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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?
Winds caused by changes in barometric pressure are what give Wind Cave its name. These winds have been measured at the cave's walk-in entrance at over 70 mph. The winds at the natural entrance of the cave attracted the attention of Native Americans and early settlers.
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Last Updated: June 30, 2006 at 13:43 MST |
