison to the North American ecosystem? Even more important, the American consumer today is providing a major incentive for the continued growth in the bison population. The rapid growing in demand for bison meat over the past year is providing a strong incentive for ranchers to continue to work to bring back the American Bison (NBA).

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	ARTIODACTYLA
Suborder	RUMINANTIA
Family	BOVIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Bison bison
Name (English)	American bison
Name (French)	Bison d'Amérique
Name (German)	Bison
Name (Spanish)	Bisonte americano
Local names	USA: Buffalo
CITES Status	Appendix II (subspecies athabascae only)
CMS Status	Not listed

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Javk Dykinga

Distribution

Distribution
Range	North America (see historic range map on the left)
Habitat	Prairies, plains and forests
Wild population	The American bison nearly got extinct after the arrival of thousands of white settlers. Due to uncontrolled hunting in the 19th century numbers decreased dramatically until just a few hundred animals were left at the and of the century. With adequate protection the herds have steadily increased till then, and it numbers around 300'000 animals today in North America. However, most bison are found in national and state parks, wildlife refuges, in private collections and on a large number of commercial ranches (meat production) (Red List IUCN 2011).
Zoo population	974 reported to ISIS (2007)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For road transport, in general, a trailer is used. Because of the large size of wild cattle, the use of a crate is generally not recommended except for transport of juvenile or sub-adult animals or for air transport. When transporting wild cattle in a trailer, animals should be singly-stalled and stalls should be partitioned in such a way that the animal has enough room to lie down and stand up, but not turn around. Too much space allows the animal to jump up, potentially injuring itself.

For air transport, Container Note 73 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations, should be followed.

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Wikipedia

Why do zoos keep this animal

The American bison is no longer a threateend species. Zoos keep them primarily for educational reasons, because of their importance for American history and indigenous people in North America, and as an ambassador species for the conservation of the prairie biome.

How this animal should be kept

Americasn bisons should be kept in social groups of one adult male and several females with their offspring. For up to five adult animals an outdoor enclosure of at least 800 m² is required, which should be enlarged by 80 m² for each additional adult. The enclosure should be well structured, frequently used areas, e.g. at the entrance to the stables, should be paved. Landscaping involving tree roots, large natural stones or trees.

No stable is required but the animals should have a shelter of sufficient size. In case individual stabulation is applied, the den size should be 10m² per animal.

American bisons are predominantly grazing animals and eat low-protein food. It is important therefore for feeding that they have continuous access to normal good hay. Supplementing this diet with concentrates should be restricted to very small doses. The animals are happy to eat soft wood twigs with or without leaves at any time of the year. Clean drinking water should be available at all times.