Bison

Bison are 4-legged, ox-like animals of the family Bovidae which may weigh up to 1,000 pounds and stand up to 6 feet in tall. The forequarters of the creature have a shaggy mane.

Bison
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum Information
Phylum	Chordata
Class Information
Class	Mammalia
Order Information
Order	Artiodactyla
Family Information
Family	Bovidae
Sub-family	Bovinae
Genus Information
Genus	Bison
Species Information
Species	B. bison B. bonasus
Subspecies	(North American bison) B. b. athabascae B. b. bison
Population statistics
Population	North America: 30,000 Europe: 3,000+

At one time bison herds roamed the plains and valleys from western Canada down to Mexico. They served an important part of Native American survival, but were almost hunted to extinction by European settlers by 1900. Conservation efforts prevented the extinction of the American bison, but herds today are rare.

Sources

The New American Desk Encyclopedia, Penguin Group, 1989