Буклет на тему «American Bison (Bison). Let's keep the thunder of their hooves alive on the plains!»

The American Bison, often called the buffalo, is the largest land animal in North America. Once, massive herds of up to 60 million individuals roamed the Great Plains, shaping the landscape and the lives of Indigenous peoples. Today, this majestic creature stands as a powerful symbol of conservation success and the wild spirit of the continent.

According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (assessment 2024), the American Bison is classified as Near Threatened (NT). While the species is no longer on the brink of extinction, it remains dependent on active protection and management. The primary threat to the genetic purity of wild herds is hybridization with domestic cattle.

Habitat: Grasslands, river valleys, and open plains of the USA and Canada.

• Population: Approximately 30,000 individuals exist in conservation herds (wild or semi-wild populations). Commercial herds number in the hundreds of thousands but are often kept for meat production.

• Diet: Strict herbivore. In summer, they graze on grasses and sedges. In winter, they use their massive heads to sweep snow aside to find dried vegetation underneath.

• Lifespan: Up to 20–25 years in the wild.

The near-extinction of the bison in the 19th century is one of the most dramatic ecological tragedies in history, driven by mass hunting and habitat loss. Protecting the bison today means preserving entire prairie ecosystems. Their grazing patterns create habitats for birds, insects, and smaller mammals, while their hooves till the soil, helping seeds to grow.

Despite their massive weight of up to 900 kg (2,000 lbs), bison are incredibly agile. They can run at speeds of up to 65 km/h (40 mph), jump high fences, and swim strongly.

• Bison have poor eyesight but an excellent sense of smell, detecting scents from up to 3 kilometers away.

• They communicate through grunts, bellows, and snorts, especially during the mating season.