About Bison

The American Bison

Bison are also called “buffalo,” but they are not related to African or Asian buffalo species. Bison are wildlife and they are native to the North American continent. Generally speaking, Indigenous people prefer to use the term buffalo, and so the term is used in a cultural context where bison is used in scientific contexts.

There are two kinds of bison in North America: Plains bison (Bison bison bison), historically were found in the lower 48 states and southern Canada. The larger wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) ranged in the northern reaches of Canadian provinces and territories and in eastern Alaska. To see these two different kinds of bison, click here.

Facts about Bison

• A bison can live 12-20 years in the wild
• Adult males are "bulls", females are "cows", and young bison are "calves"
• An adult bull can weight 2,000-2,2000 pounds (907-998 kg) and cows can weight 1,000 pound (454 kg)
• A typical adult bison is 6 - 6.5 feet tall (1.8 - 2 meters) and 10 - 12.5 feet long (3 - 3.8 meters)
• Bison can run at speeds of 40 miles per hour (65 km)
• Bison can jump as high as 6 feet (1.8 meters)

Reports & Research on Bison in National Parks

Source: Data Store Saved Search 5638. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.