Bison come in many sizes ranging from 3.6m to 3.8m for males (height) and 2.13 to 3.18 for females. Width wise is 1.67m to 1.86m for males and 1.52 to 1.57 for females. Most bison are brown. Their adaptations are grassland in North America. You can tell an animal is a bison if it has circular hooves and black upward curving horns. Its niche is well made for it because it has lots of grass and it doesn't have many animals that are bigger than it.

   

They do well in their ecosystem because of all the grass. They don't really compete with anyone for food because it eats grass and there is lots of grass. In 1890 there were less than 1000 buffalo roaming in the grasslands. This amount managed to get them on the endangered species list. Every year the population usually shrinks. The main contribution to its shrinking is hunting. You may be thinking how cool would it be to have a buffalo head hanging on your wall but think of the innocent endangered species you just killed. Its role in the food web comes right out under humans. They don't really compete with anyone for food. The reason for this is because they eat grass and there is so much of it that they don't have the need to compete with anyone for food. If the grass is low they will also eat shrubs and plants. My animal is prey to many other animals including humans. I bet you a mountain lion or wolf would like a buffalo head on their wall too.

 

Buffalo's have great senses. Their hearing and sight can help them evade being eaten. Their eyes help them see at great distances and their hearing can help them by showing them where enemies are hiding. I thought it was interesting that female buffaloes can grow larger than the male buffalo. I also thought it was interesting that they were on the endangered species list but people still hunt them. I also found it funny that for a while I thought bison weren't real because I saw a flying one on a T.V. Show.

 

Author: Lindsey P

Published: 02/2007

 

Photo Credit:

A bison, taken by the USDA http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/k5680-1.htm ; photo by Jack Dykinga. (Caption: "scientists are helping users of American rangelands meet the challenge of managing multiple uses sustainably.") QuartierLatin1968 04:05, 28 September 2005 (UTC)