To close out the week of Wild Facts, we are going to stay in North America, which seems fitting since it was Canada and Independence Day this week. As we wander the grasslands of this great continent we will keep an eye out for herds of the famed American Bison. Although, spotting these herds may be a challenge as this particular ungulate was on the verge of extinction not too long ago as a result of commercial hunting during the 1900’s. Today, small herds are scattered throughout North America but they are making a valiant effort at a comeback. In fact, hunting seasons have even been opened up on the American Bison in some places such as the Yukon Territory in Canada. Perhaps, massive herds of these beautiful creatures will roam the plains once again, in the no too distant future.
Bison vs. Buffalo
Many people will refer to our featured animal as the American Buffalo, however, this is technically incorrect as this Bison is only distantly related to either of the true Buffalo species, the Asian Water and African Buffalo. Regardless what you call it, this large ungulate is an impressive species standing at a height of 2 m (6 feet) and weighs an astonishingly 907 kg (1 ton) so you can see why early settlers thought it was a good idea to hunt these animals. The meat from this massive animal would last you through the harsh winter months…and then some.
The Heavy Sprinter
Believe it or not, this heavy animal is actually quite swift. I know, it is surprising but these creatures are capable of running at speeds greater than 65 km/hr (40 mph). I don’t know about you but I would not want a 1 ton animal running towards me at 40 miles per hour……or at 1 mile per hour for that matter :). I am not sure why they need to run so quickly since it definitely isn’t to catch their prey, which is mainly grasses, herbs and shrubs. On the flip side, they do need to worry about wolves attacking them, however, this isn’t the most common occurrence as taking down a large, powerful bison is not an easy task, even for a pack of hungry wolves. Perhaps these animals need to be fast so they can escape the clutches of their biggest predator…humans. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like it helped them on this front either.
