American Bison
| American Bison | |
|---|---|
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| American bison | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Subfamily: | Bovinae |
| Genus: | Bison |
| Species: | B. bison |
| Binomial name | |
| Bison bison (Linnaeus, 1758) |
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The American Bison is a bovine mammal, also known as the American Buffalo, or simply Buffalo, something of a misnomer as it is only distantly related to either of the two "true buffalos": the Water Buffalo and the African Buffalo. Their staple foods are grasses and sedges.
Description [change]
Bison are considered a keystone species. They once roamed the continent in great herds, and their grazing pressure helped shape the ecology of the Great Plains. The bisons has a large head with relatively small, curving horns. Its dark brown coat is long and shaggy on the forequarters, including the front legs, neck, and shoulders, while the rest of the body has shorter, finer hair.
Habitat [change]
Bison once roamed across much of North America. Today bison are ecologically extinct throughout most of their historic range, except for a few national parks and other small wildlife areas.
References [change]
- ↑ Gates, C. & Aune, K (2008). Bison bison. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2008. Retrieved on November 10, 2008.Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of Near threatened.
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