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Wind Cave National Park
Bison
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Class:
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Mammalia |
| Order: |
Artiodactyla (same as deer, sheep, pronghorn) |
| Family: |
Bovidae (true horns, not branched, on both sexes, cattle, sheep, goat, musk ox) |
| Genus: |
Bison
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Species:
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bison
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Subspecies:
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athabascae (woods)
bison (plains)
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Name/
History: |
Late 1800s bison almost became extinct. They were saved by the American Bison Society. Often called buffalo by early scientists who thought they were related to the Africa/Asian water buffaloes. French explorers also called the animals "les boeff" - the cattle.
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Size:
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Male Female Calf
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| Weight (lbs) |
2000 1000 30-70
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Height (ft)
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5.5-6 4.5-5.5 2.5
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Rut:
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June-September (one bull forms a temporary "tending bond" with one cow at a time)
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Gestation:
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9.5 months
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Birth:
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April -June (reddish, brown fur, no conspicuous hump)
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# young:
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Usually 1
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Age:
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12-15 years
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Habitat/
Range:
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At one time bison roamed North America from Alaska to northern Mexico, western California to western New York.
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Food:
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Grasses, browse |
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Enemies:
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Occasionally grizzly, humans, extinct prairie wolf
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Disease:
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Brucellosis, tuberculosis |
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Communication:
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Grunts/snorts between cow-calf, roar by bulls during rut
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Behavior/
Characteristics:
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Generally cow/calves in herd together, bulls alone or in small bull herd except during the rut.
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Did You Know?
Wind Cave became a national park in 1903. It is one of the nation's oldest national parks. Today the park not only protects the 4th longest cave in the world, it protects an amazing prairie ecosystem and the wildlife associated with it.
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Last Updated: June 30, 2006 at 13:43 EST |
