American Plains Bison
Bison Bison Bison
Distribution:
North America
Habitat:
North America Prairies, plains and open woodland
Diet:
Grasses, vegetation
Gestation:
285 to 300 days, one calf born
Longevity:
12 - 15 years in the wild, 18 - 25 years in captivity.
Predators:
Humans, wolves, mountain lions, bears
Conservation Status:
Near Threatened
General:
American Bison (BY-suhn) have a massive head and forequarters covered with long, dark brown woolly hair. Some stand over 180cm tall at the shoulder and can weigh up to 1,000kg! They have a highly developed sense of smell, good hearing and will charge when cornered - running up to 35mph!
Bison communicate through grunts and snorts. Male bison 'bellow' to announce their presence and establish dominance in a herd, most prevalent around mating season.
Living in a hierarchical group led by a dominant female, herds generally consist of females, juvenile males and a few older males.
Fun fact: A baby bison is affectionately nicknamed a 'red dog' as calves are generally orange-red in colour for the first few months of their lives.
At Hamilton Zoo:
You can find the bison at the bottom of the savannah.
Females:
Aira - 5/12/11
Karen - 13/11/17
Jaimee - 28/3/18
Rayleen - 16/12/18
Daisy - 1/2/19
Pauline - 10/1/20
Males:
Doug - 25/11/20
Kai - 15/12/21